Apple Music showing previews but won't play any songs

Subscribed to Apple Music. iCloud Sync with MacBook Pro. When I search for a song, it will show in Play window, but when I select the ... it shows PREVIEW and will not play. This particularly frustrating as I own the the original CDs that I had ripped to my MacBook Pro, prior to subscribing. I also occasionally upload self created content, that often has sync issues.

Apple Music has been a let down.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Getting PREVIEW in music I searched for

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.6

Posted on Aug 8, 2025 05:51 PM

22 replies

turingtest2

Level 10

277,723 points

Aug 18, 2025 02:25 AM in response to Walletarian

If you are able to set up family sharing (which is free, you don't need an AppleOne subscription) to allow your current account to access the past purchases of your other account then you may be able to download them, though if you still have them on your old computer you can simply copy them across using your network or an external drive. The cloud library of your current account will exclude purchases made with a different ID. Purchased tracks these can be converted to new files (e.g. 256k AAC) that are no longer connected to your ID, and will thus match or upload. Protected tracks can be burned to audio CD and then ripped back in order to be absorbed into your cloud library.

FWIW Apple stopped selling DRM protected tracks at some point in 2009.

tt2

Walletarian Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 18, 2025 04:32 PM in response to turingtest2

Aha, voila! This is the first thing I'll try next. Luckily I still have an external CD recorder and some blank discs, if garage heat hasn't burnt them.

Thanks so much for the knowledge you have imparted.