Apple Music Playlist created on Mac not showing up on iPhone

[Mity]

I just created a playlist in AppleMusic on my Mac. While creating this new playlist, I added a few new songs to my Library. I can see these new songs in my Library on my iPhone but the playlist isn't showing up on the phone. The playlist is not empty.

I searched and the solution seems to be to log out and log back in but I shouldn't have to do this. Can someone confirm that this is a bug or do I not have some setting enabled?

Edit: I deselected "Sync Library" in Apple Music on my Mac and also my iPhone and like magic the playlist now appears on my iPhone. This is yet another known issue that Apple has not fixed and it's super annoying that the developers are not addressing bugs.

 

[!!!]

Are you referring to Music.app (formerly iTunes), or the subscription service?

If it's the former, you'll need to sync your iPhone with iTunes in order to get playlists synced. Purchased files are always available to download and will show up without needing to sync.

 

[Mity]

Are you referring to Music.app (formerly iTunes), or the subscription service?

If it's the former, you'll need to sync your iPhone with iTunes in order to get playlists synced. Purchased files are always available to download and will show up without needing to sync.

The Apple Music service that requires a subscription.

It's a bug and Apple needs to fix it.

 

[doogm]

I just created a test playlist on Tahoe and it showed up on my phone within a minute. But, sure, I'm sure what you saw happens sometimes.

If this happens again, I'd try (on Mac) File / Library/ Update iCloud Library and see if that helps.

If your Mac is connected by WiFi, I suppose I'd also check Settings / WiFi, click "Details" next to your WiFi access point, and make sure that "Low data mode" is turned off. The same goes for the iPhone (Settings / Wifi, tap the small info icon to the right, make sure that "low data mode" isn't turned on.) And if this is happening when the phone is on mobile data, Settings / Cellular and under "Cellular Data", make sure that Music is turned on. I might also make sure that "WiFi assist" is turned off, in case your phone is switching to cellular data when it thinks it's faster than WiFi.

 

[Mity]

I just created a test playlist on Tahoe and it showed up on my phone within a minute. But, sure, I'm sure what you saw happens sometimes.

If this happens again, I'd try (on Mac) File / Library/ Update iCloud Library and see if that helps.

If your Mac is connected by WiFi, I suppose I'd also check Settings / WiFi, click "Details" next to your WiFi access point, and make sure that "Low data mode" is turned off. The same goes for the iPhone (Settings / Wifi, tap the small info icon to the right, make sure that "low data mode" isn't turned on.) And if this is happening when the phone is on mobile data, Settings / Cellular and under "Cellular Data", make sure that Music is turned on. I might also make sure that "WiFi assist" is turned off, in case your phone is switching to cellular data when it thinks it's faster than WiFi.

I'm on an M4 Air running Sequoia. It was indeed a bug that I cannot explain.

I know that music purchased through iTunes that is not available to stream on Apple Music cannot be added to a an Apple Music playlist. I actually received an error when trying to do add one particular track:

Luckily that one track above is in my purchased music history on my iPhone and I was able to add it manually on my iPhone.

So, I deleted my entire playlist and added all songs again, for the third time. When adding Addison Rae's Headphones On, which I did not purchase and only stream through Apple Music, that one song caused the entire playlist to be removed from the Cloud Library. I cannot explain why this particular song. It was marked as an "HLS media" file like many of my other streams.

 

[doogm]

I know that music purchased through iTunes that is not available to stream on Apple Music cannot be added to a an Apple Music playlist.

I have never had that issue at all. Signing in to Apple Music with an Apple Music subscription is supposed to do the same thing as iTunes Music Match - anything that is not already in Apple Music gets uploaded so you can play in any other device also signed in to the Apple ID.

I have had that error message when I try to create a smart playlist that includes a reference to other playlists (such as trying to create a rule that selects all songs not in another playlist). That I know will not sync with iCloud.

I never had the issues you are describing with Sequoia either.

Are you signed in to your Apple account on the Mac? Did you authorize the Mac to play your content?

 

[Mity]

Are you signed in to your Apple account on the Mac? Did you authorize the Mac to play your content?

Of course. I have only 1 AppleID.

 

[Mity]

I have never had that issue at all. Signing in to Apple Music with an Apple Music subscription is supposed to do the same thing as iTunes Music Match - anything that is not already in Apple Music gets uploaded so you can play in any other device also signed in to the Apple ID.

I removed every download in AM, including those that I had previously purchased. Now every song in AM is a stream. The issue went away after this. AM was getting confused with certain tracks in my library (like the Addison Rae song I previously mentioned). Strange...but it is happening to others according to my searches.

 

[doogm]

The majority of my library is ripped from CD or purchased from iTunes, plus some MP3s or AACs added from purchased downloaded concerts - less than 10% are added from Apple Music subscription. Again, I've never had issues with ripped or purchased tracks.

What I have had issues with two or three times are songs added from Apple Music on one of my Macs (not purchased or ripped) that say they cannot play because they are not authorized in my country when I try to play on iPhone or iPad, but just removing the tracks and adding them from the mobile device always fixes that. I've always ever been in this country so that's a weird one.

Whatever, I hope Apple fixes your issue.

 

[whitby]

I have the same problem. Playlists created on the Mac do not appear on IOS or iPad OS devices, but appear on other Macs. Why? I would have thought a company that has the resources of Apple could get this sort of thing right. The Airplay issues are getting better (loss of Airplay configuration despite what the configuration shows) etc. But every time I turn around there is another issue. The Apple Music iOS and iPad OS are a disaster and I use the Mac app, but when I make changes in the Mac App I expect them to appear everywhere I use Apple Music. Apparently not, too much to expect. Apple please try and get the simple things right.

 

[Mity]

I have the same problem. Playlists created on the Mac do not appear on IOS or iPad OS devices, but appear on other Macs. Why? I would have thought a company that has the resources of Apple could get this sort of thing right. The Airplay issues are getting better (loss of Airplay configuration despite what the configuration shows) etc. But every time I turn around there is another issue. The Apple Music iOS and iPad OS are a disaster and I use the Mac app, but when I make changes in the Mac App I expect them to appear everywhere I use Apple Music. Apparently not, too much to expect. Apple please try and get the simple things right.

I noticed another bug today: Apple Music gets confused by the same song but from different albums. I downloaded the same Nessa Barrett song from two different albums (Aftercare and Aftercare Deluxe). Apple Music thought it was the same exact song so managing them both in the library created errors. I had to completely remove the songs and then redownload them. AM was working fine and then a couple of OS 26 updates later, it started acting weird.

Regarding your problem, are your songs from the Apple Music subscription service? If so, have you tried going into Settings > Music > Toggling off/on sync library ?