Why is my Apple Music only loading my library?
Check Your Apple Music Settings
One of the most common reasons for Apple Music only loading your library is because you don’t have an active Apple Music subscription or iCloud Music Library enabled. Here are some settings to check:
Confirm you have an active Apple Music subscription and aren’t just using the free trial. The trial only gives you access to a limited library. Check in Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions to see your status.
Make sure you have iCloud Music Library enabled, which gives Apple Music access to your full library across devices. Go to Settings > Music and toggle on iCloud Music Library.
Check that you’ve chosen to Show Apple Music in your library. This setting merges your personal library with the Apple Music catalog. Go to Settings > Music > Library and ensure Show Apple Music is turned on.
For step-by-step details, see this Apple support article on troubleshooting missing songs.
Update Your iPhone/iPad
Sometimes Apple Music issues can arise if your iPhone or iPad is not updated to the latest iOS version. Apple regularly releases software updates that contain bug fixes and performance improvements for Apple Music and other system apps.
To update your iOS version, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Tap “Download and Install” to download the latest iOS update. Your device will need to restart to complete the installation. Make sure your device is connected to power and WiFi during the update process.
Updating to the latest iOS version has helped many users resolve problems loading their Apple Music library (Source). The update may contain specific fixes addressing Apple Music bugs and performance issues.
So if you notice your Apple Music app is only showing your library and not new content, or you see other odd behaviors, updating iOS is one of the first troubleshooting steps to try.
Restart Your Device
One easy first step is to try restarting your iPhone or iPad. This clears out any temporary bugs or glitches and resets the device. Often this simple restart is all you need to get Apple Music working properly again.
Follow these steps to restart your device:
- Press and hold the Power button until the “Slide to power off” prompt appears.
- Drag the slider to turn off your device.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button again until you see the Apple logo.
This restart process will force quit all running apps and restart fresh. After restarting, open Apple Music again and see if it now loads your full library properly. Many minor glitches are resolved with this basic restart.
If you are still having issues after restarting, move on to the other troubleshooting tips. But try restarting first, as it’s an easy fix that commonly resolves temporary software bugs.
Sources:
https://www.drmare.com/apple-music/apple-carplay-music-not-working.html
Check Your Internet Connection
Apple Music relies on an internet connection to stream content from the cloud. Make sure you have a stable WiFi or cellular data connection when trying to access your library in the Apple Music app.
If you don’t have an internet connection, Apple Music will only be able to access music you have previously downloaded for offline listening. To download music for offline listening, simply tap the “+” icon next to any song, album, or playlist. This will save it to your device so you can access it anytime without an internet connection.
Check that WiFi is enabled on your device and connect to a stable network. Alternatively, check that cellular data is turned on if you don’t have access to WiFi. If you’re still having issues, try resetting your network settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Reauthorize Your Account
Signing out of the App Store and Apple Music then signing back in will reauthorize your account, which may help resolve issues loading your library in Apple Music. This simple process can refresh the authorization between your Apple ID and Apple Music, potentially fixing any loading problems or disconnects.
To reauthorize your Apple Music account, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store, tap your Apple ID, and choose Sign Out. After signing back in with your Apple ID and password, Apple Music will recheck your account status and restore proper authorization.
As noted in the Sonos Community forums, reauthorizing your Apple Music account is a quick troubleshooting step that may resolve library loading issues, even if the underlying cause is unclear.
Reset Apple Music
Resetting Apple Music to its default settings is one potential solution if you are only seeing your library and not new music recommendations or content. Here are the steps to reset Apple Music on your iPhone or iPad:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Tap on “Music.”
- Scroll down and tap on “Reset Apple Music.” This resets syncing, recommendations, playlists and other settings.
According to WikiHow, resetting Apple Music can help “clear out bugs and glitches that stop the app from working properly.” It essentially gives you a fresh start with Apple Music, which may resolve issues loading new content beyond your library [1].
After resetting Apple Music, you may need to wait a bit for new recommendations and content to populate based on your listening history and preferences. Make sure to also check your internet connection. Resetting Apple Music has helped many users troubleshoot problems only seeing their Apple Music library.
Check Available Storage
One of the most common reasons Apple Music may only be loading your library is if you have low storage space available on your device. Apple Music relies on being able to cache songs and data on your device so it can quickly load them when you want to listen. If your storage space is nearly full, it can prevent Apple Music from properly caching this information.
To ensure Apple Music works properly, you need to have adequate free storage space on your iPhone, iPad, or other device. Apple recommends having at least 6GB of available storage for a minimum installation of Apple Music, and ideally 72GB or more to store the full Apple Music library for offline listening.
Go to Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage on your device to view how much free space you have available. If it’s lower than the recommended threshold, you will likely need to free up space for Apple Music to work properly. This can be done by offloading unused apps, deleting old messages and photos, or backing up and syncing your photos to iCloud.
Having enough free storage is key for Apple Music to cache your library and recommendations. Check your available space and free up additional storage if needed.
Contact Apple Support
If other troubleshooting methods have failed to resolve the issue of Apple Music only showing your library, it’s a good idea to reach out to Apple support for additional help. The Apple support team can further diagnose and fix more complex issues related to Apple Music.
According to Apple’s support forums, contacting Apple Support directly can help resolve stubborn Apple Music problems. Apple’s customer service team has more advanced tools and troubleshooting methods than the average user.
When you contact Apple Support, be prepared to explain exactly what the problem is, when it started, and what you’ve tried so far to fix it. Providing these details will help the support representative understand the issue and provide tailored solutions.
With hands-on assistance from Apple’s experts, there’s a good chance they can get to the bottom of why Apple Music is only showing your library. Their specialized knowledge makes Apple Support well equipped to fix all types of issues with Apple Music and other services.
Sync Library to Multiple Devices
To ensure you have full access to your Apple Music library on all your devices, it’s important to enable syncing across all your linked devices. This will make sure each device has the full Apple Music catalog available.
You can enable library syncing in your Apple Music settings. Go to Settings > Music on iOS or Preferences > Music on Mac. Then toggle on “Sync Library” to activate library syncing across devices. This will begin syncing your Apple Music content across any iPhones, iPads, or Macs linked to your Apple ID.
According to discussions on Reddit, sometimes library syncing gets disrupted and stops working properly across devices [1]. If you find your full library is not syncing as expected, try turning syncing off and then on again. You can also restart devices or sign out and back into your Apple ID.
With Sync Library enabled, you can access your full Apple Music collection from any linked device. This ensures you always have your music and playlists available, even when offline.
Explore New Music
Don’t just rely on your existing library – explore and add new music from the massive Apple Music catalog. Here are some tips:
Check out the For You tab for personalized recommendations based on your listening history and likes. The more you listen, the better the suggestions get.
Tune into Apple Music Radio stations based on genres, artists, eras, activities and moods. Just tap Radio in the app.
Browse the entire Apple Music library by genre, featured playlists, top charts, new releases and more. Tap Browse in the app to dive in.
Search for artists or songs you want to try and add them to your library. The search is fast and comprehensive.
Follow the playlists and stations of influential DJs, critics and tastemakers who can introduce you to new music.
Check the daily recommendations on the Listen Now tab. Apple Music will suggest albums and playlists you might like.
It’s easy to explore and add new music to your personal Apple Music collection. Doing so helps ensure you don’t just end up listening to the same songs over and over.
