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User profile for user: Xylaquin
Xylaquin Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

MacOS only syncs non-iTunes music to iPhone

MBA running Sequoia 15.2

iPhone running 18.2.1


Quick background:

  • I have my music library saved on the MacBook. The files are sourced from a combination of iTunes Store, CDs and mp3s from other providers.
  • Not always but often enough when I purchase a new song or import to my library, I'll correct some of the meta data/album art within the Music app. This is particularly the case for classical music, where I list the composer as the artist- not the orchestra that performs the recording.
  • Another example would be when I purchase an obscure song that's only available on the iTunes Store as part of a compilation album: once purchased I'll correct the meta data to show the song's original album, year etc
  • I have MacOS set to sync the Entire music library onto my iPhone whenever I connect it up and perform a sync


The problem:

  • Despite telling MacOS to sync my entire library, it only seems to sync songs that haven't been purchased via iTunes.
  • Any songs that have been purchased from iTunes do appear on the Music app on the iPhone, but they have to be downloaded first and they download direct from the iTunes Store... meaning none of my meta data/album art/artist corrections are shown.


Since all the files are present on the MacBook, and all the meta data is as it should be within Music on the MacBook... how do I get the iPhone to just download the library as it is on the MacBook?


iPhone 12 mini, iOS 18

Posted on Jan 18, 2025 11:34 AM

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5 replies
User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
275,462 points

Jan 18, 2025 12:07 PM in response to Xylaquin

When you are signed into your Apple ID on a device it automatically gets access to your unhidden purchase history, usually with its original metadata. It is a little different if you have a subscription to Apple Music or iTunes Match, but even with these services the original store version of metadata may reassert itself. To avoid this issue hide any purchases where you wish to use custom metadata, remove any copies of such items that have already been downloaded to your device, then sync from your computer, and the files with your custom metadata should copy over to the device.


tt2

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User profile for user: Xylaquin
Xylaquin Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Jan 18, 2025 4:29 PM in response to turingtest2

Tried this and it didn't work. Even though I'd hidden the purchases, they still appeared in the Music app on the iPhone. They hadn't downloaded, but I could tap on them to play them and I could choose to download them. Syncing over them produced the same problem as described originally.


I figured out a solution though.


  • Remove all the songs from the iPhone (either by unticking sync music on the MacBook and syncing, or using the Settings app on the iPhone to delete all synced media)
  • Then go into the Music app on the iPhone, and for all the remaining songs that still appear, tap the options on each song and choose 'Delete from Library'.
  • Took me about 20 minutes to go through all the songs, but once done absolutely nothing is left in the iPhone Music app
  • Now do a sync with the MacBook. Boom- it'll sync all the library as expected.


So basically turingtest2's process, but with the added tedious step of deleting the "links" to the iTunes songs in the Music app manually. Bizarre that hiding the purchases didn't do that for me.


Thanks for your help!

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MacOS only syncs non-iTunes music to iPhone

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