Sync only checked songs and video

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Level 2

165 points

Sync only checked songs and video

The Help file for iTunes on *Syncing media with iPhone* has the following entry:

+Click the tabs (Music, Photos, and so on) and select the items you want to sync.+
+To sync only certain items, click Summary, select “Sync only checked songs and video” checkbox, and then click the other tabs and select the items you want to sync.+

I am confused about this because the “Sync only checked songs and video” checkbox seems redundant in the following sense. Even if this checkbox is NOT selected, iTunes allows me to select the items I want to sync under each tab.

If the “Sync only checked songs and video” checkbox is NOT selected, then under the Music tab, for example, I would rather expect NOT to be able to select particular items to sync.

Can anyone explain this?

G5 Tower (Dual 2GHz), Mac OS X (10.5.6), MacBook Pro (2007)

Posted on Jan 3, 2009 8:16 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Allan Sampson

Level 10

123,677 points

Jan 3, 2009 8:33 PM in response to Kunio Mitsuma

I have sync only checked songs and videos selected under the Summary tab for my iPhone sync preferences, and I have selected playlists chosen under the Music tab for my iPhone sync preferences.

In one of the playlists I have selected to be transferred to my iPhone, I unchecked one of the songs in the playlist followed by a sync. This removed the song from my iPhone. I re-checked the song in the playlist followed by a sync, and this added the song to my iPhone.

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Answer 2

Kunio Mitsuma Author

Level 2

165 points

Jan 11, 2009 4:17 PM in response to Allan Sampson

Allan,

Thanks for sharing your process.
But, it is different from what I am confused about.

Premise
[1] Under the Music tab, suppose that "Sync music > Selected playlists" is checked and that only certain playlists are indeed checked.
[2] Under the Summary tab, "Options > Sync only checked songs and videos" is NOT checked.
[3] Now, sync. Only the selected playlists are transferred to the iPhone.
[4] Next, under the Summary tab, check "Options > Sync only checked songs and videos".
[5] Then, sync. Only the selected playlists are transferred to the iPhone. (Same result!)

So, what's the purpose of "Only the selected playlists are transferred to the iPhone" under the above premise? Whether it is checked or not, only the selected playlists are transferred to the iPhone.

That's what I do not understand.

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Answer 3

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,365 points

Jan 11, 2009 4:20 PM in response to Kunio Mitsuma

Do you have both checked - playlists and checked songs?

If so, choose one or the other, not both.

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Answer 4

Jan 11, 2009 4:29 PM in response to Kunio Mitsuma

[4] Next, under the Summary tab, check "Options > Sync only checked songs and videos".
[5] Then, sync. Only the selected playlists are transferred to the iPhone. (Same result!)

If all songs and videos are checked in iTunes, then all songs and videos in the Playlist or Playlists will be transferred. If you select Sync only checked songs and videos for your iPhone sync preferences and uncheck a song in iTunes that is included with a Playlist, then the unchecked song will not be transferred and if currently transferred, will be removed from your iPhone during the next sync after being unchecked in iTunes.

This provides a little more flexibility for music that is transferred to your iPhone. You may listen to a Playlist on your computer or via AirTunes thru a stereo system that is also transferred to your iPhone. You may want to remove a song or several songs from the Playlist being transferred to your iPhone but you don't want to remove the song or several songs from the Playlist in iTunes. If the Sync only checked songs and videos option wasn't available, this would require removing the song or several songs from the Playlist in iTunes that is being transferred to your iPhone to remove the song or several songs from your iPhone.

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Answer 5

Kunio Mitsuma Author

Level 2

165 points

Jan 11, 2009 4:32 PM in response to roaminggnome

Oh. . . , I am gradually finding what I may be confused about.

In the Summary tab, the Options talks about "checked songs and videos".
The Options do NOT talk about playlists.
So, what Allan mentioned makes perfect sense. Thanks, Allan!

But, what about Movies?
Under the Video tab, the Movies section allows me to sync only certain movies.
What is the relationship between movies in Library > Movies and those movies under the Video tab for iPhone sync?

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Answer 6

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,365 points

Jan 11, 2009 4:39 PM in response to Kunio Mitsuma

Allan always makes perfect sense.

He is certainly the right person to listen to.

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Answer 7

Kunio Mitsuma Author

Level 2

165 points

Jan 11, 2009 4:38 PM in response to roaminggnome

I truly appreciate the help from both Allan and roaminggnome!
But, the Video part is still a mystery to me.

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Answer 8

Kunio Mitsuma Author

Level 2

165 points

Jan 11, 2009 4:42 PM in response to Kunio Mitsuma

Wait!! The movie part may be slightly different in the following sense:

Whether or not a certain movie is checked in "Library > Movies" may NOT have anything to do with which movie gets transferred to the iPhone. Which movies get transferred to the iPhone is solely determined by which movies are checked under "Video > Movies" part of the iPhone sync.

Am I correct?

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