How To Use Riffloop On iPhone
Add a song from Files, or capture what your iPhone is already playing, and Riffloop splits it into separate parts on the phone. Mute the part you play, loop the bar you keep missing, slow it down, change the key, follow the chords, then export what you need.
Short answer
How do you use Riffloop on iPhone?
Install Riffloop free from the App Store, sign in, and tap Add on the Songs tab to bring in a file or capture audio. Choose Remove vocals, Stem separation or Backing track, and the app splits the song into four or six parts on your iPhone. Then mix, loop, slow down, re-key, read the chords and export.
Before you start
- An iPhone on iOS 26 or later. The App Store also lists the app as compatible with iPad.
- The app. Riffloop: Stem & Vocal Remover is a free download.
- An account. Sign in with Apple, Google or email. If you already use Riffloop on the web, use the same account and your plan comes with you.
- A minute on Wi-Fi the first time. Right after install the app downloads its separation engine in the background. Extra parts, like chord detection, download the first time you use them.
Try the demo song first
Your Songs tab starts with a demo song, Move With Me, already split into six parts. Tap it and a short walkthrough shows you the mixer. It's the fastest way to learn the controls before you spend a separation on your own song.
Add your own song
Tap Add on the Songs tab. There are two ways in:
- Upload a file. Pick an audio or video file from Files, up to 10 minutes long. A video file works too; Riffloop uses its sound.
- Capture audio. Records the sound another app is playing on your iPhone, so you can practise along with music you're already listening to. It never uses the microphone, the recording stays on your phone, and copy-protected audio records as silence.
Choose what to do with it
Riffloop asks what you want from the song. Pick one:
- Remove vocals: sing or play over the band.
- Stem separation: every instrument on its own fader.
- Backing track: mute a part and play it yourself.
For Stem separation, choose 4 stems (vocals, drums, bass, other) or 6 stems, which adds guitar and piano. Under Which part of the song to work on, keep Whole song or tap Change to pick a section. Then tap Separate the stems. Not ready yet? Separate later keeps the song in your list.
For a Backing track, tap the part you want to play yourself under What to mute. The button changes to match, for example Mute the guitar.
Wait while it separates
Riffloop shows how far along it is and roughly how long is left. Keep the app open until it finishes. iPhone pauses long work when an app leaves the screen, so switching away slows it down. Tap Stop if you change your mind.
Mix the parts
The song opens in the mixer. Every part has its own fader, with mute and solo, so you can drop the vocals and sing, or solo the bass and work out what it's doing. The transport bar underneath holds Speed, the key, play, Loop and Metronome.
A backing track opens with two faders instead: Your parts, muted, and The band. Bring your part back up any time to check yourself against the record. Reseparate runs the song again with different choices, and Trim cuts it down.
Loop the hard section
Play the song and tap Loop where the hard bit starts. That sets A, and the button changes to Set B. Tap it where the bit ends and the section repeats until you turn it off. Name the loop and save it, and it's waiting on the Loops tab next time. The free plan saves three loops per song; Pro saves as many as you like.
Slow it down or speed it up
Tap Speed and move the dial anywhere from half speed to 1.5×. The pitch stays where it is, and the sheet shows the new tempo in BPM. Reset to original puts it back.
Change the key
The button next to Speed shows the song's key, for example D Min. Tap it to move the song up or down by as much as 12 semitones, with the tempo left alone. It's how a singer moves a song into their range, or how you match a record tuned a half step down.
Follow the chords
Open the Chords tab. The top line shows the key and tempo read from the audio, for example D minor · 130 BPM. The current chord sits large in the middle as a guitar shape, with the chords before and after on either side, and it moves with the song. Switch between Easy open shapes and full Barre chords.
Use the metronome
Tap Metronome to turn on the Smart Metronome. It clicks on the song's own beat, so it follows the record instead of a fixed tempo. Set the volume, and pick a feel: Half time, Every beat or Eighths.
Export what you need
Tap Export in the top corner. Choose a format, MP3, M4A or WAV, then what to save: Export mix for the mix you've set, Export all channels for every part as its own file, or a single part such as Drums or Vocals. Your files appear on the Exports tab.
Free and Pro on iPhone
| Free | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Separations | 5 a day | Unlimited |
| Length | Sections up to 60 seconds | Whole songs |
| Parts | 4 | 6 |
| Quality | Standard | Best |
| Saved loops | 3 per song | Unlimited |
| Chords and metronome | First 30 seconds | Whole song |
| Exports | 60 seconds, MP3 or M4A | Full length, plus WAV |
Pro is a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. In the app you buy it through Apple, and the paywall shows the price for your country. Already Pro on riffloop.app? Sign in with the same account.
Frequently asked questions
Does Riffloop on iPhone work with YouTube?
Not directly. The YouTube tools live in the Riffloop Chrome extension on a computer. On iPhone you add a song from Files, or use Capture audio to record what another app is playing.
Is my audio uploaded when I split a song on iPhone?
No. Separation runs on the iPhone itself, so the song never leaves your phone.
Does my Riffloop Pro plan carry over from the website?
Yes. Sign in with the same account you use on riffloop.app and the app reads your plan. Your saved loops follow the account too.
How long can a song be?
Files up to 10 minutes. On the free plan you split a section of up to 60 seconds; Pro splits the whole song.
Why did Capture audio record silence?
Copy-protected audio records as silence. Capture works with sound an app lets iPhone record, and it never uses the microphone.
Does Riffloop work on iPad?
The App Store lists the app as compatible with iPhone and iPad. It needs iOS 26 or later.
Is there an Android version?
Yes. Riffloop is on Google Play for Android 12 or later, with the same features and the same account. The Android guide walks through it screen by screen.
How do I cancel a subscription bought in the app?
Subscriptions bought on iPhone are billed by Apple, so you manage or cancel them in your App Store account settings.
Still need help? Contact the Riffloop support team →