Sync Music removed unless you pay.

Question

Sync Music removed unless you pay.

I have used iTunes and the iTunes Store for years. Now just because apple wants to make more money from me, I can't sync hundreds of songs I have paid for, between my iPad and iPhone and it seems almost impossible to get those songs on my MacBook Pro. Having invested large amounts of money over the years in Apple and it's products. I now feel cheated and let down by another company just looking for ways to make money from something that was already free. You would think the sync feature would be a given.

Is there a solution to my problem that doesn't involve paying for Apple Music?

iPad Air, iPadOS 26

Posted on Nov 17, 2025 4:24 AM

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Answer 1

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Servant of Cats

Level 7

34,067 points

Nov 17, 2025 1:35 PM in response to grahamefromclacton-on-sea

"Sync Library" / "iCloud Music Library" was never free. It requires having a subscription to Apple Music or iTunes Match.

"Manual" synchronization of purchased music from a Mac to an iPhone or iPad, using a cable, does not require a subscription.

Intro to syncing your Mac and your devices - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Nov 17, 2025 1:41 PM in response to grahamefromclacton-on-sea

Re: "it seems almost impossible to get those songs on my MacBook Pro"

The manual synchronization model is designed to work in one direction only: from a Mac or Windows PC, to an iPod, iPhone, or iPad. Unless you bought your music from the iTunes Store, there is no option to copy it from an iPhone or iPad to a computer; you're expected to safeguard the iTunes/Music computer library that you used in placing music on the iPhone or iPad in the first place.

There is one exception: music purchased from the iTunes Store.

I believe that at one point, manual synchronization would copy this music back from an iPhone or iPad to a Mac. These days, you'd simply re-download the music on the Mac.

Redownload music from the iTunes Store on your Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Nov 17, 2025 3:37 PM in response to Servant of Cats

Thanks

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