How do I transfer music/playlists from old iPhone to new iPhone?

Question

Level 1

1 points

How do I transfer music/playlists from old iPhone to new iPhone?

I just got a new iPhone 5 and I want to transfer my music onto it (and I still have my old iPhone 4 in my possession). The tricky part is that I have more music on my computer (7000 songs) than what fits on my iPhone (5000 songs). So for the last year or so as I got new music I'd take certain music off my iPhone 4 to make room. The result being I have a very meticulously chosen 5000 songs on my iPhone 4, and I want those specific 5000 songs to go onto my new iPhone 5. How do I make this happen?

It seems that you cannot use the backup-restore functions with music - is that correct? I did read that music purchased from iTunes can possibly be restored, but that does me no good because none of mine is purchased from iTunes.

Short of going through my iTunes library and picking and choosing, is there a way to load those specific 5000 songs, along with my made-on-the-go playlists currently residing in my iPhone 4, into my new 5?

Much appreciated!!!

iPhone 5, iOS 6.0.1

Posted on Nov 26, 2012 4:54 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 22, 2018 1:05 PM in response to Prezbo

I have found a way to do this that may help. Music must be on PC however.

Plug iPhone into PC using USB
Under iPhone, Select playlist you wish to transfer
Right click, and select "Export"
Select a location (maybe your desktop) and save as an XML file (Important - this seems to be the format that works)
In iTunes, under File, Library, select Import Playlist
Select your playlist previously saved. Click on Open.
Playlist is now in iTunes, and you can now disconnect your old iDevice, connect the new one
Drag the playlist to your new iDevice.
Provided all songs in the imported playlist are on your PC, they will be moved with the playlist to your new iDevice.

From iTunes, I created a playlist on my old iPhone called "iPhone Music" and using the steps above, I "transferred" all the music to my new iPhone. I then deleted the playlist on the iPhone, and the songs remained. I then repeated the process for my 20 or so iPhone playlists, and the playlists were transferred without duplicated songs.

Good Luck.

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Answer 2

Nov 26, 2012 4:57 PM in response to Prezbo

it amazes me at how many songs people have time to listen to... while I cannot get this justin bieber song to stop playing (i heard it on the radio during my 30 minute drive home from work which is all the in the dayi have time to listen to music and now I cant get it outof my head..sad, i know)

your itunes should have your playlist as you had it on the iphone 4. just sync it with the 5.

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Answer 3

Prezbo Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 26, 2012 5:28 PM in response to Appletini6

my playlists dont seem to transfer from iPhone to iTunes. how do I get them to do that (for ones that I make on the go)?

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Answer 4

Nov 26, 2012 5:29 PM in response to Prezbo

syncing works one way- your phone matches what the computer tells it to match. not the other way around. you will need to make a playlist in itunes then.

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Answer 5

iKenne

Level 1

25 points

Nov 26, 2012 11:58 PM in response to Prezbo

You have to create a playlist on your iTunes, than you have to sync it and chose the playlist that you want to be on your new iPhone.

That's the way.

I'm sorry that you didn't create a playlist before.

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Answer 6

Prezbo Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 27, 2012 7:00 AM in response to iKenne

I'm not sure how that solves my problem. Is there a way to create a playlist that only has the songs that are currently on my iPhone? Or are you just suggesting that I go through everything manually, basically looking at my iTunes and looking at my iPhone and making a huge playlist? That is what I'm trying to avoid, because it will take forever.

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Answer 7

Dec 3, 2012 9:13 AM in response to Prezbo

I too am very interested in a soluton. I have an IPhone 5 that needs to be restored as new do to a software problem, BUT I have over 2,700 songs on the phone and want to put them back once I have restored the Phone. I can't use a backup from a previous phone

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Answer 8

Jul 23, 2013 12:57 AM in response to Community User

Hi Tentpeg,

This was a great idea, but iTunes won't let me do step 3: Right click, and select "Export"

All I get is play and shuffle options.

Phone is a 3GS - iTunes is latest version.

Any ideas?

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Answer 9

Sep 22, 2018 1:05 PM in response to Scott2Bnuts

No, I'm not sure. It could be an iPhone 3GS issue?? I did mine on a 4S...................

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Answer 10

Apr 18, 2014 5:14 AM in response to Community User

This worked flawlessly in getting playlists and associated music from my iPhone4 to my iPhone5. I've been struggling with this for years every time I switch iThings. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

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Answer 11

Nov 10, 2014 12:11 AM in response to Prezbo

Hi, Prezbo

Below is the way about how to transfer music from iphone to iphone, hope it works.

The only way to get itunes content on your new phone is by syncing or manually managing songs & videos through itunes. You can sync as many devices as you want to the same itunes account, there is no limit. Unless you created playlists(smart idea), then you have no choice but to go through itunes & select the content you want on your new phone or if you have checked "Sync only checked songs & videos". From your post I'm guessing you have "manually manage music & videos" checked, correct? If so, you should be aware of the fact that there is absolutely no advantage to doing so with an iphone. Unlike disk wheel ipods, the iphone does not support disk mode. Thus, you're better off creating playlists & syncing those to your phone.

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