change download location for Xbox Music on Windows 8/8.1/RT?

[onlysublime]

Just got my Xbox Music pass and trying to learn how things work here...

I think it's downloading songs to memory card on my Windows Phone (hard to tell). Maybe someone can point me to a better utility to monitor storage space as I find the Nokia Lumia Storage Check app is inadequate for monitor the storage card (though it's good for system storage space).

But on my Windows 8.1 machine and my Surface RT, how can I change the download location? My Surface only has 32GB of storage (only 7 GB left). My PC has a 128 GB SSD and I need to reserve the space for important work stuff.

 

[JaiMento]

-Open the Xbox Music app
-Settings Charm
-Preferences
-Choose where we look for music on this PC
-Add desired folder location
-Delete folder location from c:\ drive.

Edit: For managing storage on your phone, you're probably better off using the phone storage option in settings, found between the battery saver option and the backup option.

Additionally, for your Windows 8.1 machine and Surface RT, you can just relocate the location of your music folder to a different place. For instance, on my Surface Pro, my Music folder points to a folder on my SD Card and on my Windows 8.1 desktop, it points to a folder stored on a 750GB secondary HDD. Just right click the music folder, select properties and then select the Location tab.

Edit2: Lastly, as for where your phone is storing downloaded music, it would depend. If you have your phone set to save music, pictures, videos, etc to the SD card, downloading music from the Store app will save music to your SD card. If it is set to save to save music, pictures, videos to the phone storage, it will be downloaded there. However, regardless of that setting, if you are using the Xbox Music app to download music, rather than the built in Store app, all downloaded music will be saved to the phone's internal storage, and, more precisely, to the Xbox Music app's storage, making it inaccessible to other apps and to your PC when your phone is plugged into it.

 

[onlysublime]

thanks for the reply! much appreciated and I can definitely use the info...

just found this for people who like the desktop method for doing this (it's what you posted but step by step). found this a few minutes ago:

Open Explorer
Right click on "Music"
Click on "Properties"
Click "Location..", click "move" and select where you want music to be stored.

After this, I tested it. I clicked on a song I didn't have and added to my collection. It automatically moved the Music folder to the new drive (drive D).

 

[onlysublime]

However, regardless of that setting, if you are using the Xbox Music app to download music, rather than the built in Store app, all downloaded music will be saved to the phone's internal storage, and, more precisely, to the Xbox Music app's storage, making it inaccessible to other apps and to your PC when your phone is plugged into it.

Okay, after reading this more closely, are you saying that if I download songs from Xbox Music on Windows PHone, it will definitely save it to the phone storage rather than the memory card? That would be a serious bummer...

 

[JaiMento]

Okay, after reading this more closely, are you saying that if I download songs from Xbox Music on Windows PHone, it will definitely save it to the phone storage rather than the memory card? That would be a serious bummer...

No. If you want your downloaded music on your SD card, you just have to 1.) ensure that in your phone settings (in the "phone storage" option) that "Store new music+videos on" is set to SD card and 2.) use the Windows Phone built in Store app to download your music.

Do not use the separate Xbox Music app that can be downloaded through the Store app to download your music. You can still use it play your music, just don't download your music through it. Personally, I don't use the Xbox Music app at all. I download the music from the Store app and use the built in Music+Video Hub for playback.

 

[onlysublime]

okay, I understand now, I think.

So when I select the Music+Videos tile, it just loads a hub. when you're talking the Xbox Music, you're talking about this Music+Videos thing? And when I scroll over to the Xbox page and select "Xbox Music Store", that's the Store you are talking about. So you're suggesting I scroll over to the Xbox Music Store and select that and then pick songs to download. But if I want to do "radio" (where it plays songs similar to chosen artist), I just browse in the Music+Videos tile? This is so weird to have 2 separate things.