iTunes Match and Apple Music both allow you to sync your tracks to iCloud Music Library, where you can can stream and download them to any iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV without having to take up physical storage space.
While both services are incredibly convenient when they work, they aren't completely error-proof either. Whether they're hanging up while trying to sync, or your music isn't showing up on your iPhone or iPad, here are some steps you can take to try and remedy your issue.
1. Check iCloud's service status
Sometimes Apple does routine maintenance on specific iCloud services. If you're getting stuck with iCloud Music Library giving you an endless "Sending information to Apple" error, this is most likely the reason. Before trying to log in, log out, or troubleshoot elsewhere, try checking Apple's Services, Stores, and iCloud system status website.
If the indicator next to Apple Music, iTunes Match, and iTunes in the Cloud is green and you're still having trouble, try the next step listed below. If it's showing up as yellow or red, Apple may be doing a system update; check the status page again later.
2. Turn iCloud Music Library on and off on all iOS devices
If you're missing a bunch of music that should be there, turning it on and off again in Settings could resolve the issue.
- Open the Settings app and go to Music.
- Disable the iCloud Music Library switch.
- Turn back On the option for iCloud Music Library and when prompted, tap on Enable.
- Launch the Music app.
If you still aren't seeing the music you want synced, there may be a problem with iTunes. Continue on to the next step to try and resolve it.
3. Update iCloud Music Library within iTunes
Even though iCloud should update itself regularly, there are occasions that it doesn't happen for one reason or another. Before trying anything else within iTunes, try updating your iCloud Music Library manually.
- In iTunes, go to File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library.
- The Activity dialog will appear in the upper right corner, tracking iCloud Music Library's status.
- Any tracks listed as "Waiting" should shortly be uploaded or matched to the iTunes/Apple Music catalog (depending on whether you have iTunes Match or Apple Music).
4. Turn iCloud Music Library on and off in iTunes
If you absolutely want to force iCloud Music Library to re-sync all your music, turning it on and off is the way to go. I'd recommend this step for anyone who is experiencing freezes or hangups when trying to sync with iTunes Match or Apple Music, especially if you've already tried all the above steps. Just be aware that your whole library may have to be scanned again and, depending upon its size, this could take hours or even days.
- On your Mac, go to the iTunes menu and select Preferences.
- In the General tab, uncheck the box next to iCloud Music Library.
- Repeat the same process, but re-enable iCloud Music Library.
5. Sign in and out of iTunes on all devices
If simply turning iCloud Music Library itself off and then back on doesn't seem to fix the issue, try signing out of iTunes completely on all your devices, including your Mac or PC. Then sign back in and try syncing your iCloud Music Library again.
- On your Mac or PC, launch iTunes.
- Select the Account menu at the top.
- Click Sign Out.
- Repeat the same process, but sign in.
- Follow the prompts to re-enable iCloud Music Library.
More iCloud Music Library help
If you're still experiencing trouble with iCloud Music Library after trying all of the above steps, our iTunes forums are a great place to ask for help. If you still can't find what you're looking for, it may be time to contact Apple to see if they can directly solve your problem.
Reader comments
How to troubleshoot iCloud Music Library, Apple Music, and iTunes Match problems
I have so many problems with iTunes Match it's almost to the point where I'll just switch to Google Music or Amazon Music. iTunes on my windows 8.1 machine gets stuck when matching music very nearly 100% of the time , and it can take weeks (!) to get it to finally upload/match a new album. iTunes Match on my iPhone works better, but still regularly pulls in old cover art, or no cover art at all, and I often have to turn iTunes Match off and on again to get it to see new albums. (even ones bought from iTunes) Streaming is dog slow too, if it works at all.
It just doesn't work, which makes Google Music, which works 99% of the time, and offers many thousands of matched tracks for free, very tempting.
Just forget about Amazon Music. If you think matching and uploading in iTunes Match is horrible, wait until you have experienced Amazon Music. The sequence of many album tracks ends up completely random, covers are wrong, the uploading keeps being stuck forever, tracks are missing or mixed up with other albums, etc.
