How to listen offline in eSound with your own music files

In eSound, open Library, tap + and choose Cloud import. Pick Device to add files from your phone, or connect Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Yandex Disk or Box and tap the heart next to each song. eSound saves a copy of each file in the app, so these songs play without an internet connection.

Before you start

  • The eSound app on Android or iPhone. Cloud services are available in the mobile app; the web player in your browser cannot import files.
  • Music files you own, in a common audio format: MP3, M4A, AAC, WAV, FLAC, OGG, Opus, WMA, AIFF or ALAC. Whether a less common format plays depends on your phone.
  • Enough free space on your phone: every song you import is stored on it.

Add songs from your phone

  1. Open Cloud import

    Go to Library, tap the + button and choose Cloud import. In Saved tracks you also find an Import songs button that opens the same screen.

  2. Tap Device

    Your phone opens its file picker. Select one or more songs; you can pick several files at once, but not whole folders.

  3. On Android, choose Copy

    Android asks whether to copy the files or link them. Choose Copy: eSound keeps its own copy, so the song keeps playing even if you move or delete the original. iPhone always copies and does not ask.

  4. Wait for the confirmation

    eSound tells you how many songs it imported. They are now in Library, in Saved tracks.

Add songs from Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Yandex Disk or Box

  1. Connect the service

    On the Cloud import screen, tap the service and sign in. Google Drive uses your phone’s Google sign-in; the others open their own sign-in page in the browser and bring you back to eSound.

  2. Find your music

    Once the service is connected, tapping it opens its folders. Only folders and audio or video files are listed, and you can search the files of the folder you are in.

  3. Tap the heart

    Tap the heart next to a song to import it, or the heart at the top to import every song in the folder you are in. Songs in subfolders are not included: open each subfolder and repeat.

  4. Let the downloads finish

    eSound downloads the songs one at a time and shows the progress on the Cloud import screen. A filled heart means the song is on your phone.

Listen without a connection

Imported songs play from the copy on your phone, with or without an internet connection. You find them in Library under Saved tracks, and grouped by artist and album under Saved artists and Saved albums.

eSound reads the title, artist, album and cover from the file’s tags. A song without tags is named after its file and listed under Unknown Artist.

Some options in a song’s menu, such as Add to playlist and Edit track, need a connection.

What to expect

  • Imported songs stay on the phone where you imported them. They are not uploaded and do not appear on your other devices or in the web player.
  • Uninstalling eSound removes the copies. Keep your original files.
  • Importing the same file from your phone twice creates two copies.
  • In a cloud folder with a very large number of files, not every file may be listed. Splitting music into smaller folders helps.

If something goes wrong

  • I can’t find Cloud import: in eSound’s Settings, under Library, make sure Cloud import is enabled.
  • A file did not appear: only audio and video files are imported, and other files are skipped. Check the file’s format.
  • Wrong title or artist: the file’s tags are wrong or missing. Fix them with Edit track in the song’s menu; the change stays on this phone.
  • A song disappeared: tapping a filled heart in the cloud folder removes the song from eSound straight away. Tap it again to import it again.

Frequently asked questions

Do my own songs need an internet connection?

No. Once imported, a song plays from your phone even in airplane mode.

Are my files uploaded to eSound?

No. The files go from your phone or your cloud service into the eSound app on the same phone, and they are not sent to your eSound account.

Can I add imported songs to my playlists?

Yes, with Add to playlist in the song’s menu while you are online. Those songs then play from that playlist on this phone.

Which file formats work?

MP3, M4A, AAC, WAV, FLAC, OGG, Opus, WMA, AIFF and ALAC are accepted. Whether a less common format plays depends on your phone.

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Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Yandex Disk and Box are trademarks of their respective owners. eSound is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by them.