Favourite or add to library in Apple Music: what is the difference

People ask both versions of this: how to favourite a song without adding it to the library, and what the difference between the two is. The short answer: they are two separate actions

Add to library

Adding puts the song in your library, the list of everything you keep. It is how a streaming song becomes part of your collection, and it is what lets you download it

Favourite

A favourite is a flag on a song, plus the Favourite Songs playlist that Music fills from that flag. It says "I like this" and helps Music tune its suggestions. Favourites also work for albums, artists and playlists, not only songs

Can I favourite a song without adding it?

Yes. When a song is playing from radio or the Apple Music catalogue and you have not added it, Music plays it as a stream item. Favouriting it works: a few seconds later a copy of the song appears in Favourite Songs. In our tests that copy shows up in Favourite Songs but not in the main library list

So the two lists answer different questions. The library is what you own or saved. Favourite Songs is what you liked, whether you saved it or only heard it once

Removing a favourite you set on a stream

Removing is where it gets odd. The copy in Favourite Songs is the record Music shows you, so the favourite has to be cleared on that copy. Clearing the flag on the stream item itself changes nothing you can see. Likeit does this for you: it finds the song with the same title and artist in Favourite Songs and clears it there

Which one to use

• Want to keep it and download it: add to library
• Just want to mark it and find it later: favourite
• Both: do both, they do not conflict

Likeit sets the favourite from the menu bar and leaves your library alone