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User profile for user: Gary Davison
Gary Davison Author
User level: Level 1
89 points

I have questions about syncing my iPad & iPhone to my iMac

First, I am not subscribed to Apple Music or to Music Match. The majority of my music tracks have been added by importing CDs to my iMac.


What exactly takes place when you sync an iPhone or iPad to the iMac. Are all of the songs erased from the iPhone then reinstalled from the iMac? If there are songs on the iPhone that are not on the iMac, do they get deleted from the iPhone or do they remain on the iPhone and/or do they get transferred to the iMac?


My iMac is a 3 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i5. The iPhone is an iPhone 13. My iPad is an iPad Air 5th generation.

iMac (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 5:08 PM

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User profile for user: Jps_13
Jps_13
User level: Level 3
454 points

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 5:18 PM

When you sync your iPhone or iPad to your iMac, the following happens:


  • The two devices are connected via a USB cable or Wi-Fi.



  • The Finder on your Mac opens and displays the device in the sidebar.



  • You can select the content you want to sync, such as music, photos, contacts, and calendars.



  • The Finder then syncs the selected content between the two devices.


If there are songs on your iPhone that are not on your iMac, they will not be deleted from your iPhone. However, if you choose to sync your music library, the songs on your iPhone will be replaced with the songs on your iMac.


You can also choose to sync your iPhone or iPad to your iMac wirelessly. To do this, you need to make sure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.


Here are some additional things to keep in mind when syncing your iPhone or iPad to your iMac:


  • If you have a lot of content to sync, it may take some time.


  • If you are syncing wirelessly, make sure that your devices are close together and that the Wi-Fi signal is strong.


  • If you are having problems syncing your devices, you can try restarting them or updating their software.


I hope this helps!

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User profile for user: Jps_13
Jps_13
User level: Level 3
454 points

Jul 27, 2023 5:18 PM in response to Gary Davison

When you sync your iPhone or iPad to your iMac, the following happens:


  • The two devices are connected via a USB cable or Wi-Fi.



  • The Finder on your Mac opens and displays the device in the sidebar.



  • You can select the content you want to sync, such as music, photos, contacts, and calendars.



  • The Finder then syncs the selected content between the two devices.


If there are songs on your iPhone that are not on your iMac, they will not be deleted from your iPhone. However, if you choose to sync your music library, the songs on your iPhone will be replaced with the songs on your iMac.


You can also choose to sync your iPhone or iPad to your iMac wirelessly. To do this, you need to make sure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.


Here are some additional things to keep in mind when syncing your iPhone or iPad to your iMac:


  • If you have a lot of content to sync, it may take some time.


  • If you are syncing wirelessly, make sure that your devices are close together and that the Wi-Fi signal is strong.


  • If you are having problems syncing your devices, you can try restarting them or updating their software.


I hope this helps!

Reply
User profile for user: Gary Davison
Gary Davison Author
User level: Level 1
89 points

Jul 29, 2023 6:10 PM in response to Jps_13

Let me know if the following example is correct.


iPhone contains the following songs:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5


iMac contains the following songs:

  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 6
  • 7


When I sync my music library from my iMac to my iPhone (or iPad) using the above info, the following would be true?


iPhone contains the following songs (after sync);

  • 1 (same as original)
  • 2 (replaced with copy from iMac)
  • 3 (replaced with copy from iMac)
  • 4 (replaced with copy from iMac)
  • 5 (same as original)
  • 6 (new from iMac)
  • 7 (new from iMac)


iMac contains the following songs (after sync):

  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 6
  • 7

SAME AS ORIGINAL - NOTHING CHANGES



Reply
User profile for user: Gary Davison
Gary Davison Author
User level: Level 1
89 points

Aug 1, 2023 5:21 PM in response to Jps_13

Let me know if the following example is correct.


iPhone contains the following songs:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5


iMac contains the following songs:

  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 6
  • 7


When I sync my music library from my iMac to my iPhone (or iPad) using the above info, the following would be true?


iPhone contains the following songs (after sync);

  • 1 (same as original)
  • 2 (replaced with copy from iMac)
  • 3 (replaced with copy from iMac)
  • 4 (replaced with copy from iMac)
  • 5 (same as original)
  • 6 (new from iMac)
  • 7 (new from iMac)


iMac contains the following songs (after sync):

  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 6
  • 7

SAME AS ORIGINAL - NOTHING CHANGES

Reply

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