IOS 8 won't sync music with itunes

Yes, this problem ONLY happens on my iPhone 6 Plus. I can sync the SAME iTUnes LIBRARY to my iPod Classic 120GB no problem. I don't think it's the transcode to 256k AAC (I do this so all my music will fit into 120GB), since it transcodes just fine to my iPod Classic. It just fails on the iPhone 6 Plus. This is a BIG DEAL for me, since the large storage is just so I can do without the iPod, finally.

Anyway, haven't heard back from Apple Support yet, but I did file a report on the Apple website. I hope they fix this soon - it's going to be a deal breaker if I can't play my library on this 128GB phone.

So far, the ONLY option that will work is to restore the iPhone 6 Plus, make sure all music is off the device, then re-sync (it takes five HOURS to re-sync 12,000 songs), and then NEVER SYNC AGAIN! I'll do this until the issue is fixed. I'm in the process of re-syncing music, and then I'll just have to charge it via wall charger and not plug it into iTunes again. Ugh.

Apple decided to not let me edit my previous post, here is the Un-Cliff Notes version...

Just to repeat - I upgraded to an iPhone 6 128GB 8.0.2. from a 4S about two weeks ago. I've had nothing but music and Bluetooth headaches ever since.

I have spent way too many days working through these issues, and I am no closer to a solution than anyone else on these boards or Apple. I wish I could spell out a silver bullet solution or two and really contribute here, but I'm not griping about it, only griping about the silly posts saying here's a solution, stop griping about it. These are Apple's issues folks, Apple needs to step up, accept and resolve them. I am not on their beta staff, I am not technical enough to work through these issues on my own or with the assistance of the great folks who contribute on these boards, and I don't have the time to resolve these issues for Apple. I paid top dollar for a top of the line smartphone, I expect top of the line support from the company when things go wrong, that's not entitlement, that's the way good companies stand behind their products. I shouldn't have to beg, or work it out on my own, but I might have to wait a little bit and that's fine too. We're all early adopters, we should have bought the phone about a year from now at which point Apple would have worked out all of the kinks and issues. At this point, I am frustrated beyond belief, nothing seems to be working, and I'm running out of cycles to try and resolve these issues even with Apple's help.

Here's what I do know from personal experience:

• It has something to do with Bluetooth, particularly handsfree/wireless audio systems in vehicles. Maybe.
• It has something to do with the order in which you make Bluetooth connections relative to syncing music. Maybe.
• It has something to do with the syncing of album artwork. Maybe.
• It has something to do with music purchased via iTunes versus manually added to the Music library. Maybe.
• It has something to do with iCloud or WiFi. Maybe.
• It has something to do with some combination of all of the previous bullets. Maybe.
• It has something to do with the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. DEFINITELY. Time and time again I can get everything working 100% perfectly on every other Apple device I own, including my old iPhone 4S running 8.0.2., two (2) iPad 2's running 8.0.2., another family member's iPhone 5 running 8.0.2, even older devices running older iOS versions. No issues whatsoever. THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON THE 6. Come on. I'm not buying this whole notion of cleaning up iTunes or the like, it doesn't make sense and sounds like a lot of unnecessary work to me.

I'm also not buying into folks suggesting that we're all entitled whiney lazy bums who aren't worthy of these recommendations and that this discussion should be closed. That's silly and pompous I'm also not buying into the notion that Apple is just hearing about this and/or they won't fix it, you've got to fix it yourself. If they don't know by now, they will soon. It's not going away. They're gonna fix it.

Would love to stay and debate further but I have to resync 6000 songs. AGAIN 🙂 Good luck everyone. Be patient, 8.0.3. should be RIGHT around the corner 🙂

It's not just the iPhone 6/6+ since both my 4Ses are also experiencing the problem. FYI.

Biffnixx - even WITHOUT syncing, I've had the mass transit fast forward through artwork aka all my music disappeared, happened when trying to do a new Bluetooth connection. But I like your plan the best out of everyone's - don't sync, do charge, and wait for Apple to wake up and fix it.

don't feel bad, I'm averaging 5 hours for my entire music library to resync and I have 6400 songs. Think I need a faster computer 🙂

I have not filed a report yet, but will do so pending the outcome of my third session with Apple Care this evening.

In terms of a deal breaker, there's no going back for me. I take one good look at the screen size on my 4s or my wife's 5 and I KNOW that I've got to get this 6 working properly, for the sake of my eyesight alone 🙂

Good luck, thanks for posting.

OK I stand corrected, sorry, I did not mean to imply that it only applied to the 6, I had not heard of anyone else but 6 users experiencing these issues. Well that certainly complicates things. Not sure what else to say but hopefully Apple can figure it all out soon.

