Complete Guide to Downloading SoundCloud Tracks: Official and Unofficial Methods
SoundCloud is one of the world’s largest music-sharing platforms, hosting millions of tracks from independent artists, podcasters, and established musicians. With over 320 million tracks available, it’s become a go-to destination for discovering new music, podcasts, and audio content.
Users often want to download SoundCloud tracks for various legitimate reasons:
- Offline listening during commutes or travel
- Creating backups of favorite content
- DJ sets and remixing (with proper permissions)
- Preserving content that might be removed later
- Supporting artists by keeping their work accessible
Important: Before downloading any content, it’s crucial to respect copyright laws and artist permissions. Always prioritize official download methods when available and ensure you have the right to download and use the content as intended. To download those tracks follow the steps and detailed guide below:
- Sign in to your SoundCloud account.
- Find the track you want to download.
- Click the three dots (•••) below the waveform.
- Select “Download” (if available).
Note: Only works if the artist has enabled downloads.
Official Methods to Download SoundCloud Tracks
A. Downloading from Artists Who Allow It
Many SoundCloud artists enable free downloads for their tracks as a way to promote their music and build their fanbase. You can download those tracks without violating any SoundCloud policy.
How to identify downloadable tracks:
- Look for a “Download” button below the waveform (usually appears as a downward arrow icon)
- The button is typically located next to the “Like,” “Repost,” and “Share” options
- Some artists require following them or sharing the track before allowing downloads so you have to do this much for them.
Steps to download:
- Click the “Download” button
- If prompted, complete any requirements (follow, share, etc.)
- Choose your preferred format (MP3, WAV, or FLAC if available)
- Click “Download” in the popup window
- The file will save to your default download folder
File Quality: Official downloads typically offer the highest quality available, often in lossless formats like WAV or FLAC.
B. SoundCloud Go+ Subscription
SoundCloud’s premium service offers additional download capabilities for subscribers and the benefits are listet below.
Benefits of SoundCloud Go+:
- Offline listening through the official mobile app
- Access to a larger catalog of downloadable content
- Ad-free listening experience
- Higher quality audio streams
Limitations:
- Downloads are only available within the SoundCloud app
- Not all tracks are available for download (depends on artist/label agreements)
- Downloaded files are DRM-protected and can’t be transferred outside the app
- Subscription required ($10.99/month as of 2025)
- If you’re a student, then you get a 50% off for the SoundCloud GO+ subscription
How to use SoundCloud Go+ downloads:
- Subscribe to SoundCloud Go+ through the app or website
- Find tracks with the download icon enabled
- Tap the download button (cloud icon) on mobile
- Access downloaded tracks in the “Offline” section of your library
Unofficial Methods to Download SoundCloud Tracks
Important Warning: These methods may violate SoundCloud’s Terms of Service and potentially copyright laws. Use them only for content you have permission to download or for personal backup purposes of tracks you legally own.
A. Online SoundCloud Downloaders
Web-based downloaders are the most accessible unofficial method for downloading SoundCloud tracks. Because they use some 3rd party APIs to access SoundCloud songs and offer you a 320kbps download.
Popular online downloaders:
- Soundcloudtomp3download
- KlickAud
- ScloudDownloader
- SoundCloudMP3
- SaveFrom.net
Step-by-step process:
- Copy the track URL:
- Go to the SoundCloud track you want to download
- Copy the URL from your browser’s address bar (e.g., https://soundcloud.com/artist/track-name)
- Use the downloader:
- Navigate to your chosen online downloader
- Paste the SoundCloud URL into the input field
- Click “Download” or “Convert”
- Wait for processing (usually 10-60 seconds)
- Download the file:
- Click the provided download link
- Choose your preferred quality (128kbps, 320kbps, etc.)
- Save the MP3 file to your device
Pros:
- No software installation required
- Works on any device with a web browser
- Usually free to use
- Quick and straightforward process
Cons:
- Potential security risks (malware, malicious ads)
- Variable audio quality (often compressed)
- Websites may go offline or change URLs
- Some sites have daily download limits
- Risk of violating Terms of Service
Browser Extensions
Browser extensions provide a more integrated downloading experience directly from SoundCloud.
