iTunes 12.2 with iCloud Music Library: Disable Genius Mixes

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Level 1

33 points

iTunes 12.2 with iCloud Music Library: Disable Genius Mixes

Hey everyone, I've upgraded to iCloud Music Library at the end of June. I don't have iTunes Match active and have never used iTunes Match. Since upgrading to iCloud Music Library I now have a "Genius Mixes" entry in my library that I cannot remove (see photos below). There is no option to disable Genius under the menu called Account, only an option to "Update Genius" is available in that menu. Right clicking the item called "Genius Mixes" on the sidebar elicits no drop down menu though which to remove it.

Does anyone have an idea about how Genius can be entirely disabled or at a minimum removed from the Library sidebar list? (And, please, I don't want to get into a debate about how I should *want* to use Genius or how cool the Genius feature may be. I just want to know how to remove it.)

Thanks, Darren

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Jul 28, 2015 1:02 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 28, 2015 1:24 PM in response to DATElliott

Hi,

Genius is an integral part of iTunes match. Genius is used to scan your library to determine what can be matched or needs to be upload. You cannot turn off Genius whilst you have iTunes match. The same applies to Apple music when you use the iCloud Music library.

Jim

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Answer 2

DATElliott Author

Level 1

33 points

Jul 28, 2015 1:36 PM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Jim, I don't believe iCloud Music is integrated with Genius despite using some of the Genius functionality to determine which songs are in the virtual library. Where have you read about this connection between iCloud Library and Genius and the in inability to disable it?

And as to my second question, if, in fact, it has to be active, how does one remove it from the sidebar?

Anyone?

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Answer 3

Jul 28, 2015 2:24 PM in response to DATElliott

Hi,

This is the support document for iTunes 12.1

iTunes 12 for Mac: Use Genius Shuffle, Genius playlists, or Genius Mixes

"NB: Turn Genius on or off

If iTunes Match is turned on, you can’t turn Genius off."

Apple Music uses the same process as iTunes match. By the way, I don't have Genius mixes shown in my iTunes library that I use for match nor in the one I use to play non-Cloud music. I have not turned on Genius on my second library. I thought that Genius mixes were removed on update to iTunes 12.2 as they were no longer shown.

Jim

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Answer 4

DATElliott Author

Level 1

33 points

Jul 28, 2015 2:41 PM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Jim, we are talking past one another. I understand that when iTunes Match is on, Genius must also be on. But that is not relevant to iCloud Library (also, to be clear, Apple Music is not the same as iCloud Library ... you can use Apple Music without an iCloud Library subscription). Also, iTunes Match and iCloud Library are two different services as I'm sure you know.

Have you read a support document saying the Genius can't be turned off while using iCloud Library? I understand that you're extrapolating from iTunes Match and saying that it's also true for iCloud Library ... but I don't think that Genius must be on when using iCloud Library only (i.e. without using iTunes Match). I heard this anecdotally.

It also sounds like you aren't even seeing Genius in your sidebar and you said above the you believed Genius Mixes were removed in iTunes 12.2. That runs entirely counter to what you said when you said that Genius can't be turned off when using iCloud Library. If in fact the service was removed in iTunes 12.2 then it is by default not even an option to turn on or off. But I am VERY confident that Genius is still available in iTunes 12.2. So the question remains, how to turn it off (or where is the documentation saying that using iCloud Library prevents Genius from being disabled).

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Answer 5

Jul 29, 2015 2:04 AM in response to DATElliott

Hi,

Apple seem to be slow at updating their support documentation. I have not seen anything specifically to say that you need genius to use Apple Music's iCloud music library BUT this is document explains the difference between the two services : iCloud Music Library: Understanding differences between Apple Music and iTunes Match - Apple Support.

We know that you need Genius for iTunes match's iCloud Music library. Apple Music's iCloud music library uses the same functions to scan your library, it is logical that it also uses Genius as well.

I suggest that you uncheck iCloud Music library in preferences. You should be able to delete Genius. When you recheck iCloud Music library, you will see Genius under playlists - click on it and you will see that you have the option to turn on function. When you go to Account you will still only see Update Genius as it is required for iCloud Music library.

Jim

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