Downloads

Download songs in Hi-Res quality with embedded metadata and album art

Izzy allows you to download songs from Tidal, YouTube Music, and JioSaavn with full metadata and album art embedding.

Quick start

Download any song with a single click:

1. Find a song in search, favorites, queue, or playlist
2. Click the download button (↓ icon)
3. Wait for the download to complete (notification appears)
4. Find your song in ~/Downloads/Izzy Music/

Downloads are available everywhere in Izzy - search results, favorites, queue, playlists, and more.

Download location

All downloaded songs are saved to a dedicated folder:

~/Downloads/Izzy Music/

File naming

Files are automatically named in the format:

Artist Name - Song Title.extension

For example:

The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun.flac
Daft Punk - Get Lucky.m4a

Opening downloads folder

Access your downloads folder:

1. Finder → Go → Downloads
2. Open the “Izzy Music” folder
3. Or use the download manager in Izzy to open it directly

Add the Izzy Music folder to your Finder sidebar for quick access to all downloaded songs.

Quality priority (Tidal)

Tidal downloads automatically select the best available quality:

Priority order

1. Hi-Res Lossless - 24-bit/192kHz FLAC (if available)
2. Hi-Res - 24-bit/96kHz FLAC
3. Lossless - 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC (CD quality)
4. High - 320kbps AAC/M4A

FLAC (Lossless)

Best quality - Lossless compression

Used for:

• Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24-bit/192kHz)
• Hi-Res (24-bit/96kHz)
• Lossless (16-bit/44.1kHz)

File size:

• Hi-Res: 100-200 MB per song
• Lossless: 30-50 MB per song

Benefits:

• Bit-perfect audio
• No quality loss
• Supports high sample rates
• Professional archival format

M4A (Compressed)

High quality - AAC compression

Used for:

• YouTube Music (128-256 kbps AAC)
• JioSaavn (128-320 kbps AAC)
• Tidal High quality (320 kbps)

File size:

• Typically 5-15 MB per song

Benefits:

• Smaller file sizes
• Wide device compatibility
• Excellent quality-to-size ratio
• Faster downloads

The quality badge shown on each Tidal track indicates what quality will be downloaded. Not all tracks are available in Hi-Res or Lossless.

Metadata embedding

All downloaded songs include full metadata and album art.

Embedded information

Track metadata

• Song title
• Artist name
• Album name (uses title if unavailable)
• “Downloaded with Izzy” comment

Album art

• High-resolution cover art
• Embedded directly in audio file
• Shows in iTunes, Music.app, and other players
• Downloaded from original source

FFmpeg integration

Metadata embedding is powered by FFmpeg:

• Automatic detection - Izzy finds FFmpeg if installed
• Search paths - Checks /opt/homebrew/bin, /usr/local/bin, /usr/bin
• Graceful fallback - Downloads work without FFmpeg (no metadata)
• Format support - Handles FLAC, M4A, MP3, and more

Installing FFmpeg (optional)

For best results, install FFmpeg via Homebrew:

brew install ffmpeg

After installation, Izzy will automatically:

• Embed album art into downloaded files
• Add complete track metadata
• Optimize file format for compatibility

Without FFmpeg, downloads still work but won’t include embedded album art or metadata. The files will be playable but lack tags.

Download process

Understanding what happens when you download a song:

Steps

1. Stream extraction - Izzy requests the audio stream URL from the music service
2. Quality selection - Best available quality is chosen automatically
3. Download - Audio file is downloaded to a temporary location
4. Album art fetch - Cover art is downloaded (if available)
5. Metadata embedding - FFmpeg adds tags and cover art to the file
6. File move - Completed file is moved to ~/Downloads/Izzy Music/
7. Notification - macOS notification confirms completion

Download states

State	Description
Pending	Download queued, waiting to start
Downloading	Actively downloading audio stream
Processing	Embedding metadata and album art
Completed	Download finished successfully
Failed	Download encountered an error

Progress tracking

Monitor download progress in real-time:

• Progress bar - Visual indicator of download state
• Status text - Current step (downloading, processing, etc.)
• Completion notification - macOS notification when done
• Error handling - Clear error messages if download fails

macOS notifications

Get notified when downloads complete.

Success notification

🎵 Download Complete
Artist Name - Song Title

Error notification

❌ Download Failed
Artist Name - Song Title
Error: [specific error message]

Enabling notifications

1. macOS asks for notification permission on first download
2. Click “Allow” to enable notifications
3. Or go to System Settings → Notifications → Izzy

Notifications include the song title and artist, so you know exactly which download completed.

Download manager

View and manage active downloads.

Features

• Active downloads - See currently downloading tracks
• Progress tracking - Monitor download percentage
• Cancel downloads - Stop a download in progress
• Error retry - Retry failed downloads
• Open folder - Quick access to downloads directory

Accessing download manager

The download manager appears when any download is active:

• Shows in a dedicated panel or overlay
• Updates in real-time as downloads progress
• Auto-hides when all downloads complete

Limitations & notes

Service differences

Tidal

Best quality available

✓ Hi-Res Lossless (24-bit/192kHz FLAC)

✓ Lossless (16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC)

✓ High (320kbps AAC)

✓ Quality badges show available quality

✓ Full metadata and album art

YouTube Music

High quality compressed

✓ AAC format (128-256 kbps)

✓ M4A container

✓ Full metadata and album art

✗ No lossless option available

JioSaavn

High quality compressed

✓ AAC format (up to 320 kbps)

✓ M4A container

✓ Full metadata and album art

✗ No lossless option available

DRM considerations

• Izzy downloads DRM-free streams - No copy protection
• Legal - Downloads are for personal use only
• Quality - Limited to what the service provides via their API
• Compatibility - Files work in any music player

File sizes

Typical download sizes:

Quality	Format	Size (per song)
Hi-Res Lossless	FLAC	100-200 MB
Lossless	FLAC	30-50 MB
High (AAC 320)	M4A	10-15 MB
High (AAC 256)	M4A	8-12 MB
Standard	M4A	5-8 MB

Hi-Res downloads can be large (100+ MB per song). Ensure you have sufficient disk space before downloading albums or playlists.

Troubleshooting

Download fails immediately

1. Check internet connection - Ensure stable connectivity
2. Verify music service - Make sure the service is accessible
3. Check Console.app - Look for specific error messages
4. Retry download - Temporary service issues may resolve

No metadata or album art

1. Install FFmpeg - Run brew install ffmpeg
2. Verify FFmpeg path - Check /opt/homebrew/bin/ffmpeg exists
3. Restart Izzy - Reload after installing FFmpeg
4. Re-download - Try downloading the song again

Download stuck at “Processing”

1. Wait - FFmpeg processing can take 10-30 seconds for Hi-Res files
2. Check FFmpeg - Verify FFmpeg is installed and working
3. Cancel and retry - Use the download manager to cancel and restart
4. Check disk space - Ensure sufficient space for temp files

Files not appearing in folder

1. Check folder location - Verify ~/Downloads/Izzy Music/ exists
2. Wait for completion - Notification confirms when file is ready
3. Check download status - Look at download manager for errors
4. File permissions - Ensure Izzy has write access to Downloads folder

If downloads consistently fail, check Console.app for detailed error logs. Filter for “Izzy” to see download-related messages.