Recommended extensions:
- SoundCloud Downloader (Chrome, Firefox)
- SoundFixer (Chrome)
- Video DownloadHelper (Firefox, Chrome)
Installation and usage:
- Install the extension:
- Go to your browser’s extension store (Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons)
- Search for “SoundCloud Downloader”
- Click “Add to Browser” and confirm installation
- Download tracks:
- Navigate to any SoundCloud track
- Look for the new download button added by the extension
- Click the button to initiate download
- Choose quality settings if available
- File will download automatically
Pros:
- Seamless integration with SoundCloud interface
- One-click downloading
- Often includes quality selection options
- No need to visit external websites
Cons:
- Requires browser extension permissions
- May break with SoundCloud updates
- Limited mobile support
- Potential security concerns with third-party extensions
Third-Party Software
Desktop applications offer more advanced downloading capabilities and better reliability than web-based solutions.
Popular software options:
1. 4K Video Downloader:
- Supports SoundCloud, YouTube, and other platforms
- High-quality downloads (up to 320kbps)
- Batch downloading capabilities
- Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux
Setup and usage:
- Download and install 4K Video Downloader
- Copy the SoundCloud track or playlist URL
- Click “Paste Link” in the application
- Choose audio format and quality
- Select download location
- Click “Download”
2. JDownloader:
- Open-source download manager
- Supports hundreds of websites including SoundCloud
- Advanced features like automatic captcha solving
- Free to use
3. Audacity (for recording):
- Free audio editing software
- Can record SoundCloud playback through your computer’s audio
- Requires manual recording but guarantees capture
- Useful for live streams or DJ sets
Set up for Audacity recording:
- Install Audacity and configure audio input
- Set recording source to “Stereo Mix” or “What U Hear”
- Playa SoundCloud track and hit record simultaneously
- Stop recording when the track ends
- Export as MP3 or preferred format
Pros:
- Better reliability than online tools
- Higher quality downloads
- Batch downloading capabilities
- More control over file formats and quality
- Often includes additional features
Cons:
- Requires software installation
- Learning curve for some applications
- May require payment for premium features
- Still potential Terms of Service violations
D. Mobile Apps
Mobile solutions allow downloading directly to smartphones and tablets.
iOS Solutions:
Documents by Readdle:
- Install Documents by Readdle from the App Store
- Open the built-in web browser within Documents
- Navigate to an online SoundCloud downloader
- Follow the web-based download process
- Files are saved within the Documents app
Android Solutions:
Snaptube:
- Download Snaptube APK (not available on Google Play Store)
- Enable installation from unknown sources
- Install the application
- Search for SoundCloud content within Snaptube
- Download directly to your device
NewPipe (Open Source):
- Supports SoundCloud and other platforms
- Available through F-Droid store
- No ads or tracking
- Background playback and downloading
Mobile Pros:
- Download directly to mobile device
- Offline listening without an internet connection
- Integration with mobile media players
Mobile Cons:
- Limited app availability on official stores
- Security risks with APK installations
- Variable app reliability and updates
- Potential Terms of Service violations
Advanced Methods (For Tech-Savvy Users)
YouTube-DL (Command Line Tool)
YouTube-DL is a powerful command-line program that supports SoundCloud and hundreds of other sites.
Installation Process:
Windows:
- Download youtube-dl.exe from the official GitHub repository
- Place it in a folder added to your system PATH
- Or use package managers like Chocolatey: choco install youtube-dl
macOS:
brew install youtube-dl
Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):
sudo apt install youtube-dl
Basic usage commands:
# Download single track
youtube-dl https://soundcloud.com/artist/track-name
# Download with specific quality
youtube-dl -f best https://soundcloud.com/artist/track-name
# Download entire playlist
youtube-dl https://soundcloud.com/artist/sets/playlist-name
# Download with custom filename
youtube-dl -o “%(uploader)s – %(title)s.%(ext)s” [URL]
# Extract audio only
youtube-dl -x –audio-format mp3 [URL]
Advanced features:
- Batch processing with URL lists
- Automatic metadata tagging
- Custom naming schemes
- Quality selection options
- Playlist and user downloading
Inspecting Page Source for Direct Links
This method involves finding the direct sc to mp3 stream URL through browser developer tools.
Step-by-step process:
- Open the SoundCloud track in your web browser
- Open Developer Tools (F12 or right-click → Inspect)
- Go to the Network tab in developer tools
- Filter by “Media” or “XHR”
- Play the track to populate network requests
- Look for MP3 URLs in the network traffic (usually contains “stream” or “media”)
- Right-click the audio request and select “Open in new tab”
- Save the file using the browser’s save function (Ctrl+S)
Technical notes:
- URLs are often time-limited and may expire
- Some streams are segmented and require combining
- Quality depends on SoundCloud’s streaming settings
- Requires a basic understanding of web development tools
