How to fix Apple Music local file playback issue on Sonoma 14.3 Update

My library is on an external drive, and it looks like a recent Apple Music version update got confused about the Music Media folder location... Making a minor adjustment fixed it.

Old, previously working: `/ExternalDrive/Media/iTunes Media`

New, working again: `/ExternalDrive/Media/iTunes Media/Music`

Making this change caused a lengthy update to the library. At the end of that process it invited me to move everything to the new location in accordance with the "Keep Music Media folder organized" setting. I declined, and now everything works again.

Same here after Sonoma 14.4 upgrade. The "I opened a specific music file in Finder, it played in Music and it fixed that one file" comment was a big hint (h/t illbilly).

My files (>23k mp3s, etc.) are also in non-standard location. The following fixed it for me: YMMV, back up everything, cross your fingers, and don't blame me...

Referring to the "Files" pref in Music where the directory is set...

• Do a "reset", and say "yes" to subsequent questions about moving files. For me, this seemed to gather/process a few files, but not >23k.
• Change the directory back to the original (non-standard) file location. Again, say "yes" re: moving/keeping files organized. For me, the process went through all >23k files, didn't duplicate them on my local media, and retained everything in my Music library.

I'm thinking this stems from some security "update" in MacOS 14.4 where Music wasn't being granted permissions to access the media files. Something tells me that 14.4.1 is coming soon.

I agree with all here that the Music app is becoming more and more braindead, and the neat iTunes power mode features (like, ummm, song search by title only, so many other things), are sorely missed.

Good luck everyone with this issue and I hope this process provides the same success I had. Now, to try the same thing with the TV app (and probably Podcasts, where I know this is happening too).

Same here after Sonoma 14.4 upgrade. The "I opened a specific music file in Finder, it played in Music and it fixed that one file" comment was a big hint (h/t illbilly).

My files (>23k mp3s, etc.) are also in non-standard location. The following fixed it for me: YMMV, back up everything, cross your fingers, and don't blame me...

Referring to the "Files" pref in Music where the directory is set...

• Do a "reset", and say "yes" to subsequent questions about moving files. For me, this seemed to gather/process a few files, but not >23k.
• Change the directory back to the original (non-standard) file location. Again, say "yes" re: moving/keeping files organized. For me, the process went through all >23k files, didn't duplicate them on my local media, and retained everything in my Music library.

I'm thinking this stems from some security "update" in MacOS 14.4 where Music wasn't being granted permissions to access the media files. Something tells me that 14.4.1 is coming soon.

I agree with all here that the Music app is becoming more and more braindead, and the neat iTunes power mode features (like, ummm, song search by title only, so many other things), are sorely missed.

Good luck everyone with this issue and I hope this process provides the same success I had. Now, to try the same thing with the TV app (and probably Podcasts, where I know this is happening too).

EDIT: FWIW... same technique fixed files in TV for me, too. Podcasts seem to be kept in a MYSTERY LOCATION and was a nonstarter anyway as Apple is treating them as all cloud based.

I found the easiest solution: to grant full disk access for the Music app in the privacy & security panel. Problem solved :)

this. thank you FrankJin906. granted full disk access and its back. the silent failure is v v v bad.

My music is in Dropbox/Music and this just happened to me after the Sonoma 14.3 upgrade. Deleting ~/Music/Music and re-importing all my music fixed it.

The question now becomes.

Is the Music Library contain in its' default location or pointing to an External Drive

/Macintosh HD/Users/x.xxxxxx/Music/Music/Media ( Related Personal Information "

My library is on the Macintosh HD and works without issues for both Locally Stored Music and Streaming from Internet Music

Welcome for the help just the same

FWIW... same technique fixed files in TV for me, too. Podcasts seem to be kept in a MYSTERY LOCATION and was a nonstarter anyway as Apple is treating them as all cloud based.

Same problem. Upgraded from Ventura straight to Sonoma 14.3... I keep my music in a folder under Documents (so it mirrors to icloud). NOTHING in Music app will play after the upgrade. I can right click in Finder and open in Music and it will play, and I added a few new tracks to Music and those will play, but all 20,000 songs in my local library will no longer play.

I think this is a strong push that I (and probably all of you!) need to find a third party app for playing back from a music collection.

[Edited by Moderator]

The Music app has increasingly gotten more and more flawed, and theyre adding nothing (Part of the reason I upgraded is because songs in my collection started to randomly skip the last 30-60 seconds of songs!). I am generally an Apple fan, but this makes me furious. Total disregard for major flaws in this app for years.