how to download drm free songs in Music app on Mac?

Songs obtained from the Apple Music subscription service are not DRM free. They are protected to avoid piracy, so cannot be used in iMovie projects.

iTuned Match offers DRM free downloads of any songs that were already matched or uploaded from your existing library. iTunes Match does not offer access to the Apple Music subscription service catalog. So for instance if you ripped a CD onto another computer that had iTunes Match enabled, it would match or upload to the iCloud Music library and you could get a DRM free copy to download onto another computer that is signed in to the same Apple Account.

Apple Music seems to now do the same thing if you already own the song. But if you just downloaded it from Apple Music without having previously purchased it or having ripped it from a CD, or imported it from another source into the Apple Music app or iTunes, then it will be DRM protected.

Songs you do not own, and are just downloaded from the Apple Music subscription service are always protected and it would defeat the purpose of it they could be legally un-protected.

Can someone help me understand if, given my circumstances, I should be able to get a DRM-free version of my Apple Music songs? If so, what specific steps to take to remove my current file and get an updated one?

Livin,

There are many good sources for unprotected music downloads. Check out the iTunes Store and Amazon Digital Music for starters. Needless to say, they charge by the track, typically USD 1.29 each.

You're welcome.