Apple wants you to have a seamless music experience irrespective of the device you use. Services like Apple Music and iTunes Match ensure that all your songs are available on your iOS device, Mac, and even PC or Android phone. The feature that makes all this possible is the iCloud Music Library. Here we’ve created the ultimate guide on how to use iCloud Music Library on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Show
Note: iCloud Music Library, Sync Library, and Cloud Music Library are just different names for the same feature.
What is the iCloud Music Library?Let us start with the basics. Suppose you have an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows PC, and an Android phone. You want your music on all these devices. Sure, you can connect the mobile devices to your computer and transfer the songs. You can do the same between two computers using an external drive. But what if you wish to make this entire process effortless via the cloud. Well! iCloud Music Library (now shown as Sync Library) has got you covered. iCloud Music Library lets you access your music, playlist, and smart playlists on all your different devices (up to 10). Besides ensuring your Apple Music songs are up-to-date on all devices, iCloud Music Library also uploads your existing songs (downloaded or purchased from anywhere like Amazon, ripped from CD, etc.) from your Mac or PC and makes them available for streaming and downloading on your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, and computer. Now you may ask how it does that! After you enable this option in the Music app or iTunes, it will first scan your existing songs. Next, using audio fingerprinting and metadata matching, it will see which of your songs are already available in the iTunes Store catalog. If a track is available, it won’t upload the file from your computer (to save time and space) but simply ‘match‘ the song and make it available on all your devices. This will be 256kbps AAC, DRM free! Sweet! Pro Tip: Suppose you have a song named ‘I Like It’ in 128kpbs. If it matches in the iTunes Store catalog, you can download the track in 256kbps on your devices. This is an upgrade from the original lower quality! In case you have songs (like local tracks or live versions of a song, etc.) that are not available in the iTunes Store, they will be uploaded from your Mac or PC in original form to Apple cloud servers and made available for streaming and downloading on all your other devices. Excellent! The next natural question you may ask is, ‘How do I subscribe to this excellent feature?’ Sign into iCloud Music LibraryWith an Apple Music subscription ($9.99), you already get iCloud Music Library functionality. However, if you use alternative music streaming apps like Spotify, you may not want to pay for Apple Music. In this case, you can subscribe to a service called iTunes Match ($24.99 per year). This will let you upload your existing songs from Mac or PC and make them available for streaming and downloading inside the Music app on iPhone, iPad, Android, etc. Now that we are done with the basics, let us look at some essential bullet points that tell you more about iCloud Music Library.
Before You Begin:
How to Turn ON iCloud Music Library on ComputerMake sure you have either Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription and are signed in to the Music App or iTunes (from the top bar, click on Account → Sign In) To Enable iCloud Music Library on MacNote: On macOS Catalina and Big Sur, use the Music app. On macOS Mojave and earlier, use iTunes. The steps for both are almost identical.
To Enable iCloud Music Library on Windows1. Open iTunes and click on Edit →
Preferences. Depending on your library size and internet speed, it may take considerable time. You may see various cloud symbols next to the songs. A dotted iCloud icon mostly means the song is being uploaded. If you have another computer, make sure to sign in to it using the same Apple ID and follow the exact above steps. This will ensure that your multiple libraries merge, and you have all songs from everywhere. How to Turn ON iCloud Music Library on iPhone and iPadAfter you enable cloud syncing on your Mac or PC, here’s how to do the same on your mobile devices.
If you have an unlimited mobile data plan, you may tap on Cellular Data and enable it on the next screen. Play or Download Songs from iCloud Music LibraryOnce everything is set with iCloud Music Library, you can stream songs directly from the cloud or download it to save data and listen offline.
To see only your downloaded songs, tap on Library → Downloaded. In the same way, you can play or download songs on your Mac or PC using the Music app or iTunes. Know the Status of Songs in iCloud Music LibraryBy following the steps below, you will get to know which of your songs are Matched, Uploaded, added from Apple Music, Purchased by you, Waiting to upload, Removed, Duplicate, or Ineligible for uploading.
How to Remove Songs from iCloud Music LibraryOn iPhone or iPad
This will remove the song from all your iOS and iPadOS devices. But if this deleted song was downloaded to any Mac or PC, it won’t be removed until you manually do so. However, if the deleted song was uploaded or matched, the Cloud Status in Mac’s Music app or iTunes will show as ‘Removed.’ If you want to add it again to iCloud Music Library, right-click on it and select Add to Library. It will once again be available to stream and download everywhere! On Computer
What To Do If iCloud Music Library Does Not Work?Here are some crucial points to consider if music isn’t syncing correctly among your devices.
How to Disable iCloud Music Library on iPhone, iPad, or MacNo longer wish to use this feature? Here’s how to turn off the iCloud Music Library on mobile devices and computers. On iPhone and iPad: Open the Settings app → Music → turn off Sync Library → Turn Off. This will remove all Apple Music songs (added or downloaded) and all non-downloaded listings. However, this won’t remove those downloaded songs that were purchased, or matched, or uploaded. On Macs: In the Music app (or iTunes), from the top menu bar, click on Music (or iTunes) → Preferences → General → uncheck Sync Library (your Apple ID) → OK. On iTunes: Click on Edit → Preferences → General → uncheck the box for iCloud Music Library (or Sync Library) What Happens If You Turn off the iCloud Music Library?
Signing Off This is almost all you need to know about turning on and using the iCloud Music Library on various devices. Once you have it set, the entire experience becomes smooth sailing. If you have any further questions, please shoot it in the comments section below. READ NEXT:
Why is my Apple Music not syncing my library?Make sure that your devices have the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, or iTunes for Windows. Make sure that Sync Library is turned on for all of your devices. Connect all of your devices to the Internet. Visit the Apple System Status page to see if there are interruptions in service in your country or region.
Does Apple Music sync across devices?You can sync all or a selection of your music on your Mac to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Important: If you subscribe to Apple Music, your music is transferred automatically to all your devices and no syncing is required.
How long does it take to sync library on Apple Music?Depending on the number of music files, network condition, and your iDevice condition, it could take anywhere from a few minutes to multiple hours when initially turning the feature on. Let's get started to figure out how the three aspects influence the duration of syncing Apple Music library.
How do I restore my Apple Music Library 2022?Go to Settings > Music > Under Library column, you'll see iCloud Music Library option. If it is already on, you can turn it off and on again. You will receive a prompt asking whether to enable iCloud Music Library or not, please select Merge.
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