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added songs to library on PC will not show upon my Iphone

I have added songs to my iTunes library from an older PC running windows 10. Songs are on an external hard drive se3nding to iTunes downloaded from Microsoft store "current version of iTunes" songs do not show up on my iPhone library. on my iPhone 13 Promax.


iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 15

Posted on Apr 18, 2022 10:51 AM

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6 replies

Apr 18, 2022 11:49 AM in response to Twiford

It's not clear what you've done, or what has happened, but I'll hazard a guess.


Check to see if the songs play in your iTunes Library. If they don't, an exclamation mark should appear next to any song that iTunes cannot find when you ask it to play the song. If this is what happens, then the most likely reason is that the external drive is no longer connected to your computer, or that drive now has a different drive letter.


Basically, when you add songs to your iTunes Library you are telling iTunes where to find the file for that song. iTunes then looks in that location whenever you ask it to play the song, or copy it to a device such as your iPhone.


Either:

  • copy the files for songs on to your computer and tell iTunes to use that location when adding the songs to your Library
  • (if your computer's drive is not large enough - and many on modern PCs are not), leave the files where they are but make sure that the external drive is on and ready to read before each occasion that you start iTunes. With the external drive connected (with the same drive letter as before), try playing each of the lost songs. iTunes should now be able to find each song, remove the associated exclamation mark, play each song and copy them to your phone


Let us know how you get on.

Apr 18, 2022 1:53 PM in response to Twiford

If you have 3,000 CDs, then you most definitely do not need Match, iCloud, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music or a subscription to any music service.


Your nephew, like everyone else below the age of fifty (or so), will tell you to use Spotify, because he doesn't have a lifetime's collection of music already. Likewise, ignore Apple's suggestion, you don't need it. By the way, regarding the age stakes, we may be close in age.


Moving forward:

Re-reading your original post, I realise that you mentioned that you have installed the Microsoft Store version of iTunes. That's fine, it's still an Apple product, but updates to it are automatic (unlike the version directly from Apple), which means that the Help menu will not have the Check for Updates option.


Now, you need to add your existing music to the iTunes (programme) on your current computer. I will refer to:

      • Files - a song is stored on your computer as a file. To "open" a file containing music, you need a suitable programme, such as iTunes. iTunes uses these files when you ask it to play a song, or copy that song to your phone
      • Songs (or Music) - what you want to hear. When you ask iTunes to play a song, it uses the file for that song
      • iTunes Library - your music, listed in your iTunes programme, that you have stored on your computer or external drive. Note, the music is not "in iTunes", it is wherever it was when you added it to your library. iTunes is a database, music manager (where you can edit information about the songs, as well as adding them to Playlists) and it is a player
      • Playlists - don't be surprised if younger people tell you that your music "has to be in a Playlist". It doesn't! Once you copy the music to your phone, you use the phone's Music app to play that music. You can play it by artist, album, or even by the list of songs. Not to mention (well, I am mentioning it) - playing by genre or even by composer (if the composer information is present)
      • Genre - in case you haven't come across the term before now, the genre is the style of the music. One of the ways in which the iPhone and iTunes can list your music is by genre. So you can choose to play only music listed as a specific genre (if you wish to that is)


To recap - getting your music into your iTunes Library;

Either:

      • copy the files (that is, the songs' files) on to your computer, preferably into the Music/iTunes/ iTunes Media folder
      • if your computer's drive is not large enough - and many on modern PCs are not, leave the files where they are but make sure that the external drive is on and ready to read before each occasion that you start iTunes

Next:

      • use iTunes' top bar menu File/Add Folder to Library, navigate to and select the top folder containing your music files. That will add all the music in each folder inside the one you select
      • with this next suggestion, be careful: you can of course, select individual folders, but be aware that if you select a folder containing files that you have already added, they will be added again, thus crating a duplicate entry for a song
      • there is also the File/Add File to Library, which allows you to seek out and add individual files, should you need to

Adding music from CD:

      • if you still have CDs to add to your library, and your computer has a CD drive, you can use iTunes to copy from the CD into your Library. If your computer does not have a built-in CD drive, you may want to purchase an external one, that connects to your computer by the USB port


Once you have your music in your iTunes library, it is time to add it to the phone. That requires setting options in iTunes, but for now, I think you should concentrate on getting your Library in order, otherwise, this post will become too long and unreadable. So another day..


Your use of the term G'day suggests that you might be in Australia. Well surprise, surprise, I'm not - and it's time for me to think about sleep. So if you respond, asking for more guidance, it may be 18 hours or so from now (i.e. 1400 hours GMT on Tuesday) before I can reply.


Apr 18, 2022 11:59 AM in response to the fiend

Thank you for the reply. My iTunes library that I have put onto my PC does not recognize my iPhone. I do have to sync the iPhone and the only way for me to do so is my Wi-Fi. I tried that and it does not recognize the phone. I tried using the iPhones fire connector, but I how do use the USB-C to USB adapter. That adapter was connected to my external drive. It did connect the phone within the drive was disconnected. So I believe I will have to go to Best Buy and purchase another adapter. Thank you again for your assistance

Apr 18, 2022 12:20 PM in response to Twiford

As far as I'm aware, the iPhone does not have a "fire" connector. It has a lightning connector, but (also as far as I'm aware) you cannot simply connect an external drive directly to the phone and copy files from it to the phone. Since your music is in an iTunes library, you should spend time sorting out why iTunes does not see the phone.


On the subject of iTunes not recognising your phone, both models of iPhone 13 require iTunes 12.10.10 as a minimum, so the very first thing to confirm is that you do have iTunes 12.10.10 or preferably later, installed. The current version of iTunes (on the day of writing this) is 12.12.3.5.


If your iTunes is not up to date, click on iTunes' menu Help/Check for Updates and go through the steps to download and install it. Once iTunes is up to date, try connecting your phone. If a Sync by Wi-Fi still doesn't work, try connecting be the USB cable between the phone and your computer.



Apr 18, 2022 12:49 PM in response to the fiend

G’Day,


Thank you again for your input. Sorry for my lack of knowledge of names of things. Your correction of my verbiage for the lightning wire is much appreciated. I’m old and new to all this jazz. My kids gave me this fancy dang phone and I have an old PC laptop that I tried to move thousands of songs to iTunes. In my lack of experience I’m having to go through college again just to understand. So thanks for your help, it’s much appreciated.


I have a nephew who said for me just to sign up for Spotify, but I’ve got probably 3000 CDs I spent a long time getting into a PC years ago.

I was using a flip phone forever and all this new phone information makes my brain hurt. I did check to see if I had the most current version of iTunes and the Microsoft store said it was the newest version. Apple said if I just get iMatch it will all work just fine. I guess I’ll just keep trying.

Thanks again


added songs to library on PC will not show upon my Iphone

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