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Why won't my songs transfer from itunes to my iphone?

When I plug in my phone into my computer and try to sync my playlists on iTunes to my iPhone, the sync completes but the songs will not transfer. I even tried deleting the existing playlists from my iPhone and I couldn't even do that. I have literally tried everything that I know. Any suggestions?

iPhone 5, iOS 7.0.2

Posted on Sep 28, 2013 2:13 PM

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Posted on Jun 16, 2017 4:17 AM

I figured it out! A million hours later and 4 in the morning but I figured it out. So I did everything updated my iPhone 7 newest software same w iTunes on my windows computer everything. Nothing worked. Until I had to go to my actual iPhone go to settings, music, then turn off iCloud Music Library and enable home sharing. Then once I did that I went back onto my computer went to iTunes and synced manually. All I did was on iTunes go to your phone section and click sync. Once I did so I was then able to add music. I dragged the music to the device and it was finally added. I domt know what's going on w apple and why it's become so much harder to sync music. It was so much easier back in the day. Anywho I'm just glad I finally figured it out. Now I can listen to my hypnobirthing tracks on my phone.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 16, 2017 4:17 AM in response to ajal1

I figured it out! A million hours later and 4 in the morning but I figured it out. So I did everything updated my iPhone 7 newest software same w iTunes on my windows computer everything. Nothing worked. Until I had to go to my actual iPhone go to settings, music, then turn off iCloud Music Library and enable home sharing. Then once I did that I went back onto my computer went to iTunes and synced manually. All I did was on iTunes go to your phone section and click sync. Once I did so I was then able to add music. I dragged the music to the device and it was finally added. I domt know what's going on w apple and why it's become so much harder to sync music. It was so much easier back in the day. Anywho I'm just glad I finally figured it out. Now I can listen to my hypnobirthing tracks on my phone.

Sep 28, 2013 2:25 PM in response to ajal1

Hi,


I get exactly the same problem.


I have checked that I have enough space on my iPhone but everytime I try to click and drake albums or playlists it shows as if it has sync'd but nothing appears to have transferred.


I have even rebooted my phone to see if identifies the new music but nothing has been copied.


I have even tried a sync but again the process goes through the motion but nothing transfers.


There are also no error message.


This has only started happening since I updated my iPhone to oS7.


Can anyone help ?

Nov 11, 2013 11:31 AM in response to ajal1

Hello, I am writing from France.

I have exactly the same problem: impossible to send my music from my macbookpro to my iphone5. Everything was working before mavericks/itunes 11.1.3 installations. Now on itunes in "on my iphone" tab, songs appear in grey with grey dotted circles on the left.

It's very frustrating and I don't want to try by erasing my music on the iphone before restoring it. Apple must fix that quicly.

Thanks


J'ai exactement le même problème: impossible de synchroniser ma musqiue depuis mon macbookpro vers mon iphone 5. Tout fonctionnait bien avant l'installation de mavericks et de itunes 11.1.3. Maintenant, sur itunes dans l'onglet "sur cet iphone", les chansons apparaissent en gris avec un cercle gris pointillé sur la gauche.

C'est très frustant et je ne veux pas avoir à essayer de supprimer la musique sur l'iphone avant de le restaurer. Apple doit trouver une solution rapidement.

Merci

User uploaded file

Jun 18, 2017 5:14 PM in response to ajal1

Hi,


I created a username just to put my input on this problem...


  • Topic has been running from 2013 to 2017, over 12000 people have clicked "I have this problem too", and Apple still hasn't fixed the problem and provided a clear solution to all those "similar" problems
  • This problem has been going through many IOS versions
  • Apple doesn't care about you, especially when you want to manage your own library, because since Apple Music appeared, the Music app on the phone has decreased in quality
  • Contract with mobile company ends in September... There is a 100% CHANCE I'm switching to Samsung or Huawai
  • To super-helpy user turingtest2 level 10 trying to serve us with the generic "Restart from scratch" (backup/restore to factory/install backup/re-sync music): YES, IT WORKS... but it's a pain in the ***... will you pay for my 2 hours missed work every month because your music application *****? Plus, one time, the backup would just not reinstall, I had to clear my computer of every single trace of Apple (except music library) and reinstall everything.
  • Another one to super-helpy user turingtest2 level 10 saying "oh, please understand our poor company Apple (cries a few tears), it's sooooo hard to program computer apps that will work with millions of users (cries again)"... COME ON... Did you really just say this? You are Apple... You started programming iPods made SPECIFICALLY for music before even someone ever thought there would be smart phones one day... Don't try to look pityfull, it just worsens your situation and we have no empathy for a company that treats us like this.
  • Will someone at Apple try to contact me to try to resolve this and keep me as a customer??? NOPE, cause they don't care... period.
  • 3 months countdown and it's BYE, BYE APPLE FOREVER.


