How do I sync my iTunes library with Apple Music?

iTunes has long served as the hub for syncing and managing media content across Apple devices. With the launch of Apple Music in 2015, Apple provided a streaming service and platform to access over 90 million songs alongside a user’s personal media library (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204926). While iTunes focuses on owned media, Apple Music provides access to a vast catalog of songs, playlists, and radio stations.
Syncing your iTunes library with Apple Music offers several benefits. It creates a centralized “master” library in iCloud that can be accessed across all devices logged into your Apple ID. Songs, playlists, play counts and other data will stay in sync, so your library is seamless whether you’re on iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, or the web. Apple Music’s matching technology also can upgrade lower bitrate tracks to 256 kbps for higher quality listening (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254912198). Overall, syncing iTunes with Apple Music creates a unified media experience.
Prerequisites
Before syncing your iTunes library with Apple Music, you’ll need to make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed. Apple recommends always staying up-to-date on the latest iTunes version for the best syncing experience.
You’ll also need an active Apple Music subscription, which starts at $9.99/month for Individual or $14.99/month for Family Sharing. An Apple Music subscription allows you to sync your iTunes library and access Apple’s catalog of over 90 million songs.
Finally, it’s a good idea to create a backup of your iTunes library before syncing. This serves as a safety net in case any issues arise during the sync process. Instructions for backing up your iTunes library can be found here for Windows and here for Mac.
1. Enable iCloud Music Library
The first step to syncing your iTunes library with Apple Music is enabling iCloud Music Library. This allows Apple Music to access your iTunes library and match its songs with songs in the Apple Music catalog. Here’s how to enable it:
Open iTunes preferences on your Mac or PC. On Mac, go to iTunes > Preferences. On Windows, go to Edit > Preferences.
In the preferences window, click on the General tab. Check the box next to “iCloud Music Library.” This enables the feature. [1]
With iCloud Music Library enabled, iTunes will now start uploading your music library to iCloud so it can be accessed by Apple Music across all your devices.
Upload iTunes Library
Once you enable iCloud Music Library, iTunes will start uploading your library to iCloud. This allows you to access your music from any device connected to your iCloud account. The time it takes to upload your library depends on your internet connection speed and the size of your library. iTunes will display a progress bar showing the status of the upload.
It’s important to keep your computer on and connected to the internet during the upload process. Uploading a large music library can take hours or even days to fully complete. You’ll want to allow enough time for the full upload based on your library size and internet speeds. As an estimate, it may take 1-2 hours per 1,000 songs depending on your connection.
You can monitor the progress in iTunes by going to Account > View My Account. This will show details on the sync status and number of songs left to upload. Do not disconnect your computer or quit iTunes before the process finishes, or it could interrupt the sync and you’ll have to start over.
Once the upload hits 100%, your entire iTunes library will now be available across all your iCloud-connected devices. You can stream or download any of your uploaded music on your iPhone, iPad, or other computer logged into your iCloud account.
Download Library to Other Devices
Once you’ve enabled iCloud Music Library on your primary device, you can access your full iTunes library on any other device signed in with the same Apple ID. Here’s how:
First, make sure you are signed in to iCloud using the same Apple ID on all of your devices that you want to sync your music library with. This includes any iPhones, iPads, Macs, or PCs.
Next, open the Music app and go to Settings. Turn on “iCloud Music Library” on each device. This will trigger the download of your full iTunes music library to that device [1].
iCloud Music Library will automatically download all matched songs it finds in your iTunes library to your device. Any songs that can’t be matched will upload to iCloud so you can access them on all devices [2].
The time it takes to download your library will depend on your internet connection speed and size of your iTunes library. You can continue using your device as normal during the download.
Once finished, you’ll have access to your full iTunes music collection on that device whenever you’re connected to the internet. Any new music you add on one device will automatically download to your other devices.
