You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Lost uploaded music

I had loads of CDs uploaded to iTunes on an iPad. I synced these to a laptop, and then to a new iPad. The old iPad has been cleaned of all data. Unfortunately, the new iPad now only has half a dozen albums that I purchased from iTunes store, and all the uploaded music has disappeared. The laptop seems to have no library at all.


Any ideas if there is any way I can get these back? Short of uploading them all again - there were many, it would take forever.



iPad Air 2, iOS 13

Posted on Feb 18, 2020 1:17 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 18, 2020 3:33 PM

Unfortunately device backups to either iTunes or iCloud do not include the music open the device. See:

About backups for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

which says that backups do not include content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos.


If you no longer have the original computer, I'm afraid the music you imported from CDs is lost unless you want to try to recover them from the iPad that has them on it. If so, see:

Recover your iTunes library from your iPo… - Apple Community


I have not tried any of these techniques so I can't vouch for them, but my experience is that turingtest2 knows what he is talking about.


Similar questions

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 18, 2020 3:33 PM in response to WhimsyPilsner

Unfortunately device backups to either iTunes or iCloud do not include the music open the device. See:

About backups for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

which says that backups do not include content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos.


If you no longer have the original computer, I'm afraid the music you imported from CDs is lost unless you want to try to recover them from the iPad that has them on it. If so, see:

Recover your iTunes library from your iPo… - Apple Community


I have not tried any of these techniques so I can't vouch for them, but my experience is that turingtest2 knows what he is talking about.


Feb 18, 2020 2:02 PM in response to WhimsyPilsner

I assume the way you got the CDs onto your iPad was by syncing them from a computer (the laptop) where you ripped the CDs into iTunes. That is the only way I know of doing it. Is this the same laptop or did you use a different computer?


So, in other words, your first two sentences should read: I had loads of CDs uploaded to iTunes on an computer. I synced these to a old iPad, and then to a new iPad.


If you subscribe to Apple music, see:


Use iTunes to sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with your computer - Apple Support


Feb 18, 2020 3:10 PM in response to javaliga

Thanks.


Yes, I originally ripped the CDs onto a computer, and synced to my first iPad. I no longer have that computer, so I backed up the old iPad to the laptop, and then used that back up onto the new iPad. But none of the ripped CDs have transferred over.


i don’t subscribe to Apple Music. Just got those few purchases on the iPad now. 😩

Feb 19, 2020 1:18 AM in response to javaliga

I was afraid this might be the case :(


Thank you so much for your help. The old iPad is gone, data all cleaned off it. I'd assumed that backing up would copy all the imported music. I may have the old computer with it on, not sure, but looks like that will be my best hope. I'll check that out. The link to turingtest2 looks helpful.


Thank you again, much appreciated.



Lost uploaded music

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.