Are you looking for ways to fix iCloud Music Library not syncing? Luckily, we know how.
Check your Internet connection if songs are missing from your Music Library after you turn on Sync. Either your WiFi or mobile data is disabled.
Another common reason is an expired Apple Music subscription. Also, maybe your library is too large to take in more songs.
Don’t know what to do when iCloud Music Library is not syncing? Don’t worry, we’ve got you!
To fix the iCloud Music Library not syncing error, you first need to switch on the Sync Library option on all your devices.
You also want to ensure you’re using the same Apple ID on all devices so you can get them to sync. You can also force your music library to sync.
Before we proceed to the solutions, let us discuss in detail why Apple Music iCloud Library is not syncing.
What Causes Apple Music iCloud Library Not Syncing
Many users also ask, “Why isn’t my apple music syncing?” Many factors contribute to this issue.
We listed the most common to help you choose the best solution for your case.
✅ Bad internet connection
If your Apple Music library isn’t syncing and it’s just stuck on loading, then your Internet is the culprit. Your Internet speed may be below the required 20Mbps.
✅ Library too large
If your Apple Music library is too large, it may take time to sync to your other devices.
Maybe you have too many playlists or songs. Either way, this can create errors like crashing while syncing.
✅ Subscription is expired
You don’t have an active Apple Music subscription. Either your account was canceled or expired, and you didn’t renew it.
Anyhow, you’ll lose access to your Music Library, and it won’t get synced to your devices.
✅ Minor software bug – A software bug can also cause Apple Music not to sync. Your device may not be updated.
These are the usual causes of Apple Music iCloud Library not syncing.
Now, let’s proceed to the troubleshooting steps.
Full Guide on How to Fix iCloud Music Library Not Syncing
When your iCloud Music Library stops syncing on any of your devices, you want to restart the Apple Music app on your phone.
Doing this should reset the app and clear any bugs or glitches causing the issue.
Another quick step you can take to resolve this issue is to sign out of your Apple account. You can then restart your phone then sign back in.
This will allow your phone to reconnect to your Apple account, including your cloud storage, to sync your music library.
If none of these quick solutions resolve your issue, you will have to move on to more advanced fixes below
Solution #1: Refresh the Syncing Process on Your Device
There are multiple ways to refresh the syncing of your device to the iCloud service.
Temporarily turning off syncing and switching it back on will allow your device to reconnect with the cloud servers and request your uploaded music.
Here’s how to refresh the sync on your device:
On iPhone:
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Navigate to Music.
- Tap the iCloud Music Library switch to turn it off.
- Wait for 20 seconds.
- Tap the switch again to turn it on.
On your iTunes:
- Go to the Edit menu option.
- Click on Preferences.
- Select General.
- Uncheck the iCloud Music Library box, then click OK.
- Wait for 20 seconds, then enable it again.
Pro Tip: Instead of waiting for 20 seconds, you can restart your device for the best results.
Solution #2: Offload the Apple Music App on Your iPhone
If your music library still refuses to sync, you will want to address any app issues that could be causing the problem.
Glitches and issues in the app’s temporary files can cause its connection with the iCloud library to malfunction.
This causes the app to not download the songs online to your phone.
You can offload the Apple Music app from your device to resolve this issue. Doing this will clear the app’s memory and storage, allowing it to load fresh and reconnect with the iCloud servers.
Here’s how to offload the Apple Music app on your iPhone:
- Go to your iPhone’s Settings.
- Navigate to iPhone Storage.
- Select Music.
- Tap the Offload app option.
Note: Offloading the Apple Music app won’t remove the songs currently downloaded on your device, saving you time later.
Solution #3: Use the Same Apple ID on All Devices
Your Apple cloud storage is linked to your account. You think your music library is not syncing because you might use a different account on your device.
If this happens, it will sync the contents of your current account’s music library.
To resolve this, you want to make sure that you log in to your phone or computer to the Apple account with the iCloud library you want.
Once you get that right, your device should automatically sync and download the music from the cloud.
Here’s how to check which Apple ID you’re using and how to switch it:
- Find the device that has the latest version of your music library.
- Check to see what account is currently logged in.
- Get your phone and compare if it’s the same account.
- If it’s not, you’re going to need to log out.
- Log in using the Apple ID found in your music library.
Note: Check your other devices, and ensure you’re only using one account so you can sync your music library correctly.
Solution #4: Enable the Sync Library Option on your Device
You can actually turn the iCloud Library sync feature on your device on or off. Now, this particular option is going to be enabled by default.
However, when a software bug or glitch can occur in your phone, this option is toggled off.
This issue can also happen when you update your phone, and it gets disabled.
If your music library does not sync suddenly, you want to check that this option is enabled.
Here’s how to turn on the sync library option on your device:
- Go to the Settings app on your phone.
- Scroll down and find the Music app.
- Look for the toggle for Sync Library.
- Tap on it to the On position.
Note: After switching it on, open the Apple Music app and wait for your library to sync to your phone.
Solution #5: Flush Your Phone’s Memory By Doing a Hard Reset
A hard reset is much more than your usual restart process. It’s a way to clear out all the background apps and refresh your phone’s memory.
Doing this can fix minor glitches in your phone’s software, such as your iCloud music library not syncing to your phone.
It’s a handy step to do especially if you’re stuck and you think you have tried all the basics, like rebooting your phone or restarting the Apple Music app.
Here’s how to hard reset your iPhone:
- Press and release the Volume Up button.
- Press and release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Power button.
- Hold it down until you see the Apple logo appear.
Solution #6: Manually Update Your iCloud Music Library
There are instances when there’s nothing inherently wrong with your settings, but your iCloud music library doesn’t seem to sync up.
Sometimes, it just needs a little kick in the right direction for your devices to detect changes in the content of your iCloud library.
It can be as simple as adding a song to your library, so it communicates with the server that there’s a new activity and it needs to check the sync status.
Here’s how you can manually update your iCloud library to force it to sync:
- Find the device with the latest version of your iCloud library.
- Add a new song to the library to force it to connect.
- Wait for the sync process to complete.
- Get your phone or the device you want to sync.
- Open Apple Music and wait for it to finish syncing.
Note: The devices you’re using for this step need to be connected to the internet.
If none of these steps work out and get your iCloud music library synced properly, you will want to check for updates.
You want to update the Apple Music app or your device’s software to keep it up to date and avoid any incompatibilities. You can also contact Apple customer support for additional assistance.
Bottom Line
By following these proven solutions, you will be able to resolve your iCloud music library not syncing error.
The good news is that all these fixes are quick and easy to perform, and you should find the root of the problem and listen to your entire library in less than 10 minutes.
Read Next: How to Put Music on Apple Music for Free? – Complete Guide
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.