User profile for user: Rustinaway
Rustinaway Author
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How to copy Music library from Mac on to iPad

Hello... Just purchased an iPad Pro M2 (6th gen) and it's running the latest iOS (ver 16.5). I have all my music on my home iMac (2017) and MacBook Pro M1 Max. (It's mostly from my extensive CD collection). My Macs all run the latest OSX.


I'm looking for instructions to place a copy of my music on the iPad so I can have my music with me as I travel light.


Have seen docs referring to instructions to Sync Library... but on my iPad, there is no Sync Library option. Also, I'm not seeing the icon for my iPad appear in my Mac's Music App.


And while at it, I also don't see how to import new music into Music on my iPad.


Thanks in advance for helpful advice...

iPad Pro (6th generation)

Posted on Jun 18, 2023 1:35 PM

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User profile for user: Servant of Cats
Servant of Cats
User level: Level 6
8,451 points

Posted on Jun 18, 2023 2:29 PM

iPods started out with the model that you had a computer that held the master copy of your music library, and that to load music onto your iPod, you did one-way synchronizations, from your computer to a hidden music library on your iPod. No directly accessing iPod music files, or uploading them to another computer.


That model has persisted – with modifications. You can now buy music from the iTunes Store directly on the mobile device itself. You can take out an Apple Music subscription. The Music app serves double-duty as an app that lets you play music from your library, and as an app that lets you play music from your Apple Music subscription.


So to get music from your own CDs onto your iPad, you first need to import the music into your Mac's iTunes/Music library. Then you need to synchronize the iPad with the Mac or PC.


Sync music between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


In pre-Catalina versions of macOS, you used iTunes to do this. Starting in Catalina, Apple split iTunes into pieces, so you'd use the Mac's Music app to build and manage your Mac's music library, and the Finder to load selected music onto your iPad (using the synchronization interface, rather than direct access to the iPad's music library).


What happened to iTunes? - Apple Support


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User profile for user: Servant of Cats
Servant of Cats
User level: Level 6
8,451 points

Jun 18, 2023 2:29 PM in response to Rustinaway

iPods started out with the model that you had a computer that held the master copy of your music library, and that to load music onto your iPod, you did one-way synchronizations, from your computer to a hidden music library on your iPod. No directly accessing iPod music files, or uploading them to another computer.


That model has persisted – with modifications. You can now buy music from the iTunes Store directly on the mobile device itself. You can take out an Apple Music subscription. The Music app serves double-duty as an app that lets you play music from your library, and as an app that lets you play music from your Apple Music subscription.


So to get music from your own CDs onto your iPad, you first need to import the music into your Mac's iTunes/Music library. Then you need to synchronize the iPad with the Mac or PC.


Sync music between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


In pre-Catalina versions of macOS, you used iTunes to do this. Starting in Catalina, Apple split iTunes into pieces, so you'd use the Mac's Music app to build and manage your Mac's music library, and the Finder to load selected music onto your iPad (using the synchronization interface, rather than direct access to the iPad's music library).


What happened to iTunes? - Apple Support


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How to copy Music library from Mac on to iPad

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