Q: Near Duplicate Playlist is Created when Syncing with IPhone

Not sure if this has already been mentioned but it seems the new playlists with the next consecutive number, are the process of iTunes checking what is on the device and then syncing to iTunes but saving what is on the phone into iTunes as a different name to allow it to then sync and adjust the original playlist you would have altered (please note this only seems to happen to playlists which have changed since the last sync).

The only current solution I have is to sync and allow iTunes and iPhone to create the duplicates.  Delete the duplicates and keep the original playlists which will show the amended amounts of songs.  Then after that first sync delete the playlists in iTunes while the device is still connected and then click sync again and both iTunes and the iPhone will return to normal with the original amount of playlists and updated.  Unfortunately this is not ideal as it means syncing twice and making amendments.

Apple please fix asap!!!

Well said.

I thought I'd found the solution with the latest update, but, not so.

Everything you describe, including the workaround, has been my experience too

I've also noticed that the duplicate playlist contains the songs which were on it before it was altered and that's the one that has to be manually deleted before a resync.

Weirdly, it's only happening to the playlists I marked with a Roman numeral next to it, that is

Car I

Car II....I've also noticed that new songs downloaded from iTunes Store and added to said playlists don't appear until I remove all of the songs from the playlist and copy them into a "reserve," list, copy them back again and then resync.

There is something very odd going on here and, like I said, I came over to Apple in order to make things as easy on the iPhone as it used to be on my iPod.

Talking of iPods, I've real trouble syncing my iPod to iTunes these days, as I keep getting an error message which states that the USB device hasn't been "recognized."

It sometimes takes 5, or 6 reconnections to sort that out.

Hi guys,

I was trying to find a way to overcome this, since it really is annoying to see new duplicate playlists created all the time when you sync, but finally I don't have that problem anymore.

Try out this: Create new playlist for every existing one with same name and just drag the songs to new one and delete the old playlists and for some reason iTunes will stop duplicating those new ones. It worked for me, hope it does to you all as well.

Cheers

Hi there.

Thanks for that.

I've just done what you've said to my 4 Tracks Playlists and then re-synced.

All was fine, I then altered one of the playlists by changing one song and then re-synced.

All was fine!

Hopefully, this will work, so thanks again.

I'll have another go when time allows and do some more changes, but fingers crossed!

Sad to say, that for some reason, this fix worked for a couple of days and then the problem with duplicate playlists reasserted itself.

The only time a playlist doesn't duplicate for me, is when I wipe the entire playlist clean and start from scratch, which kind of defeats the object, if you only need to alter one, or two songs in a given playlist.

Still, I assume IOS 9 is due out in a few days, so hopefully, that will solve the issue, if not, I'll definitely be on the phone to Apple!

Same here and I am using iTunes on OS X, so I assume the problem is with core iTunes code or protocols, or on the iOS side.

It's so bad I basically just look for the highest numbered playlist of the duplicates and use that one until the phone runs out of storage, then I have to create a new playlist and begin the process over again. I can no longer change any playlist on the phone or iTunes side without it creating a duplicate for me. Part of the frustration is that it does not duplicate every time, just most of the time, so I've been unable to find the pattern.

Yep, it's so frustrating!

I was chuffed to bits for the first few days!

I wonder whether e2ward has had a relapse since suggesting the fix..hopefully, he's still following this one, I for one, would be interested to know.

Hi guys,

Yeah, I'm still following this one and it's sad to hear that it got reversed again. To be honest, from the time I posted here, I only synced for about 3-4 times, since I haven't much new music :/ but it seems that everything is still ok for me, however from what I see, I'm pretty sure, it would come back to me as well, if I synced more often.

Hope iOS 9 will have this problem fixed. Will be following this one and I'm sure that we will eventually find a way to get rid of this problem completely

Good to hear that you're still able to sync OK.

Yep, it worked for me for a few days, but then, I do change whole playlists and alter others fairly frequently.

Let us know if things take a backward step?

I been having the same problem and its driving me nuts.  For me it duplicates every time i modify a playlist.  The new playlist usually the old song listing.  I have just been deleting the new playlist.  Does this have anything to do with subscribing to Apple Music?  Has this happened to people who have not subscribed to Apple Music?

I don't subscribe to Apple Music, and I see what you are describing. And I have six iPhones in my family with different Windows and OS X platforms for iTunes, and six different accounts, and we all see it.

I have this issue.  I want to delete the playlist I do not want but cannot figure out how to do that?  There is no option I can find within iTunes?  HELP?

Such a ****-up.  Is APPLE listening??

Had this issue for quite a while as well.

The only thing I can work out is that if I add/remove songs from the playlist when the iPhone is not connected, then sync later, I get the iPhone's playlist with a 1 at the end.

However, if I sync the iPhone, add/remove songs, sync again, there is no playlist with 1 at the end.

I am not sure what the time frame is, but I added some songs last night to a playlist. When I synced tonight, there was a duplicate playlist present.

Just played around with the playlist tonight and removed some songs, synced and no duplicates.

Hey there.

Yep, that seems to work and at least makes it possible to avoid having to delete the playlist with the "1," after it.

Thanks.

That's also fixed my issue of newly downloaded songs not appearing on the iPhone.

However, the idea of syncing should be that the phone syncs on connection, which is obviously not happening.

The fix you suggested works, but amounts to having to perform what amounts to a "manual," sync.

But, I thank you once again for making life a little easier, much appreciated

Hopefully, the advent of iOS 9 will have all this in hand.

We can but hope!

Same duplicate playlist issue here. I am so tired of Apple sending out updates that are sometimes more trouble than they are worth. Apparently they to care enough about us to address problems with their OS.

I know it doesn't matter, but I have to say that when my Verizon contract is up next month, I am done with Apple. Not trying to start a flame war. Just saying. I have had so many problems that took Apple forever to address.