Q: Playlists won't sync to my iPhone 5!

I suddenly got all of my playlists back and updated when I turned on "USE CELLULAR DATA FOR: iTunes Store" I'm suspicious that part of the syncing process checks DRM issues is only using the cellular data channel to do so. Seems kind of dumb, but now it's syncing normally.  Worth a try.

It worked!  It worked!  Thank you soo much.

I was having the same problem as everyone else in this forum and nothing that anyone suggested worked.  What finally "worked" for me was putting a check in the "synch manually" box.  That has caused my phone to correctly synch playlists, although when I go to the music tab when my phone is hooked to my Mac it doesn't show anything, BUT the playlists that I had checked before checking the "manually" box are all on my phone now!  Still working out the bugs on this and will keep you posted.

I have tried all of these except a restore as right now I can't back anything up since I don't have a working external harddrive.  I can't get some playlists off my phone and new ones on.  Incredibly frustrating.  I've tried creating a new playlist.  I don't know what else to do. 

I opened a case with Apple Tech prior to Thanksgiving about this issue and another issue. I noted that not only could I not log into iTunes and was receiving a FATAL error message (This was an Apple issue and has since been remedied by Apple.), I also mentioned the problem I was having syncing my podcasts and new music purchases, and listening to podcasts via the Podcasts app on my iPhone 5S running the new OS. When the Applecare Tech responded, she addressed the podcast issue. Although some of the things she recommended I have already tried, but I'll pass them along just in case someone else may want to give them a try. Note that I did do every single one today and will see if the problem persists. I too find myself needing to make sure the "Use Cellular Data For" in the iTunes Store is selected, along with checking "Manually manage music and videos" in Summary for my iPhone. Applecare's response:

As a suggestion, kindly download the latest version of iTunes. It can be downloaded free of charge at the Apple website:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

Mac users will also need to install the latest version of QuickTime:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download

If you have an iPod with video, be sure to update it using iTunes after upgrading to the latest version of iTunes.

If you are able to update to latest version of iTunes but problem persist kindly try the steps below.

One thing to keep in mind, due to the overwhelming response to the new iOS 7 and iTunes 11.1 updates, there is a higher then usual volume of traffic. Downloading, connecting and updating may be slower and you may encounter temporary issues with accessing the iTunes Store.

Please try the following trouble shooting:

Please sign out of the iTunes Store. Open Settings > Store > Scroll down and Tap the ID > tap Sign out.

Then Clear cookies on the iOS device:

1) Quit App Store or iTunes in multi-tasking.

2) Tap Settings.

3) Tap Safari.

4) Be sure cookies are not set to "Never"

5) Tap Clear History.

5) Tap the Clear History button.

6) Tap Clear Cookies and Data.

7) Tap the Clear Cookies and Data button.

From computer:

1) Open iTunes

2) At the top menu, click File > Preferences (iTunes > Preferences on a Mac)

3) In the Preference menu, click the Advanced tab

4) In the Advanced menu, you should see a button that says "Reset Cache". Please click this button.

It is critical that your date, time, and time zone be correct:

1. From the home screen, tap Settings > General > Date & Time.

2. If the option exists, turn off Set Automatically.

3. Verify the time zone and time (in the status bar) are correct for where you are currently.

4. If not, adjust the incorrect setting accordingly.

5. If everything was correct and the option exists, turn on Set Automatically.

Next, please hard boot the device. This will purge the device of the actions it is doing. For example, it would purge any stalled downloads. To hard boot an iOS device, you will want to hold the home button and the power button at the same time until the device powers off.

Thanks for posting this Karen, this appears to have fixed things for me - I'll have to see if it works long-term.

You bet, gortdromagh! I too hope it is a long-term fix.

My problem is that suddenly brand new album purchases, when made into playlists, do not synch on my iphone 5S and also on my ipad.

These various fixes mentioned above have worked for me, but for each new album purchase the problem returns. Thinking I figured out the issue, I created playlists with older albums, and they synched with no problem. AHA!

I believe that Apple is filling the Playlist album using a database that is not yet updated with *BRAND NEW* purchases! I believe that it's really not getting populated from my MBP - Apple's cloud is filling the playlist. I personally do not use iCloud, but I bet that tomorrow, if I try to synch the album that failed to synch as a playlist tonight, that it will work.

I will test out this theory.

==========

Follow-up...

So to test my theory I just sync'd my ipad (which last night would not pick up the album that I bought last night). Last night's album sync'd! Tonight's album DID NOT sync!

I am now sure, that as soon as Apple updates what ever databse is driving new purchase playlist syncs, if I could sync right then, that my newest playlist will magically appear.

I will try both the iphone and ipad tomorrow to cofirm, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is the issue.

I had this problem too.  I turned off "iTunes match" then resync'd and it let me have control of my playlists again.

I let the iTunes Store/Mac App Store Customer Service rep (Applecare Tech) know about this thread. Hopefully she will take a look at it and let someone higher up in tech support who can work on a permanant fix know about it.

Ahh well... too good to be true! The second time I tried syncing after your fix it reverted to its previous behaviour and no new items are syncing to the smart playlist. I really wish Apple would get their act together on this and other iTunes bugs, it really is getting very flakey.

Go to sharing in the music app (on your iphone) and change it from your your phone to your home sharing network.  This solved the problem although I keep having to do it every time a sync.  Wish Apple would sort out this immensely frustrating bug.

This only worked while the phone or iPad is connected to the library. Once they disconnect, the playlist or songs in the playlist disappeared.

None of these "tricks" have worked for me.  And now my phone won't play songs that were purchased on my iphone...  they still appear on my iphone, do not appear on my itunes, but won't play.  I am BEYOND FRUSTRATED!!!  APPLE NEEDS TO FIX THIS!!!!  I am tired of wasting my time trying tricks that don't work.

hi,

I had the same issue as you are, maybe the new songs that you are about to sync is generated with a software that conflicts with itunes. Try the option "Convert ID3 tags..." (Select all the new songs in the playlist, right click then click Convert ID3 Tags...) Voila! you can now enjoy syncing it to your iphone.

Message was edited by: Cuplet