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Apple says to "sync library" in Music > Settings, but that option does not appear on my phone

When an Apple Music subscription I had from Verizon expired, my personal playlists for my own music (loaded from CDs) also vanished on my phone (they are still there on my Macs).


Apple's instructions say to turn on "Sync Library" under Music > Preferences, but I have no such option in that location. I can find my playlist by going through Home Sharing and digging down, but that is not convenient, and I guess it only works when I'm on my home WiFi, anyway.


This is the Apple page I am referencing: Use Sync Library to access your music library across your devices - Apple Support

When I go to Settings > Music, the only options I see are:


Cellular Data

Apple Music (Show Apple Music, Join Apple Music)

Library: Show All Purchases

Audio

Downloads

Home Sharing


Again, all my songs are there, downloaded on the phone. But Apple took away my own, personal playlist which only contained music I purchased on CD years ago, when it turned off my Apple Music subscription.


It's frustrating to get instructions that don't match what I see on the screen! It feels to me that Apple really wants us to subscribe to their service, and therefore intentionally makes it difficult and increasingly confusing to just use our phones as iPods like the good old days.


Thanks in advance for any assistance.

iPhone 14 Pro

Posted on May 16, 2023 8:04 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 17, 2023 6:35 AM

Thanks, your instructions (and its multiple steps, including a physical cable the first time) worked! Much appreciated.


It would be nice, though, if my paid iCloud subscription was able to sync personally owned music files in libraries, just as it syncs all sorts of other files. But Apple wants to sell Apple Music subscriptions, I guess.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 17, 2023 6:35 AM in response to picas

Thanks, your instructions (and its multiple steps, including a physical cable the first time) worked! Much appreciated.


It would be nice, though, if my paid iCloud subscription was able to sync personally owned music files in libraries, just as it syncs all sorts of other files. But Apple wants to sell Apple Music subscriptions, I guess.

Apple says to "sync library" in Music > Settings, but that option does not appear on my phone

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