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Q: Combining new library music to iPhone. My iPhone was used on a different computer

I'm trying to put new music on my iPhone. My iPhone was used on a old desktop computer and the new music i'm trying to add on is from a new computer. How do i do this?

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), iOS 9.0.2

Posted on Dec 29, 2015 7:09 PM

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Q: Combining new library music to iPhone. My iPhone was used on a different computer

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  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Dec 30, 2015 2:18 AM in response to Vmacp
    Level 8 (38,773 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 30, 2015 2:18 AM in response to Vmacp

    Do you still have access to the "old desktop computer" or have a backup of its songs?  Or were those songs purchased from the iTunes Store?

  • by Vmacp,

    Vmacp Vmacp Dec 30, 2015 10:38 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 30, 2015 10:38 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

    No, i don't have access to my old desktop computer...i don't think i have a backup either.

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,Apple recommended

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Dec 31, 2015 9:21 PM in response to Vmacp
    Level 8 (38,773 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 31, 2015 9:21 PM in response to Vmacp

    If those songs were purchased from iTunes Store, there is a command in iTunes to transfer them to your new Mac.  With your iPhone connected, menu bar -> File -> Devices -> Transfer Purchases from [name of iPhone].  You can also download previous purchases from the iTunes Store at no cost.  In iTunes, sign in using the Apple ID used to make purchase, if you are not already.  On the iTunes Store main screen, along right side, find and click Purchased.  On the Purchased screen, you can download media previously purchased using your Apple ID.

     

    For other songs, iTunes syncing is in one direction only, from computer to iPhone (or other device).  However, there are third-party utilities that can transfer from iPhone to computer.  If you do an Internet search on something like "transfer from iphone," you should get some links.  I don't have any recommendation, because I have not used this kind of utility with an iOS device.  I did use Music Transfer from Zelek software many years ago; that was for an iPod.

     

    Another way (if your iPhone is recent enough to support it), which has benefits beyond solving your described problem, is to use Apple's iTunes Match service (which costs $25 per year).  You can "merge" music from your Mac and iPhone (supported computers/devices you own using same Apple ID) into your iCloud music library.  Associated computer and devices you own can access this online music library, and download songs (or stream them).  Downloads using iTunes Match do not have DRM (copy protection); if you decide to not renew iTunes Match, your downloaded song files continue to play.

  • by Vmacp,

    Vmacp Vmacp Dec 31, 2015 9:22 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2015 9:22 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

    Ok thank you!

  • by Limnos,Apple recommended

    Limnos Limnos Jan 1, 2016 7:00 AM in response to Vmacp
    Level 9 (53,951 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 7:00 AM in response to Vmacp

    Download your past purchases - https://support.apple.com/HT201272 - "Find your past purchases in the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, and Mac App Store on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Apple TV" "With iTunes in the Cloud, you can access your past purchases from the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, and Mac App Store." - enabled with iTunes 10.3 and newer; not all media formats are available in all countries (see: iTunes in the Cloud, iTunes Match, and iTunes Radio availability by country - https://support.apple.com/kb/HT204632); apps, books (not audiobooks), music, t.v. shows, and movies (some - not all studios have permitted this).  Downloading previously purchased movies and TV shows requires iTunes 10.6 or later.  Discontinued items not available. For items not included in the iCloud list (e.g., ringtones, audiobooks, alert tones, rental movies), or locations or computer systems where iCloud is not (yet?) available, you only get one download per fee paid.  Apple recommends,  "... back up your iTunes library. " (https://support.apple.com/HT201272). http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html - "Some iTunes Eligible Content that you previously acquired may not be available for subsequent download at any given time, and Apple shall have no liability to you in such event. As you may not be able to subsequently download certain previously-acquired iTunes Eligible Content, once you download an item of iTunes Eligible Content, it is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage it, and you may want to back it up." There is, however, this document about ringtones: Restore missing tones on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 8.1.1 - http://support.apple.com/ht204076

     

     

    06/2015 Exact instructions by turingtest2 - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7101454

     

    Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991  Even this method may not fully recover what you had in the library originally. For example if in order to save space when syncing you had converted music files to a lower bitrate, or photos to a lower resolution, it is those lower quality files you will recover.