I can’t add songs to Apple Music playlists or library

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Level 1

12 points

I can’t add songs to Apple Music playlists or library

I suddenly can’t add any songs to any playlist, or add any songs to my library. I added other songs successfully earlier in the day, but later in the day and suddenly I can’t anymore.

I already checked that my subscription is still active, and I tried turning sync on and off and restarting the app. I tried logging out of my account and logging back in. I deleted freed up several gigabytes of files in my iPhone in case that was an issue, though I do have plenty of storage space already. I tried adding a song through the link in Shazam, as well as adding that same song in the Apple Music app, and trying to add the whole album. I also can’t add a new playlist to my library either.

I did sync my iPhone 13 to my Windows laptop in the iTunes app. Could this have caused a problem?

iPhone 13, iOS 26

Posted on Aug 31, 2026 1:59 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

PreCognition

Level 6

8,036 points

Aug 31, 2026 3:59 PM in response to AGBDYM62998

Yes, syncing with iTunes on the Windows PC could be related, especially if the iPhone was set to sync music manually instead of using Apple Music’s Sync Library.

I’d first check Settings > Apps > Music > Sync Library on the iPhone and make sure it’s on. On the Windows PC, make sure you’re signed in with the same Apple Account and that Sync Library/iCloud Music Library is enabled there too. Apple recommends having Sync Library enabled on all devices using the Apple Music subscription. Use Sync Library with your Apple Music subscription - Apple Support

Before changing any more sync settings, I’d avoid another manual iTunes music sync. Apple notes that turning Sync Library off can remove downloaded music from the device, so I wouldn’t keep toggling it while troubleshooting. If songs are missing or greyed out in your music library in the Music app – Apple Support

If Sync Library is already on everywhere and you still can’t add even a brand-new playlist, that points more to a library/account sync issue than storage space.

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Answer 2

AGBDYM62998 Author

Level 1

12 points

Sep 1, 2026 8:30 AM in response to AGBDYM62998

Solved! I messaged Apple and they told me to uninstall the Music app and reinstall it. I synced my library and now it seems to be working correctly again.

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Answer 3

AGBDYM62998 Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 31, 2026 7:43 PM in response to PreCognition

Sync library is turned on everywhere and I still can’t add music to my library or new or existing playlists. Should I set iTunes to automatically sync to the iCloud or my computer? Currently I have it set to automatically sync to the iCloud.

This issue started on Saturday: everything was normal until the middle of the day, when I hadn’t synced my phone to my computer in a few days, and I had added 3 songs to a playlist that morning, my phone stopped allowing me to add any music at all. Do you know what might have happened in the maybe 3 hours in between? I wasn’t even at home, but I was on WiFi.

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