How to recover missing iTunes playlists on Windows PC

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How to recover missing iTunes playlists on Windows PC

Hello all,

I recently had some problems with my iPhone resulting in having had to un- and then reinstall the Music app and also update the iTunes app on my Windows PC and re-add all my tracks to it, and also restore my iPhone to factory settings and then restore iCloud backup.

While the problem is fixed, what has happened is that all my playlists from iTunes on my PC (lovingly built and curated over several years) are now empty (their names still appear in iTunes on the computer but no tracks are in them, and they don't appear on the phone at all).

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

I'm HOPING that the playlist info has been stored on my PC somewhere by iTunes? If so, where would I find it and can I reinstate the lists (or at least see what was in them) somehow?

Many thanks for any help!

Posted on Feb 22, 2024 2:16 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 27, 2024 10:10 PM in response to Garrick1

To recover your missing iTunes playlists on a Windows PC, you can try using an old iTunes music library XML file.

Here are the steps:

1. Quit iTunes.

2. Open the iTunes music folder, usually located in "My Documents/My Music/iTunes" or under your username in the "My Music" folder.

3. Find a file named "iTunes Music Library.xml" and drag it to a convenient location like your desktop.

4. Also, drag the "iTunes Library" file to the desktop.

5. Reopen iTunes.

6. Go to "File" > "Library" > "Import Playlists".

7. Select the "iTunes Music Library.xml" file you placed on the desktop.

iTunes will recreate your playlists, and they should also sync with any iOS devices connected to iTunes. This process helps in situations where playlists disappear due to updates or other changes in iTunes.

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How to recover missing iTunes playlists on Windows PC

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