How to Solve "Can’t Add Music to my iPhone" Problem — Common Fixes

Wondering how to add music to your iPhone? No problem! We analyzed 100 forum threads to bring you the best solutions!

The question, ‘Why can't I add music to my iPhone? ' is much more frequent than you might think. That's precisely why it deserves a separate discussion and a deep dive.

You are most likely frustrated because iTunes won't sync music to your iPhone or you can't transfer music to your iPhone without iTunes. The thing is, iTunes is flawed. The problem of iTunes not syncing all songs has not been addressed since the very creation of this app.

The truth is that iTunes doesn't always work as expected, and there can be many reasons for this.

We compiled the best solutions to answer your call. Relax and try these out: 

Use WALTR PRO to add music to your iPhone

If you can't transfer music to iPhone from iTunes… Why bother? Try something else.

There are plenty of great alternatives that, due to their simplicity, do the job better. We recommend using WALTR PRO, a straightforward file transfer app that is as easy to use as the Finder or File Explorer. It's the most effective solution out there if you can't transfer music to iPhone with iTunes.

It doesn't have unnecessary buttons or tabs—it's a simple drop zone. Just push your file into it, and it will immediately land on your iPhone. Best of all, it supports all music and movie formats, M4R ringtones, PDF, and ePub files.

Say you've got a FLAC file that needs to be transferred. iTunes can't transfer music to an iPhone in that format because it's not officially supported. Instead, you can drag and drop your music file into WALTR PRO without hassle.

Step 1. Launch WALTR PRO

WALTR PRO works on both – Mac and Windows. It has a free trial, so you can fully experience every aspect before purchasing. You can download it for free below:

Install and launch the app. If you are unsure whether this app is right for you, read WALTR PRO press reviews. MacWorld rated WALTR 4/5 stars.

Step 2. Connect your iPhone to your computer

Now, take your standard USB cable and plug it into your computer. WALTR PRO will see it right away; you only have to tap ‘Trust” on your device.

Step 3. Finally, drag your music file into the drop zone

WALTR PRO supports all the music formats you can imagine. In addition to standard MP3 or AAC, it works with ALAC, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, and many more.

That's all there is to it. WALTR PRO automatically recognizes the type of files you are transferring and adds them to your iPhone. They will also show up in your music folder on your iPhone, with proper artwork and metadata.

WALTR PRO has built-in smart file recognition technology. If you transfer an ebook, a music file, or a movie, they will all land in their proper Apple folders. That's an easy way to manage music and videos!

But wait, there's more.

In addition, WALTR PRO can add music to your iPhone via Wi-Fi. In fact, all you need to do is to click on a Settings button in WALTR PRO and check “Enable Wi-Fi Connectivity”.

Next time, you don't even need to connect your iPhone to a computer. WALTR PRO will see the device immediately. So, if iTunes doesn't transfer music to your iPhone, don't worry; WALTR PRO will keep you covered.

Discover SIX iTunes fixes if it can't add music to iPhone

Good News! You also can try to fix the iTunes library error on your own. There are quick guidelines to follow right below. In fact, they helped thousands of Apple users, me as well. So go ahead, try them and let me know how it worked out in the comments below!

№1. Go on iTunes and enable “Manually manage music”

This is golden rule #1. Make sure that you can manually add music to your iPhone. Launch iTunes and connect your iPhone. Then click on the iPhone icon in the iTunes top bar. Navigate to "Options” and check “Manually manage music.”

Finally, see if it worked by dropping your music right into iPhone's tab!

№2. Disable the iCloud Music Library

Like it or not – but you can't manually add music to your iPhone if you have iCloud Music Library on. Make sure you disable it.

Open up Settings on your iPhone, select Music, and tap on iCloud Music Library to turn it off. Done!

The downside is that you won't be able to listen to music from your iCloud Music Library. That's just how Apple made this work, and it's bittersweet if you ask me.

№3. What audio format do you have?

Apple supports AIFF, CAF, MP3, MP4, WAV, AAC, and Apple Lossless. However, there is no support for FLAC, OGG, and other widely popular music formats, and it's not coming anytime soon.

That's a dead end. You can't add songs to iTunes if you have FLAC, APE, or WMA files—you won't be able to play them back. The only way out is to really use third-party software.

This could also explain why some iTunes songs are greyed out. iTunes marks unsupported and corrupted tracks, as well as those that have not been properly synced, this way. 