Works great for me.
I've never used iTunes Match as my iTunes library exceeds the limit. It sounds good in theory, but from what I have read it is a "bag of hurt".
I have pretty gave up on it, it never works... I wont be renewing it again..
I was very excited about this when it was announced. Then reality set in. Perhaps the worst implementation ever from Apple as it just has so many problems that seem to never be addressed. Now that my collection exceeds their 25K limit it has become completely useless. I'm not renewing this year.
It really feels like Apple is going to abandon the match functionality and just go to streaming only services. They've invested billions in other music projects instead of a wee fraction of that to fix the current problems with Match.
Now if they could only find a way to restore 3000 songs on a new device in less than 20 hours.
The only reason I wanted to use Match was to remove the DRM protection from about 600 of my 6000 songs.
I wanted to do this "legally," so invested my £21, although the fact that Apple charges you for something you've already bought was an initial niggle.
Still, it saved me having to re-buy all of the songs in order to play them on my Android Phone.
Originally, having watched a few tutorials on YouTube, I was quite excited as it all began to kick into gear.
I very quickly realized that it wasn't really going anywhere and "froze," on Step 1.
Then, after reading various "fixes," most of which were pretty elaborate, I managed to get it to recognize all but 100, or so, of my "protected," songs and to supply me with the option for downloaded DRM free versions.
For that reason and that alone, it's been worth the bother.
I was hoping that it would eventually recognize the others, so that I could deal with them and then turn the damn thing off.
However, it remains "frozen," and has been that way for about 4 days now, so I'm fast becoming hacked off with it.
I can't even see the "waiting," cloud next to the few remaining songs and I'm happy with the rest of my library as it is.
I suppose, in the end, I'll end up having to re-purchase the remaining songs over time, or resort to an illegal DRM converter, which is what I was seeking to avoid.
But, when you're left with no options?
Surely Apple have a record of the songs a person buys and could very easily just offer DRM free versions for a token fixed price?
Just a thought and it would make life so much more simple..something that could never be said about my Match experience.
In spite of all the hoo-haa out there which walks you through, "step by step" as to how it works, my reality and I don't think I'm alone here, given all of the forums dedicated to the issue, has been decidedly different..
I have to go straight to #4 (Turn iCloud Music Library on and off in iTunes), and often.
For more than a week I've been toggling the switch then watching the Activity pop-up. It will upload some artwork and/or some songs and stop after 20 minutes or so. I still have a good portion of music missing from my iPhone and iPad's music app. I do have pretty close to the limit in number of tracks but I am within the parameters. I have also noticed that a few track repeatedly show up in Activity like "Mountain Jam" by the Allman Brothers, a 25 minute live track. Maybe the long songs are tripping up the process?
Exclamation point!
my only problem is having to wait for my entire music library to upload to iCloud, i have over 1000 songs and it doesn't seem to be going any faster.
please help
Thanks for the article, very informative! If I do step 4 and turn off iCloud Music Library on my Mac, will I lose the music from Apple Music that I "made available offline?" I have this feeling my Mac and iPhone haven't been syncing properly and I'd like to make them both mirror images if that makes any sense. In simpler terms I want them both to have the same exact music and whether I chose the song to be streaming or 'made available offline'. I've also decided my Mac library seems the one I want to use to replace my phones library.
I still have a few albums on my phone that are from my personal music.. its weird because i have a lot of music and im only seeing about 30 "Albums/Files"... how do i also load those into iTunes match or icloub library and off of my phone? Also, i did up the Space in my icloud... was that if i have itunes match did i need to do this? it dosnt seem like the space is being used at all and a lot of my music seems to be wherever it is.. in the icloud music library.... And why cant i see it in the itunes storage?? this crap is weird but it saves me from spending even more money on a phone with extra GB's. i have a 16 GB phone and for the first time all the music from my computer is on it!!!