Syncing “iPhone” with this Mac will replace media from another library on “Mac”

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Level 2

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Syncing “iPhone” with this Mac will replace media from another library on “Mac”

Trying to sync my music from a Mac Pro running Monterey to an iPhone Mini 13 running iOS 17.5. This iPhone was previously sync'd to this same Mac Pro, but not since updating to Monterey. So same hardware each end, but sync'ing music media is a problem.

I do NOT use Apple Music. All my music media is local. Connect the iPhone to the Mac Pro via USB and select the music (playlists etc.) I want to sync on to the iPhone. It is most of my music, but filters out the media I don't want on the iPhone. This has never previously been a problem and the iPhone has most of what should be on there, but I have since purchased some new items and I want to now sync those onto the iPhone.

First problem is that the sync process thinks the media is from a different library. It's not, but maybe the change from iTunes to Music has it confused (well done Apple). So the implication is it will erase almost 200 Gb of music from the iPhone and then copy mostly the same all over again, plus the new stuff.

Ok, dumb as that is, I am prepared to let it happen so I can get the iPhone in sync and with all the music I want. Next time it should be easier. Maybe.

But I am then presented with the above message, at which I halted the process as it is seems to be stating that some music on my Mac is going to be replaced, or maybe deleted (not so clear). This is simply NOT what is required. It can do whatever it has to do on the iPhone to achieve sync, but it must NOT touch anything on the Mac as that is the primary source of content and must NOT be changed in any way by any process syncing that content to the iPhone.

It is possible that the error is simply badly worded, in which case, Apple need to go back to school, but if it is correct, then I definitely do NOT want to go ahead with what it is proposing. In which case, how can I sync the music media (no videos, no books, no other media and all other data is in iCloud anyway) FROM the Mac TO the iPhone, ensuring NOTHING on the Mac is altered in any way?

To be clear, I've been messing with iTunes since before it was called iTunes and syncing music to an iPhone since as soon as that was possible, but when a message apparently states something it should NOT be doing, I have to check what others' experience is.

Is the message actually saying that media on the Mac is going to be replaced, or just the iPhone will be changed?

iPhone 13 mini, iOS 17

Posted on Jul 31, 2024 7:50 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

278,991 points

Jul 31, 2024 9:23 AM in response to UKenGB

As far as syncing is concerned the transition from iTunes to Music has definitely created a new library, even if much of the content is still the same.

The message is saying that the content on the iPhone, which appears to have come from a library on a computer called "Mac", is going to be replaced by content from the local library. That said you're not the first to have trouble interpreting this message and I've seen the odd post claiming a sync has wiped content from a computer, which shouldn't be possible. To avoid any unfortunate loss of media make sure to backup your library before you try to sync the device to the library. That way in the unlikely event of a mishap you can restore the backup and try again.

tt2

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Answer 2

UKenGB Author

Level 2

317 points

Jul 31, 2024 9:33 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks, I was beginning to think it was simply a very badly worded message and if so, then nothing should be lost from the Mac. So someone saying there was loss from the computer sounds like that must be something else entirely.

In any case I will ensure all backed up first of course and try to give feedback to Apple that they really should rewrite these hopelessly ambiguous messages.

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Syncing “iPhone” with this Mac will replace media from another library on “Mac”

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