Many users with extensive personal music libraries, filled with carefully curated playlists and unique tracks not available on Apple Music, are facing challenges with iCloud Music Library. Like many, I’ve spent years building my music collection, and managing it across devices should be seamless. However, activating iCloud Music Library can lead to unexpected issues, especially concerning My Songs that aren’t part of the Apple Music catalog.
Firstly, it seems impossible to download my songs for offline listening without enabling iCloud Music Library. Is this correct? Previously, downloading music for offline playback was straightforward. Now, it appears iCloud Music Library is mandatory for this function, impacting how I access my songs on the go.
Secondly, and more alarmingly, upon enabling iCloud Music Library, it appears my songs – the tracks not recognized within the Apple Music ecosystem – were removed from my device. Playlists became empty, a truly shocking experience for anyone cherishing their personal music collection. Attempting to sync with my Mac in hopes of restoring my songs unfortunately resulted in the playlists being emptied there as well. Years of organization seemingly vanished, leaving me concerned about the fate of my songs.
Can anyone confirm if my understanding is accurate: iCloud Music Library indeed removes tracks not on Apple Music when activated, and offline listening necessitates enabling iCloud Music Library? Are there any known workarounds to manage my songs and enjoy my entire music library without these issues? Any insights or solutions would be greatly appreciated, especially regarding how to safeguard my songs while using Apple’s services.
