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How to transfer music from iPhone/iPad onto MacBook Air?

how can I get my music from my iPhone/iPad onto my new MacBook Air?



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.0

Posted on Nov 22, 2021 6:34 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 24, 2021 4:27 PM

Hi again, evolving,

Sorry things didn't go so smoothly for you.


Strange that you don't see the top menu in the Music app.

(The Music menu is the one across the top of your Mac, is not found on the Music app window.

You can click on Music,>Preferences > Restrictions to check if any restrictions are set, )



Else

Wondering if you:

  • have updated your Mac OS to the latest version
  • were signed into Music app. with your Apple ID
  • have not exceeded the number of authorised computers (five) in Apple ID

(you might not have deauthorised computers that you no longer use, gave away, or sold?)


Another Apple Support article:

Authorise a Mac to play iTunes Store purchases

(Choose your MacOS at the top for the most accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/music/mus3010/mac


All the best :-)


9 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 24, 2021 4:27 PM in response to Evolving

Hi again, evolving,

Sorry things didn't go so smoothly for you.


Strange that you don't see the top menu in the Music app.

(The Music menu is the one across the top of your Mac, is not found on the Music app window.

You can click on Music,>Preferences > Restrictions to check if any restrictions are set, )



Else

Wondering if you:

  • have updated your Mac OS to the latest version
  • were signed into Music app. with your Apple ID
  • have not exceeded the number of authorised computers (five) in Apple ID

(you might not have deauthorised computers that you no longer use, gave away, or sold?)


Another Apple Support article:

Authorise a Mac to play iTunes Store purchases

(Choose your MacOS at the top for the most accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/music/mus3010/mac


All the best :-)


Nov 22, 2021 8:06 PM in response to Evolving

Hi Evolving,

Welcome to the Apple Community.


Wondering about the source of the music that you want to transfer,

and

in what way it is stored,


Apple support have various articles online to help:

Eg:

If your Music is all in Apple Music you might want to:

Turn on Sync Library with Apple Music

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204926

_______________________________________________

OR

"Connect your device to your Mac to sync Music content"

(NB Select your MacOS at the top for the most accurate info.)

If you connect your iPhone to your Mac, using a USB or USB-C cable,

you can transfer and update items between your Mac and your device.

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/music/musf4e9226b/mac

___________________________________________________________

OR

Sync content between your Mac and iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi

(NB Select your MacOS at the top for the most accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchlada1d602/12.0/mac/12.0

_________________________________________________________

AND:

Discussion thread:

Why doesn’t iCloud backup music from your phone?

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253383621

________________________________________________________

OR

Download previous iTunes Store purchases in Music on Mac

(NB Select your MacOS at the top for the most accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/music/musf4e9226b/mac


Hope this helps you :-)

Nov 23, 2021 3:20 PM in response to Evolving

Thank you for your reply, Evolving,

especially for narrowing the field, sharing the hitches encountered, and providing a little more insight into your goals.


Re: "I can't find an authorisation button"


Wondering if you have added your Mac to the same Apple ID used on iTunes / Apple Music.

(is automatically achieved by logging in to your same Apple ID on the Mac.).


Apple ID Log-in:

https://appleid.apple.com


AND / OR

How to authorise or deauthorise your computer for iTunes Store purchases

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201251


How to redownload music from the iTunes Store in the Apple Music app on your Mac

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211816

_________________________________________________

Re: "it only syncs one way"


See the article: "Transfer files between iPad and your computer"

(NB: Choose your iOS number at the top of the article, for accurate info.

See the paragraph: "Transfer files between iPad and your Mac")


https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/ipad/ipad32dd03cd/ipados


Hope this helps you solve the issues you encountered :-)


Nov 25, 2021 5:34 PM in response to Evolving

Thank you Evolving,


What happens when you click "Account" on the same menu bar that you used to check the preferences ?


You should be able to sign into your Music account (with your Apple ID) from there.

Eg: choose Account > Authorisations > Authorise This Computer.

This is likely the better option.


Re: "... windows machine has my full downloads on, could I sync from that or not"? 

Try this article: "Move your data from a Windows PC to a Mac"

(Uses "Migration Assistant")

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204087


Hope this helps :-)

Nov 26, 2021 11:06 PM in response to Evolving

You're welcome.

