Having issues getting your music library to sync from your computer to your iPhone? This is a common problem that many iPhone users face. The good news is that in most cases, it’s an easy fix. Here are some quick troubleshooting tips to help get your music syncing again.
Make Sure iCloud Music Library is Enabled
The first thing to check is whether you have iCloud Music Library enabled. This setting allows you to access your music library from all your devices that are connected to your iCloud account. Here’s how to check if it’s enabled:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Tap on your name at the top (your Apple ID)
- Tap on iCloud
- Make sure the toggle next to Music is green (on)
If iCloud Music Library is disabled, flip the toggle on and your iPhone will start syncing your music library from iCloud.
Check iTunes Sync Settings
If you don’t use iCloud Music Library, the next place to check is in the iTunes app on your computer. iTunes handles syncing music directly from your computer library to your iPhone. Here’s what to verify in iTunes:
- Open iTunes and connect your iPhone to your computer
- Click on your iPhone icon in the top left
- Go to the Music section
- Make sure ‘Sync Music’ is checked
- Select ‘Entire music library’ or choose specific playlists/artists to sync
This will ensure iTunes is properly configured to sync your music to your iPhone. Click Sync in the bottom right to start the sync process.
Authorize Your Computer
In order for syncing to work properly over a USB connection, your computer must be authorized with your iPhone. Here’s how to check:
- Open iTunes and connect your iPhone
- Click on your iPhone icon in the top left
- Go to the Summary section
- Under Devices, it should say “Authorized”
If it doesn’t, click the Authorize This Computer button and enter your Apple ID password to authorize it. This should resolve any authorization issues that prevent syncing.
Update to Latest iOS Version
Making sure your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS version can help resolve software bugs that may be interfering with music syncing. Here’s how to update:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update
- Download and install any available updates
- Wait for your iPhone to finish rebooting
Updating your iPhone’s iOS is an easy step that can get music syncing working again after a software glitch.
Force Quit iTunes and Music App
Sometimes sync issues arise from processes getting stuck in the background. Force quitting the Music app on your iPhone and iTunes on your computer can help kickstart syncing again in these cases.
To force quit the Music app:
- Double click the Home button to bring up the app switcher
- Swipe up on the Music app preview to force quit it
To force quit iTunes:
- Press Command + Option + Esc on a Mac or Ctrl + Alt + Del on Windows to bring up the Force Quit menu
- Select iTunes and click Force Quit
Relaunching both apps can resolve processes that have gotten stuck and failed to sync properly.
Disable Syncing for Other Content
If you sync a lot of content between your computer and iPhone, try temporarily disabling syncing for other types of content. For example, disable syncing for photos, videos, books, etc. in iTunes.
Syncing a lot of data can sometimes interfere with the music sync process. Try allowing sync only for music and see if that improves the reliability.
Disable and Reenable Cellular Data
If you use iCloud Music Library, toggling cellular data off and back on can help initiate the sync process if it gets stuck. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data
- Toggle the Cellular Data switch off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on
Your iPhone will reconnect to the cellular network and restart the music sync process. This can help bump it loose if stuck.
Restart Your iPhone and Computer
When all else fails, a basic restart of your iPhone and computer can get music syncing going again. Simple rebooting can resolve transient software glitches.
To restart your iPhone, hold down the power button until the Slide to Power Off prompt appears. Slide to turn off. Then turn your iPhone back on.
To restart your computer, save any work and restart normally through the Start menu or Apple menu.
Starting fresh with rebooted devices will eliminate any software issues and often get syncing working properly again.
Reset Sync Data and Re-Sync
If you’ve tried the other troubleshooting steps with no success, you may need to reset the sync data between your iPhone and computer and start fresh. Here’s how.
In iTunes:
- Click the iPhone icon
- In the Summary section, click Restore [device]
- Click Restore again to confirm
This will erase the sync data and settings and start fresh. When the restore completes, set up syncing again in iTunes by selecting the music you want to transfer. Then sync again.
On your iPhone, you may also want to try toggling iCloud Music Library off and on under your iCloud settings. This will erase any corrupted music data and re-download a fresh copy from iCloud.
Resetting the sync connection is like giving your devices a clean slate to transfer music again. After resetting, check that music is transferring properly before adding back other content.
Check for Corrupt Tracks
In rare cases, corrupt music files themselves can interfere with the sync process. If a few problematic tracks are causing sync to fail, try removing them from your library and syncing again.
To help identify problem tracks on a Mac:
- Go to Music in Finder
- Right click on each music folder and select Get Info
- Look for tracks showing a size of 0 KB, these could be corrupt
On Windows:
- Go to Music in File Explorer
- Right click each folder, select Properties
- Check track sizes, 0 KB ones could be corrupt
Removing bad tracks can allow the rest to transfer cleanly without sync getting disrupted or stuck.
Check Connection Cables
Don’t overlook the simple things – if syncing over a wired USB connection, check that the cable connections are secure at both ends. Cables can become loose over time.
Check both the USB port connection on your computer and the Lightning or 30-pin Dock connector on your iPhone. A loose connection can cause intermittent sync issues.
If you have a spare cable, try swapping it out to rule out a bad cable. Using an Apple certified Lightning or 30-pin cable is recommended.
Change USB Sync Port
If you’re connecting your iPhone to sync via USB, try changing to a different USB port on your computer. Some USB ports can lose reliability over time.
If sync randomly fails or seems to disconnect, plug into another USB port and reconnect your iPhone. The new port could provide a more stable data connection for syncing.
Sync Over Wi-Fi Instead
As a workaround, you can try syncing your music over Wi-Fi instead of USB. Connect both your computer and iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network, then enable Wi-Fi sync in iTunes.
On a Mac:
- Open iTunes and click your iPhone
- Check “Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi”
- Click Apply
On Windows:
- Open iTunes, go to Edit > Preferences
- Click the Devices tab and check “Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi”
- Click OK
Now try syncing again to see if it works better over Wi-Fi. This can bypass any USB issues.
Exclude Large Video Files
If you sync a lot of video content, try excluding large video files like movies that are several GB in size each. Large videos can overload the sync process and cause music syncing to fail.
In iTunes, check your sync settings to ensure you’re not transferring over very large videos. Stick to smaller videos like music videos, TV shows, home videos, etc. Exclude movies or full TV series seasons from syncing.
Music is much smaller and syncs more smoothly without giant videos disrupting the process. Leave them out if needed to get music sync working again.
Reinstall iTunes/Finder
As a last resort, you may need to reinstall the apps that handle music syncing – iTunes on Windows or Finder on Mac (Finder incorporates iTunes file management since later macOS versions).
This can resolve any corrupt software issues that may be interfering with sync. Follow the steps below:
On Windows:
- Uninstall iTunes
- Restart your computer
- Reinstall latest iTunes version from Apple’s website
On Mac:
- Go to Apple Menu > App Store
- Click Update next to macOS to install latest version which includes Finder
Reinstalling the sync software as new can eliminate bugs and get your music library syncing correctly again.
Conclusion
Syncing issues can often seem tricky to pinpoint, but are usually caused by simple software glitches or connection problems. Following the troubleshooting methods above should get your music reliably transferring from your computer to your iPhone again.
Be sure to check that iCloud Music Library and/or iTunes sync is configured properly in Settings and the iTunes app. Force quitting apps, restarting devices, reinstalling software, and resetting connections can all help get your music library back in sync.
If needed, contact Apple support for additional help diagnosing the issue. With the right troubleshooting approach, you’ll be back to enjoying synced music on your iPhone in no time.