Do I have to pay for Apple Music to sync across devices?

DuskSky wrote:

Thank you for that solution. I realized that I have used the purchased option in the past to download music onto my other devices. My problem, actually, is sharing music I have uploaded from CD with my other devices.

In that case, the 2 options are:

1. Subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match to get access to the iCloud Music Library feature or
2. Use the direct Sync feature to transfer music from iTunes on a computer to an iOS device via a USB cable or Wifi

You will need to make sure Sync Music is turned off as counter-intuitive as that seems. Open Preferences in iTunes or the Music app if using Catalina, and make sure Sync Music is turned off.

Do the same on your iPhone in Settings->Music.

See here for steps to get to the option: Turn on / off Sync Library with Apple Music - Apple Support

Then follow the steps here to sync via USB: Use iTunes to sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with your computer - Apple Support

A third partial option when all devices and the computer that holds the music library are connected to the same Wifi network is Home Sharing: Use Home Sharing to share media from a computer to other devices - Apple Support

Home Sharing lets other computers and iOS devices devices access an iTunes library stored on a computer. You won't be able to copy over songs from the computer to iOS devices with this method however. Just access and play them while the device and computer are connected to the same Wifi network.

Turns out that you do have to purchase "iTunes Match" to get all of your songs on all of your devices.

It costs $24 per year.

It is still annoying that you have to pay to have access across all devices with music that you already own, but at least its less than $9.99 a month for iTunes Music.

You only have to pay if you absolutely want to use the iCloud music library feature.

Syncing directly over usb through iTunes is still free.

iCloud Music Library is part of the subscription services, so yes, you have to pay for it. But you have always had to pay for the iCloud Music library sync, this is not new.

oopboo wrote:

I'm not sure if this would work in reverse from the Macbook to mobile devices, but it may be worth a shot rather than trying to plug things in and doing it manually, or paying for a subscription. I'm sorry, but after spending thousands of dollars on my Macbook Pro and iPad, I refuse to pay for an additional monthly subscription for music that I paid for. It's ridiculous.

As has been said, many times over, downloading things from your purchased history has always been free. You need no subscription.

It will work from Mac to iPhone the same way. Its designed to work that way. Your purchases will always be available to download from your purchase history for free on all devices that are signed in with the same Apple ID.

Apple even explains how to do it here: Redownload apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books - Apple Support

No. Wi-Fi Sync is still available, but needs to be done through the Finder on Catalina, not the Music App.

See here under "Sync your content using Wi-Fi": Use the Finder to sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with your computer - Apple Support

After upgrading to Catalina, and, like you, much frustration trying to sync music I own from my computer to my iphone and concluding Apple is now requiring a subscription for this ability, I stumbled across a page describing that this has been moved to the Finder: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210611

What is truly absurd is people not understanding iCloud Music is not the same as Syncing music, and its always had a charge.

Syncing directly with iTunes on a computer or re downloading from the purchased list has always been free.

Apple has changed nothing.

I FINALLY found a solution after searching online and clicking around on my Macbook Pro. So prior to upgrading to Catalina, I had music on both my iPad and Macbook. After I upgraded, I bought some music on my iPad not realizing that it wouldn't sync over. Let me tell you, I am so frustrated about all of this.

To get music purchased from your iPad (and I'm assuming iPhone) to sync over to Macbook Pro, I went into the Music app, then navigated to iTunes. In iTunes, I went to "purchased" in the righthand column. I toggled over to "not in my library" and saw all of the music I purchased on my iPad. They all had the cloud symbol on them. I clicked and downloaded them all and now they are in my library on my Macbook! *phew*

I'm not sure if this would work in reverse from the Macbook to mobile devices, but it may be worth a shot rather than trying to plug things in and doing it manually, or paying for a subscription. I'm sorry, but after spending thousands of dollars on my Macbook Pro and iPad, I refuse to pay for an additional monthly subscription for music that I paid for. It's ridiculous.

This is truly absurd - having the same issue. Best solution I could come up with was to go through the iTunes Store in the "new" Apple Music App and download all of my previously purchased music. See https://support.apple.com/guide/music/download-previous-purchases-musf4e9226b/mac

Yes this is ridiculous.

Im_s0_al0n3 wrote:

Not true about needing an Apple Music subscription for the iCloud library feature. I had used the feature without Apple Music for a while but now it seems that I too am suffering the same issue with Apple Music not being linked to my account. I’m still trying to figure it out, I’ll get back to you guys if I solve it myself.

That is not possible. The iCloud Music Library option has always always been tied to a subscription service. Originally it was used with iTunes Match before Apple Music was created. Its now used by both.

It has never ever been free regardless of what you may think.

Downloading your iTunes Store purchases from the iTunes store is not the same as the iCloud Music Library.

Don't use the Music app for this in Catalina. Looks like this functionality has been moved to the Finder: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210611

If you’re using Catalina, this functionality has been moved out of iTunes/Music and into finder: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210611

1. Why do you have more than 1 account? Your Apple ID s your account, and should be kept the same across all devices you own.
2. Purchases and subscriptions are tied to a single Apple ID / iTunes account. If you changed accounts then the new one obviously has nothing you bought with the other one.
3. There is no syncing of accounts. So you don't have to pay. Also Apple Music is not necessary to access purchases on different devices as long as they are using the same Apple ID.
4. Threats don't work here. If you want to be done with Apple, be done. Nobody will stop you. but maybe it would be better to understand what is happening. Good understanding and maintenance of your Apple Id will avoid many of these issues.

Also, Windows and Android work exactly the same. Purchases are tied to a single account and generally cannot be transferred so not sure where you are going to go that works differently.

If you explain what you did, and why your MacBook does not have your music we can start from there and help you get this sorted.

Sign-up for their service and they will let you access your purchased content. Wow the denied access immediately goes away and all of the devices can instantly get the content purchased in the past.

AGREE!!! Apple, this is balderdash. It is so unfair that we have to DOUBLE PAY for access curated media library. Fix the problem. Apple, you are holding users hostage unless we pay your ransom to access items purchased in good faith. I will be cancelling Apple Music and letting as many as I can know about Apple's "glitch" that makes you pay to access your account. What a bunch of garbage.

Thanks, but to clarify I cannot even access my library on my laptop. The article you sent is about syncing files on your computer to your mobile devices...I have the music on my iPhone but I don't have it on my laptop, therefore, using the finder won't work for this.

I ended up signing up for a free trial to Apple Music and, lo and behold, I can access my library now. I think that's a bum deal, considering I had the Music app pointing to the actual audio files and they still wouldn't show up.

Apple needs to figure this out for Catalina. I'll be canceling the Music subscription before the trial ends for sure.