<p>My cell phone is capable of downloading songs from the service provider and playing them on the phone. It has has a microSD slot to store more music (or photos and videos). Is there a way to put music on the microSD from another source and them play it on the phone? I'm looking for a way to get music on my phone without paying to download them.</p>
<p>This is from the FAQ's that my mobile provider has on their web site. Procedures may be different for different carriers and phones. </p>
<p>Can I play music I already own on my V CAST Music phone?
Music in WMA and MP3 format can be synced to your phone from Music Essentials Manager or Windows Media Player 10 using the appropriate USB cable and drivers. Note: the MP3 files will be converted to the WMA format, , if necessary. Newer V CAST Music phones, such as the Chocolate by LG and the MOTOKRZR K1m, which have V CAST Music Version 01.02.000 or higher do play unprotected MP3 files directly. You can load music to these phones by either syncing or by “sideloading” to the MY<em>MUSIC folder on the memory card. (To format the memory card, turn on your phone, insert the card into the phone and then remove it. Save your music to the MY</em>MUSIC folder.) Note: only unprotected MP3 files can be played after being sideloaded. Protected MP3 files must sync in order to be played on the phone.</p>
<p>Can I download songs to my external memory card using a USB card Reader?
Licensed music must be synchronized to your phone or its external memory card using the appropriate USB cable and software in order to be playable on your phone. Licensed music transferred to the phone directly via a memory card will not play on your phone.
Unprotected music may be transferred using Windows Explorer if it is in WMA format. V CAST Music phones with Version 01.02.000 or higher software such as the Chocolate by LG can also accept unprotected MP3 files. The file must be saved to the MY_MUSIC folder on the memory card to be played. Note: only unprotected MP3 files can be played after being sideloaded. Protected MP3 files must be transferred using the sync function in order to be played on the phone.</p>
<p>So do I need to plug my phone into the computer, or use a SD card reader plugged into my computer?</p>
<p>If you have the software and hardware needed to plug the phone into the computer, that is the better option. (Note that the software may be available for free from your service provider.) Using a USB card reader with the microSD memory but not the phone is what they call sideloading and will only work with unprotected music files.</p>
<p>I have a VCast phone, but I do not know what version it has. Can unprotected mp3's be played regardless, by sideloading? Its a Samsung SCH-a930.</p>
<p>You should be able to play unprotected MP3's on that phone but you first have to convert them to .wma format on the computer then sideload them to the MY_MUSIC directory on the microSD card.</p>
<p>"So do I need to plug my phone into the computer, or use a SD card reader plugged into my computer?"</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>How do I know if a track is protected or unprotected? By the way, thanks for all of your help, it has been really helpful.</p>