Thank you for your reply.

Good to know!


Re: However, is it possible for me to connect my CD burner to my Mac and download them all over again that way?


One needs to take care to check as many music files are copyright. We may hold the copyright on original music we create.


Seems a CD usually holds around 700 Mb (less than 1 Gb.)


Sometimes, with lots of files to store it is easier to use a purchased jump drive, flash drive, or larger external hard drive.

These have much larger capacity for storage ... eg ... 8 Gb., 16 Gb etc up to portable drives of 500 Gb. or iTb or more.

You may need a short cable with the correct fittings, to use one of these drives for storage, with your Mac.


However, Apple support do have various articles about using an external optical CD drive / burner with Mac


Find out if the optical drive on your Mac can burn discs

(NB: Choose your Mac OS at the top of the article that opens from the link, for accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchlp1351/12.0/mac/12.0.


With a burn folder on the desktop, you can drag files that you want to burn to the burn folder,

(which still leaves the original files intact, and in place)

and arrange the files as you wish, ready to burn to CD, straight from the folder.)


Create a burn folder to hold files to burn to a CD or DVD on Mac

(NB: Choose your Mac OS at the top of the article that opens from the link, for accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchlp2806/mac


Choose what your Mac does when you insert a CD or DVD

(NB: Choose your Mac OS at the top of the article that opens from the link, for accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchlp1354/mac


Store information on CD and DVD discs on Mac

(NB: Choose your Mac OS at the top of the article that opens from the link, for accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchl8addfd95/12.0/mac/12.0


Eject CDs and DVDs from your Mac

(NB: Choose your Mac OS at the top of the article that opens from the link, for accurate info.)

https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchl2f6b0645/12.0/mac/12.0


Hope this helps :-)

Nov 23, 2021 3:57 AM in response to Evolving

Thanks, this is a helpful reply. My music is previously purchased on iTunes and hand-loaded owner CDs. I now understand that I can download previous purchases if I 'authorise' my new Mac only under 'account' as directed I can't find an authorisation button to tick/authorise only a button to remove or un-authorise ALL. Am I doing something wrong or simply missing something please?


Also, I've tried linking by cable my new Mac to my iPad and although successfully linked it only syncs one way ie from the empty Mac to the iPad with all of my music, photos etc. Any help here please also?


Many thanks

Nov 24, 2021 7:25 AM in response to brbo

Many thanks for your further suggestions. I have ensured that my new Mac is on the same Appleid and actually it certainly was already though. I've again tried following the steps to authorise the Mac to be able to download my own, paid for music but still cannot see where I can authorise. When I open the music app I don't see a menu along the top of the screen; the only way I can see 'account' is after clicking the iTunes Store and open 'account' there but that doesn't offer anywhere to authorise my Mac? In the music app I can now see all of my purchased albums but I'm not authorised to play them...simply stuck and frustrated. if you have any further help and advice to offer I would be most grateful please? Many thanks!!

Nov 25, 2021 2:07 AM in response to brbo

Hi, Thanks for the further suggestions. Yes it certainly seems strange that when I open Music I don't see any menu bar along the top? I've checked preferences as you suggested and can't see anything ticked that would cause any issues. I'm still stuck with the 'you are not authorised...' messages whenever I try to play my own music downloads. I don't see my hand loaded CD music at all but not being able to sync both ways with my iPad stops me sorting that I assume? My Vaio windows machine has my full downloads on, could I sync from that or not?


Any suggestions where I go from here, other than taking it back and sticking with a windows via a Dell from their XPS range? I love this Mac but these issues are taking the fun out of a new machine. Many thanks for your replies and suggestions...

Nov 26, 2021 5:43 AM in response to Evolving

Thank you once again for your reply and useful suggestions/articles. I am delighted to say that the penny eventually dropped and I realised I was opening the wrong account, the one in the iTunes Store rather than the one in the main screen menu. Happily I've now corrected my radar and have authorised my Mac to play my paid-for music...I just need to get my own CDs into iTunes and onto my Mac. I will look at the link you sent me, thank you.


However, is it possible for me to connect my CD burner to my Mac and download them all over again that way?


Thanks for your replies & patience.


Best regards

How to transfer music from iPhone/iPad onto MacBook Air?

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