---
id: mac-storage-basics.why-does-music-duplicate-songs-i-add
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/why-does-music-duplicate-songs-i-add
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "Photos, music and video"
question: "Why does adding songs to the Music app use double the space?"
alt_questions:
  - "copy files to music media folder when adding"
  - "music app duplicates files"
  - "stop music copying songs"
  - "music library duplicate storage"
short_answer: "Music → Settings → Files has Copy files to Music Media folder when adding to library ticked, so songs are copied and originals remain. Untick it or delete the originals."
tags: ["music", "duplicates", "settings"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-are-music-files-stored-on-a-mac"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Why does adding songs to the Music app use double the space?

If **Copy files to Music Media folder when adding to library** is ticked in **Music → Settings → Files**, Music copies every song you add into its own folder, leaving the original where it was — so you have two copies.

Either untick it before adding (Music will then play songs from where they are), or delete the originals once they're safely in the Music Media folder.