Making smart playlists for iPhone

Question

Making smart playlists for iPhone

This isn't about just having a smart playlist in iTunes and syncing it to my iPhone - just thought I should get that out upfront.

In my old iPod Nano days, I could make Smart playlists directly on the iPod while in iTunes; that is, have the Nano plugged in, and within its listings, create a Smart playlist.

The advantage, of course, is that it would only add songs that were on the Nano, not draw more stuff from iTunes and the main computer than the Nano had room for.

With the current iPhone/iOS setup, that doesn't seem to be an option; Smart playlist is greyed out. I can sync playlists that are in iTunes, but that's it. Unless I've missed something.

So, my question is: have I missed something? Is there a way to do this still? And what would that be?

thanks.

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.2

Posted on May 25, 2016 9:26 AM

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Answer 1

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

May 25, 2016 9:47 AM in response to Brett Feinblatt

Brett Feinblatt wrote:

With the current iPhone/iOS setup, that doesn't seem to be an option; Smart playlist is greyed out. I can sync playlists that are in iTunes, but that's it. Unless I've missed something.

So, my question is: have I missed something? Is there a way to do this still? And what would that be?

thanks.

Can you see the Add New Playlist screen as shown below? If not try resetting your Music App:

Close Music completely from the app switcher window by double clicking the Home button and swiping up the Music preview pane until it disappears from the screen. Then do a forced restart. Hold down the Home and Wake/Sleep buttons at the same time for about 15-20 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

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Answer 2

May 26, 2016 7:40 PM in response to elcpu

Sorry, I think we had a miscommunication.

I'm not talking about creating playlists from within the iPhone; I'm talking about creating them in iTunes for the iPhone.

Like this: in iTunes, you can make a Smart playlist, one that will, say, collect all rock music from 1990-2000, excluding comedy and soundtracks. So, that's a smart playlist with four yes/no requirements. As you add music to your phone, that playlist automatically updates itself. At least, that's the idea.

With my old iPod Nano in the old iTunes, I was able to make such playlists. I don't know if you could make them for the old iPhones as well, but there was that at least.

Now, it seems the option isn't available. I can sync playlists into the iPhone, including Smart playlists that will take, say, all the Rush songs that I rated 3-5 stars. But for a date-range playlist like I described, it could only do that by syncing with one in iTunes, rather than creating one just on the phone and independent of iTunes. i.e., one that will gather up all items in a date range on the phone, but won't grab everything in that date range that's on the computer. See what I mean? The idea being that I don't want to put all the music from the computer on the phone.

In the iPhone, I can make a playlist, sure, but it requires a manual gathering of songs - not a smart playlist, in other words.

If I can't do that, I suppose the only option remaining would be to rate every song there is that I want, and make a dated Smartest with a rating requirement as well.

Come to think of it, that wouldn't be hard to pull off anyway. Okay, think I'll do that. Thanks anyway, though.

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Answer 3

elcpu

Level 7

31,481 points

May 26, 2016 7:48 PM in response to Brett Feinblatt

Brett Feinblatt wrote:

I suppose the only option remaining would be to rate every song there is that I want, and make a dated Smartest with a rating requirement as well.

Come to think of it, that wouldn't be hard to pull off anyway. Okay, think I'll do that. Thanks anyway, though.

Sounds good... hope it works.

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