If you have accidentally deleted music from your iTunes library that was synced to your iPhone, don’t panic. There are a few different methods you can try to recover and restore that lost music. The key is acting quickly before the data is overwritten with new content.
Check Recently Deleted
The Recently Deleted folder is the first place to check if you have accidentally deleted music from your iPhone’s music library. This folder stores deleted content for up to 40 days before it is permanently erased. Here’s how to view and restore from Recently Deleted:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone
- In the Albums tab, scroll down and tap on Recently Deleted
- If the deleted music file is still there, tap on it and select Recover
This will move the file back into your photo library. You can then sync your iPhone with iTunes to add the restored music back into your iTunes library on your computer.
Restore from iTunes or Finder
If your deleted music is no longer in the Recently Deleted folder, your next option is to restore from a previous iTunes or Finder backup that contains the missing songs. Connect your iPhone to your computer and follow these steps:
- Open iTunes or Finder on your computer
- Select your iPhone when it appears in the sidebar
- Go to the Summary tab and click Restore Backup
- Select the desired backup containing the missing music
This will overwrite your current iPhone content and restore from the chosen backup. Make sure the backup you restore from contains the music you want to recover.
Use iPhone Data Recovery Software
If you don’t have an iTunes or Finder backup containing the deleted music, your last resort is an iPhone data recovery program. These tools dive deep into your iPhone to recover lost and deleted data, even if you have no backup.
Some top recommended iPhone data recovery software options include:
- Fonelab – Recovers 35+ file types including messages, photos, contacts, WhatsApp data, and more. Easy to use interface and advanced scanning features.
- iMyFone D-Back -Recovers lost iPhone data and repairs system issues. Works even if your iPhone is damaged, locked, or unable to boot up.
- Tenorshare UltData – Powerful data recovery for over 12 data types. Advanced scanning can salvage data even after a factory reset.
To use iPhone data recovery software to restore deleted music:
- Select a reputable recovery software and install it on your computer
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch the software
- Scan your iPhone to find recoverable data
- Preview found items and select the music files you want to recover
- Specify a save location on your computer to store the restored music
Once your lost music is recovered, you can add the songs back into your iTunes library and re-sync to your iPhone.
Prevent Future Music Deletion
To avoid having to recover deleted music again in the future, be cautious when managing your iPhone music library and enable auto-backup features.
- Carefully review any items you delete from your iPhone before confirming the deletion.
- Disable the setting to automatically delete played music, if enabled.
- Manually back up your iPhone regularly through iTunes or Finder.
- Enable iCloud Music Library to store copies of your music in the cloud.
- Turn on iCloud Backup to automatically save a backup of your iPhone to Apple’s servers.
Recover Deleted Music from iCloud
If you have iCloud Music Library enabled, any music purchased through iTunes or added from Apple Music is safely stored in iCloud. Here’s how to restore deleted music using iCloud:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud
- Under Apps Using iCloud, ensure Music is toggled ON
- Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone
- Tap Library at the bottom
- Select Songs to view your available music
- Tap the Download button next to any deleted song to re-download it from iCloud
This will restore the song from iCloud back onto your iPhone. Just remember that iCloud Music Library only includes songs acquired through iTunes or Apple Music, not songs imported from CDs or other sources.
Restore from iTunes Library XML File
Your iTunes library data, including all media files and playlists, is stored in an XML file on your computer. You can use this XML file as another source to restore deleted iPhone music.
- On your computer, navigate to the iTunes folder location:
- Windows: \Users\[Username]\My Music\iTunes
- Mac: /Users/[Username]/Music/iTunes
- Find the file called iTunes Library.xml
- Copy this file to a safe location for backup purposes
- Launch iTunes and go to File > Library > Import Playlist
- Select the copied iTunes Library.xml file
- Click Import to restore your iTunes library from this file
Any music that was deleted from your iPhone but still present in the backup XML file will now be restored to iTunes. Simply sync your iPhone to add the music back in.
Use iPhone Music Recovery Software
When all else fails, powerful music recovery software provides one final option to retrieve deleted songs and audio files from your iPhone. These apps work directly on the iPhone to scan and extract audio content, even recovering music no longer present in iTunes or iCloud.
Top music recovery apps include:
- Fonelab – Recovers up to 18 file formats of audio files including MP3, WAV, AIFF, AAC, etc.
- iSkysoft Toolbox – Scans iPhone directly to salvage lost audio files and songs.
- Jihosoft iPhone Data Recovery – Advanced audio recovery plus 20+ other file types.
To use these apps to recover deleted iPhone music:
- Install the software on your computer
- Connect your iPhone and select the type of scan to run
- Preview found audio files and select those to recover
- Choose a folder on your computer to save the restored music
- Add the recovered songs back into your iTunes library
Prevent Music Deletion by Backing Up
To avoid needing to recover deleted iPhone music in the future, be proactive about backing up your music library.
- Enable iCloud Music Library to store all music purchased through iTunes or Apple Music.
- Sync your iPhone to iTunes on a regular basis to create backups of music, playlists and more.
- Use a third-party iOS backup tool like iMazing for additional backup capabilities.
- Manually copy important music files from your iPhone to your computer for backup.
- Avoid deleting music files from your iPhone unless you are certain.
Restore Deleted Music using iMazing
iMazing is an iOS device manager for Windows and Mac that makes it easy to recover deleted music. Follow these steps:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iMazing.
- Click Manage Music on the left sidebar.
- Select the categories of deleted music you want to restore.
- Click Recover to restore the music files back to your iPhone.
- Sync with iTunes to add the music back into your iTunes library.
iMazing can recover deleted music even if you do not have a backup, making it an invaluable data recovery tool.
Factory Reset as a Last Resort
If you cannot recover your deleted music using any other method, a final option is to factory reset your iPhone, then restore from an iTunes or iCloud backup containing the music. This erases all current data, so only attempt as a last resort.
- Back up your iPhone via iTunes or iCloud, if possible.
- On the iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Confirm the reset to wipe your iPhone back to factory settings.
- Restore your music library from the backup you made.
This restores your iPhone data and settings from the chosen backup, including any music present at the time of the backup. Use this method carefully as a final option to recover lost iPhone music.
Contact Apple Support
If you are still unable to recover your deleted music using the techniques in this guide, you can contact Apple Support for personalized assistance:
- Call 1-800-MY-APPLE to speak to a support advisor.
- Chat online with Apple Support at getsupport.apple.com.
- Schedule a callback request from an Apple Support advisor.
- Bring your iPhone into an Apple Store for in-person support.
Apple’s knowledgeable support team may be able to provide specialized help recovering lost music from your iPhone, including troubleshooting tips, iCloud assistance, or repair options. Just be sure to act quickly, as the chances of recovery decrease over time.
Conclusion
Restoring deleted music on an iPhone is possible if you act quickly and use the right recovery methods. First, check Recently Deleted and iTunes/Finder backups. Then use iPhone data recovery software or dedicated music recovery apps. Enable backups like iCloud Music Library to prevent issues in the future. With persistence and the right tools, you can get back lost iPhone music – just don’t wait too long before attempting recovery!