SoundCloud is a popular platform for discovering and sharing music, often obscure and indie, that can’t be found anywhere else, so it's always a good idea to have backups of your favourite playlists. Regardless of your goal—whether you're an artist wanting to secure your own tracks or a listener looking to preserve your curated collections—there are several ways to back up and download your SoundCloud playlists. How? Read on to find out.

Is it legal to download music from SoundCloud?

It is only if the artist has explicitly allowed it through official download options or via SoundCloud Go+. Using third-party tools to download tracks without permission breaches SoundCloud’s terms and can violate copyright laws, leading to potential legal consequences.

If a track has a download button provided by the artist, it means the artist has given permission for users to download it, and this is completely legal.

How to Download SoundCloud Playlists to Back Them Up

4K Video Downloader Plus

Although primarily for video downloads, this tool supports SoundCloud and lets you download entire playlists.

1. Install and launch 4K Video Downloader Plus.

2. Copy the link to the Soundcloud playlists you want to download.

3. Click ‘Paste Link’ in the downloader.

4. Select the preferred format and quality.

5. Click ‘Download’. That’s it! In a few moments, the entire Soundcloud playlist will be downloaded to your computer.

More Ways to Back Up a SoundCloud Playlist

Several third-party websites and tools can help you download tracks from your SoundCloud playlists. These tools often allow batch downloading, which is useful for large playlists. However, be cautious when using these services, as they might not always be legal or safe. Here are a few reputable options:

SoundCloud Downloader (soundcloudtool.com): This website allows you to paste the URL of your SoundCloud playlist and download tracks individually or in bulk.
KlickAud: Another popular choice for downloading SoundCloud tracks. It also supports playlist downloads.

For an official and legal way to download tracks, you should subscribe to SoundCloud Go+. This premium service allows you to download tracks for offline listening within the SoundCloud app. For $9.99/month, you can download an unlimited number of tracks and playlists for offline playback on the SoundCloud mobile app.

How to download entire SoundCloud playlists as ZIP

Another way to back up a SoundCloud playlist is to archive it in ZIP. Here’s how.

Go to SoundCloud.com and find your playlist.
Copy the URL. If the playlist is private, ensure you copy its secret share link.
Go to downloadsound.cloud/playlist.
Paste the URL into the input bar.
Click the 'Download' button. You can click 'Open track list' to review the tracks and remove any unwanted ones.
Press 'Download' again to start downloading your playlist as a ZIP file.