How do I Download Music from a Disc to a Computer?

Ripping music from a CD and onto a computer can be done in various ways.

Just as you can download, or "burn," music to a rewritable CD in order to store it, you can download, or "rip," this music onto a computer's hard drive. Ripping a CD's music can be done using various methods. Whether you rip the files off the CD and place them directly into a folder or use the operating system's default music player to organize them into your music library, the process to download music from a disc to a computer is straightforward.

Things You'll Need

• CD-R, CD-RW or DVD-RW drive

Instructions

1. Place the CD into the computer's optical--CD-R, CD-RW or DVD-RW--drive.

2. Rip the files using the computer's operating system. In Windows, click the "Start" menu and open "My Computer." Double-click on the optical drive's name. Hold down the "Ctrl" and "A" keys at the same time to select all files on the CD. If you use a Macintosh computer, open the "Finder." Click on the optical drive's name and hold down the "Command" and "A" keys at the same to select all files on the CD. For Windows or Mac, drag the files onto the desktop or into the folder where you want to store them.

3. Launch Windows Media Player if you use Windows, and click the "Copy from CD" tab. Click on the file at the top of the list and hold down the "Shift" key, then click the file at the bottom to highlight all the files. Click the "Copy Music" button to copy the files directly to your Windows Media library.

4. Open iTunes if you use a Mac (or a Windows computer with iTunes installed). Double-click the CD's name in the iTunes left navigation panel. Select the CD's first track, hold down the "Shift" key and click the last track to select the entire disc. Drag the files into the "Music" portion of the "Library."

5. Remove the CD from the optical drive when the system alerts you to do so.

Tips & Warnings

• If you've just created the CD that will be used, it's important to not write on the CD immediately before inserting it into the computer's disc drive, as permanent marker ink can damage the CD burner's laser.

• Removing the CD prior to completion of the ripping process will cause the files to become corrupted and/or incomplete.

References

• Microsoft: Quickly Rip CDs to Your Computer

Resources

• Apple iTunes: Download iTunes for Windows Now
• Microsoft: Windows Media Homepage