Thanks to all the other users who tried to provide some working solutions, at least we can try to help ourselves together while Apple does nothing.

Feb 1, 2015 11:36 AM in response to ajal1

I found another way to finally make this work:


  1. Connect your iPhone
  2. Click the iPhone icon
  3. Go to "Music" in the left column under "On My Device" (NOT "Music" under "Settings"!!!)

    Here most of your songs will probably be greyed out and thus not be playable on the iPhone

  4. Mark all music that you want to transfer to your iPhone
  5. Click the "Add to..." button on the top right side of the iTunes window
  6. This changes to a "Done" botton
  7. iTunes should automatically begin transferring the songs


Hope this helps


User uploaded file

Nov 30, 2016 6:10 AM in response to animals_cat_dog

Try the following all-purpose steps for dealing with erratic syncing behaviour. They assume that all of the content you do want on the device is in your library ready for restoring. If it isn't see Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device first. I would also recommend you copy everything out of the camera roll if you haven't already.


  1. Backup device.
  2. Restore as a new device.
  3. Restore the backup you made earlier.


Use an encrypted backup if you want to preserve passwords, Wi-Fi settings, web history and health data where appropriate. I also suggest syncing with a selection of playlists (unless you're using iCloud Music library) rather than manually adding content as, if nothing else, the process above is easier to do if you ever have to go through it again.


tt2

May 3, 2017 8:41 PM in response to turingtest2

turingtest2 wrote:


Search me, though I do know that writing software that works on your own computer is hard enough. Getting it to work reliably on millions of others all with slightly different combinations of installed software and hardware is where it gets really tricky. My general purpose workaround when you get the greyed out tracks issue is covered back on the previous page: Re: Re: Why won't my songs transfer from itunes to my iphone? Interference may come from anti-virus software which I would recommend be excluded from monitoring the iTunes library and media folders. Other than that there is unfortunately no obvious mechanism in iTunes to scan for these items and either transfer them properly on the next connection, or clean up the list that would suggest that they have already been copied even though they are not accessible.


tt2


I just encountered this same problem with my new iPhone 7. I backed up my old iPhone 6S and got a new phone yesterday. When I restored from backup however, the music all played fine until I left the house…

Sep 29, 2013 2:46 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Carolyn -


Yes I am hitting the sync button. Also, I have plenty of space on my iphone. It is so weird because when I hit sync on itunes and I look on the summary page about my phone, where it shows how much space I am using for my app's, books, movies, music..., it shows the space needed to add the audio but when the sync is complete it disappears and doesn't show that the music is added. I also do not get any error messages.

Sep 29, 2013 2:50 PM in response to ajal1

I feel like I have tried everying but I know there must be something I am missing! I rebooted my phone, deleted all my backups in itunes, removed all the music from my phone by unchecking songs and then trying to add them (in this case only 1 playlist stayed on the phone), tried manually moving the songs from itunes into my iphone by dragging them.... I can't even remember what else I did. Do you think if I went into the apple store they would help me?

Nov 3, 2013 10:34 PM in response to ajal1

I think I figured it out... It worked for me! Its kind of annoying but you have to turn off passcode lock on your phone. Then delete all your music from phone. Then go to "Music" on "(Your name) iPhone" Then click "Sync music" then check off either "Entire music library" or "Selected playlists... ext."


Hope this helps:P Hopefully they fix this problem soon so we don't have to use loop holes!

Nov 4, 2013 9:38 PM in response to Trevormitchell1212

This did NOT work for me. I hate the new passcode so I shut it off as soon as I found out I could. Most of my music is still on my phone but nothing new will transfer. Same problem as everyone else -- iPhone 5, IOS7 and iTunes 11.2. I don't know where the issue is but get it fixed please. Apps transfer perfectly. Apple, you need to be watching these posts because I'm about ready to chuck my phone in the river!! I have music I need for concert practices and having to drag my laptop everywhere is getting really old!

Nov 7, 2013 7:08 PM in response to ajal1

I have something to share. I went through the music synch process numerous times and never saw the music on my iPhone. (See my posts above.)


On my iPhone, I went to Settings>Music>Show All Music, and turned it on. My new music is now available on my iPhone, but it shows up as being in the Cloud.


It did not ever show as "transferring" to my iPhone, although Siri was trying to find it for me.


I'm not sure what this means to me - that it's in the Cloud and on my phone - but at least I can listen to Bob Seger on my iPhone now!

Why won't my songs transfer from itunes to my iphone?

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