Yeah, I am having the same issues on my new iPhone 6 and my old iPhone 5S. I do NOT have any issues on two different iPod Touchs, as well as my iPad Air, even though they are all running iOS 8.0.2 and syncing with the same iTunes library.

I'm stuck. Brand new iPhone 6, iOS 8. It seemed to sync fine, then I noticed music was missing when I was looking for specific songs. I tried re-syncing, tried a restore from backup, nothing seems to work. A playlist on iTunes will have 40 song, while on my phone the same play list only has 8. When I play the missing songs in iTunes, they play fine. They just don't appear on the iPhone.

Whenever I check "manually manage music and videos" it un-checks "Sync Music" which confuses me even more.

I unchecked everything on settings, selected specific songs on the music tab, and it says it synced them. They show up on the phone as songs, but are missing under play lists. When I try to play them under songs, the next available song plays rather than the one I try to play. It seems to be very random as to what is missing, though I can confirm that most of the songs I purchased on my previous iPhone are missing. However a lot of old ripped CDs are missign too.

I use my phone for music more than anything else, in fact, it was the music that got me to stay with Apple over switching, so I am at my wits end.

Wondering if this issue is specific to I-PHONES, or is anyone experiencing on an iPod or iPad?

I can verify that this issue does NOT recur with my iPod Classic 120GB with the same library. I can sync just fine, transcode to 256k AAC, and do it as many times as I like, and all of the music plays just fine from the iPod Classic.

I simply cannot find a way to sync my entire music library (over 11,000 songs) to my new iPhone 6 Plus without having it revert to the song-skipping behavior after several syncs with iTunes.

mlb32704

If you had read previous email you would know it is effecting all types of devices

I can verify that this issue is most definitely happening on my iPhone 6 128GB but it is NOT happening on whatever the last generation of iPad before Air is called (Retina?) running 8.0.2., three (3) iPad 2's running 8.0.2., one (1) iPhone 5 running 8.0.2., one (1) iPhone 4S running 8.0.2, one (1) iPhone 4 running something LESS than 8.0.2. and one (1) iPod 3G Touch running something a LOT LESS than 8.0.2. Big family what can I say 🙂 Only the 6 for me. So far 🙂 Until these most recent posts I had no idea that other iPhones were impacted besides the 6, but I'm still waiting on that first person with an iPad or iPod having these issues. I'm hoping that that is NOT the case, and that these issues are iPhone specific, maybe that will help Apple to identify and resolve that much quicker.

Oh you mean the other 247 replies? Sorry I must have missed iPad and iPods being affected, thanks for clarifying.

I have an iPhone 5s with iOS 8.2 and also have this issue. I also have two co-workers with new iPhone 6's that also are having sync issues.

I believe this is an iTunes or iOS8.2 issue and not device specific.

The only successful sync I had took 8 hours for 4500 songs and only worked after I deleted all my music from the phone.

My plan now is to wait this out until Apple fixes it. Obviously, I won't be purchasing any new music from Apple until I can actually, ya know, play it on my phone.

Very frustrating.

Update -- I spoke with my assigned senior AppleCare representative again. As we speak, he is filling out an escalation report to Apple Engineering, citing my specific issues but more importantly he will be referencing one or more threads in this particular Apple Support Communities discussion, as well as other information that I have provided to him on the situation. I am hoping to hear back from my AppleCare rep later this week, but realistically I don't anticipate any kind of real fix happening any time soon. But the point here is that Apple IS listening and Apple is taking ACTION, NOW, to try and establish both cause and resolution with respect to these issues. It's really just a matter of patience at this time. Keep those trouble tickets and feedback into Apple coming, part of the problem is that there are a lot of disjointed efforts to escalate this issue, ours isn't the only discussion thread on the subject. We need to somehow be a unified front on this and get the message en masse to Apple. For now, the best advice that I can give anyone is the same advice that several people have already been giving, and supported by my AppleCare rep - get your iPhone 6 exactly the way you like it, back it up, if you're feeling real bold then sync it once and pray that you don't lose all of your music, and then DON'T SYNC IT AGAIN until further notice. Keep it charged, but don't sync. That is what I plan on doing, I suggest you all consider doing the same. There is no fix right now, anything you read in these forums is purely well intended speculation and unsubstantiated trial and error, it is not backed by Apple and you take full responsibility for whatever the results may be. It may work, it may not, it may last for a while, it may not. By virtue of the fact that I've gotten Apple directly involved and this is what they have advised me to do, I am advising all of you to do the same. Back it up, sync maybe, then don't sync again until further notice. Good night and good luck.

This solution has worked for me for the last 24 hours. Just fir sharing, I have changed the options for syncing music to manual, and solves problems with playlists too. Credit goes to Timerider4 in the link below.

Can't sync music anymore with iOS 8. All disappeared.

This is the setting on iTunes 11.4 (iPhone 5, iOS 8.02)