Check Synced Content
Once you have enabled iCloud Music Library and uploaded your iTunes library, you can view your synced music, playlists, and more across devices. To check that your content has synced properly:
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, open the Apple Music app and tap on the Library tab at the bottom. Here you will see synced playlists, artists, albums, songs, and more. Compare the Library content with your iTunes library on your computer to ensure everything has synced properly.
You can also check synced content on a Mac by opening the Music app and selecting Music in the top menu bar. In the sidebar, select Library to view your synced artists, playlists, songs, etc.
With iCloud Music Library enabled, you have access to your full music library anywhere. All of your content will be available across all devices where you are signed in with the same Apple ID used to set up iCloud Music Library.
This allows you to stream or download any of your songs or albums on any device. Your most recent edits and additions on one device will sync across the others too.
Tips for Smooth Syncing
Syncing your iTunes library with Apple Music can take some time and patience, especially for large libraries. Here are some tips for ensuring a smooth sync process:
Patience during initial upload – The initial upload of your iTunes library to iCloud Music Library can take hours if you have a lot of songs and videos. Be patient and let the process complete. Syncing over WiFi helps speed up the process.
Sync over wifi for large libraries – If you have a large iTunes library, syncing over cellular data can be painfully slow and use up your monthly data allowance quickly. Always sync large iTunes libraries over a stable WiFi connection for better performance.
Sync one device at a time – Only sync one device to iCloud Music Library at a time. Trying to sync multiple devices simultaneously can cause conflicts and syncing issues. Let each device fully complete the sync to Apple Music before starting other devices.
Following these tips will help ensure your iTunes to Apple Music sync goes smoothly.
Troubleshooting
If you are having issues getting your iTunes library to sync properly with Apple Music, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:
First, force close iTunes on all your devices and then reopen it. This resets the app and forces it to recheck the sync status. Simply swipe up on the app to fully close it, then launch iTunes again.
You can also try turning off iCloud Music Library and then enabling it again. Go to Settings > Music and toggle iCloud Music Library off. Wait a few minutes, then turn it back on. This may kickstart the sync process if it has stalled.
As a last resort, you can contact Apple support directly for troubleshooting assistance. Apple’s support team can run diagnostics, check server status, and provide specialized troubleshooting tips. You can reach out to them by phone, chat, or scheduling an appointment at an Apple store Genius Bar. See https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204406 for more details on contacting Apple support.
With some patience and trying the steps above, you should be able to get your iTunes library fully synced and accessible in Apple Music.
Alternative Syncing Options
If you run into issues getting your iTunes library to sync properly with Apple Music, there are a couple alternative options for getting your music library onto your devices:
Sync Through Family Sharing – You can add up to 6 family members to your Family Sharing plan, which allows you to share iTunes purchases and Apple Music subscriptions. This gives everyone access to the same music library. To set this up, go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing on your device and follow the steps to add family members. Just make sure everyone is using the same Apple ID for purchases and subscriptions.
Manually Transfer Files – You can always manually transfer audio files from your computer to your device using the Finder on Mac or File Explorer on Windows. Just connect your device, find the audio files in iTunes or your Music folder, then drag and drop them into your device’s Music folder. This may be time consuming for large libraries, but gives you full control over which files get transferred.
Conclusion
In summary, syncing your iTunes library with Apple Music is a straightforward process that provides several benefits. The key steps are enabling iCloud Music Library in your Apple Music settings, then uploading your iTunes library to Apple’s servers. This will match your existing songs and let you download the library to all your devices.
The main benefits of syncing your iTunes library with Apple Music are:
- Access your entire music collection from any device logged into your Apple ID
- Listen to matched songs even if the original files are unavailable
- Any new music added on one device is automatically synced across all devices
- Apple Music can help fill in missing metadata and album art
Overall, syncing with Apple Music is a convenient way to keep your personal media library consistent and accessible on both mobile devices and computers. It streamlines your music management without having to manually transfer files or re-upload content.