Check if you have an Apple-compatible audio format. You will either see it in the file's extension or if you right-click on the file and select “Get info.”

№4. Turn off iTunes Match

iTunes Match lets you upload up to 100,000 songs from your Mac to iCloud. Later you can access them on any of your Apple devices.

However, you can't manually add music to your iPhone if iTunes Match is on. In this case, you need to turn it off. According to the forums on the web, this worked for many users.

They complained that after the update, iTunes Match was switched on automatically. Please try turning it off, and let us know if it worked in the comments.

In fact, you can disable iTunes Match directly in iTunes:

• At first, open up the iTunes app.
• Select Account from the menu bar. Then click “View My Account“.
• You'll need to enter an Apple ID password when prompted.
• Scroll down to the iTunes in the Cloud section.
• Finally, click on the button to turn off iTunes Match auto-renewal.

№5. Create a custom playlist with music

Before writing this post, we checked out all the forum threads dedicated to iTunes sync—seriously, all of them. This technique has worked for many frustrated, confused, and angry Apple users.

You need to create a custom playlist with all the music you want to add and then sync it automatically. So here's how you sync a custom playlist to your device if you can't add music to your iPhone manually:

• Create a playlist inside Apple music – add all songs that you want to transfer on your iPod.
• Connect your iPhone & navigate to the device's tab in iTunes.
• Then select Music under the on this device menu.
• Choose your newly created playlist below Autofill from
• Finally, click Autofill.

№6. Last Resort – Revert iTunes to a Previous Version (After an Update)

If you can’t add music to your iPhone after an update, reverting to a previous version of iTunes might be your last resort. This process can be complex and time-consuming, so consider it only if all other methods have failed.

1. Save Your Music Library:

• Launch iTunes. Before reverting, save your music library on your computer. Click **File > Library > Export Library**.

2. Remove iTunes:

• Open the Terminal app on your Mac and type the following command, then hit ‘Return’:

cd /Applications/

• Next, remove iTunes by typing the following command exactly and pressing ‘Return’:

sudo rm -rf iTunes.app/

• Double-check your input to ensure it points to the iTunes app. Then, enter your password to confirm the removal.

3. Backup and Replace iTunes Library File:

• Open Finder and navigate to `~/Music/iTunes/`. Locate the file named “iTunes Library.itl” and move it to the desktop.

• Go to `~/Music/iTunes/` and open the “Previous iTunes Libraries” folder. Locate the most recent iTunes Library file (labeled with the installation date).

• Copy this file and move it to `~/Music/iTunes/`. Rename the copied file to “iTunes Library.itl”.

4. Download and Install Previous iTunes Version:

• Apple stores installer files for previous iTunes versions. Find and download the iTunes version you wish to revert to from Apple's website or a reliable source.

• Install the downloaded iTunes version.

That's it! Congratulations! You've successfully reverted to a previous version of iTunes. This should resolve the issue if you couldn't add music to your iPhone after the update.

Conclusion

Sometimes, adding music to your iPhone requires a lot of hassle. iTunes is quite complex because it tries to be an app for everything.

Often, you never know what went wrong. Why can't iTunes find music? Why are the songs not syncing? Is the album art missing? So many questions… 

Also, iTunes now operates as a media store much more than a music player. Its purpose is to sell – mainly.

We are left with two options: sticking with iTunes and consistently addressing one problem after another or choosing an alternative to forever forget any struggles that come with file transfer. The choice is all yours. Remember that there is always WALTR PRO to bypass all previously described issues.

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FAQ

How do I get Music from iTunes to my iPhone?

The ideal way to go when it comes to downloading music on iPhone is iTunes. To download music with iTunes, you need to follow these steps:

1. Launch iTunes on your PC
2. Find the Device option on the left side of your iPhone
3. Now access your iPhone device and tap on Music
4. Choose your Music and click on the Sync button

Why can't I add Music to my iPhone from iTunes?

One of the biggest problems with iTunes is that it is flawed, and most of the time, it can't sync the Music to the iPhone. This problem of iTunes has been present since the very creation of this application. That is why we suggest users to go with a more dedicated iOS transfer tool like WALTR PRO that can transfer music files without iTunes.

How to add music files to the iPhone?

Adding Music files to the iPhone in this modern era couldn't be easier. With apps like WALTR PRO, you can add music files to your iPhone without hassle. To add music files with WALTR PRO, all you need to do is drag and drop the music files into the application's drop zone, and the software will automatically move them to the iPhone's native music app.