I am finding that my iOS devices are creating duplicate playlists where the duplicate is called "(Name) 1" while the original playlist name is just "(Name)". I did see it in iTunes on my computer for some reason and I deleted the playlist; however, its back. Any help appreciated.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Duplicate Playlists
- Thread starter legaleye3000
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There is a case which you see duplicates while actually it is not.
If you modify the playlist on your device rather than through iTunes, iTunes will create a "duplicate" containing iTunes version when syncing. They are not the same.
To resolve, you simply edit playlist in iTunes, then delete the old one, sync, duplicate should go away.
However, idk if this is your case. Only for reference.
If you modify the playlist on your device rather than through iTunes, iTunes will create a "duplicate" containing iTunes version when syncing. They are not the same.
To resolve, you simply edit playlist in iTunes, then delete the old one, sync, duplicate should go away.
However, idk if this is your case. Only for reference.
Why does it not just sync the updates/changes you made instead of creating a new playlist? That seems pretty counter-intuitive to me...
Same to me, but this is what iTunes does. Happens from iOS 9 era. Didn't remember iOS 8.4 though.
Or it could just be a bug that has gone unnoticed/unfixed? I sure hope it's not a feature...
This is an ongoing issue for years now and no one has found a real solution yet (and I don't mean renaming playlists, deleting, etc). Maybe we should start reporting it to Apple.
Here are some references:
https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/3ea2w2/syncing_iphone_with_itunes_creates_duplicate/
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5554785
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7708919
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7110593
p.s. My iPhone does NOT have iCloud sharing turned on, so that does not fix the issue.
Here are some references:
https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/3ea2w2/syncing_iphone_with_itunes_creates_duplicate/
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5554785
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7708919
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7110593
p.s. My iPhone does NOT have iCloud sharing turned on, so that does not fix the issue.
I've been experiencing this problem for awhile not too, and it's so annoying. Is there a fix for this yet?
Apple does NOT monitor these forums.
The only way we could have a solution for this issue is to inform them of the problems we have via the Feedback form
https://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html
The only way we could have a solution for this issue is to inform them of the problems we have via the Feedback form
https://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html
Usual c!ap of Apple thinking they know best and then clearly demonstrating how little they know about handling data. In their obsessive compulsion to keep control of OUR data they loose sight of the fact that we might actually want to use it (that which is ours) in a way that does not conform to their world view.....
Pretty poor show that the standard response is to say there isn't a problem and then to say that the problem is you or the way you want to operate.
I am very close to throwing all my Apple hardware and replacing with a vendor that actually wants to give the customer the option of doing things the way they want....
Apple are great at suppressing dissent. There are literally millions of users all over the world who are super p!ss!d with Apple but when you look at their forums it seems like they have a couple of minor issues which nobody really cares about....
Pretty sure Apple knows this is an issue by now but just won't do anything about it--or don't know how.
I have had a program called CopyTrans for years now, and I just use the CopyTrans Manager program when I have issues like this. I delete the duplicate playlists off iTunes, then connect my iPhone to the computer, open CopyTrans Manager and delete the duplicates off the phone that way, "update" in CopyTrans Manager and then it's done.
BTW, when I just had this issue this weekend, I directly modified the playlists in iTunes on the computer, not on my iPhone, and I still ended up with duplicates. I'm seriously considering just 100% using CopyTrans to manager my iPhone.
I have had a program called CopyTrans for years now, and I just use the CopyTrans Manager program when I have issues like this. I delete the duplicate playlists off iTunes, then connect my iPhone to the computer, open CopyTrans Manager and delete the duplicates off the phone that way, "update" in CopyTrans Manager and then it's done.
BTW, when I just had this issue this weekend, I directly modified the playlists in iTunes on the computer, not on my iPhone, and I still ended up with duplicates. I'm seriously considering just 100% using CopyTrans to manager my iPhone.
I know it's late but... Try force closing the music app on the device before syncing. That's worked for me.
Hi all. This problem has been hounding me for a year. Last night I called apple and spoke to a great manager. To solve this problem its very simple. Click the box manually manage your music in iTunes. This will allow you to make changes on your iPhone and iTunes without making that duplicate playlist 1,2,3.
So if you make playlist in iTunes "driving music" and delete a song one day listing to music.
ON your iPhone. Connect your phone to iTunes. and hit sycn button.
that's it. problem solved.....
enjoy....
So if you make playlist in iTunes "driving music" and delete a song one day listing to music.
ON your iPhone. Connect your phone to iTunes. and hit sycn button.
that's it. problem solved.....
enjoy....
Then you will lose the convenience of syncing music and some hidden features only syncing can give you. Not sure what they are but there are some.
Can you screenshot the checkbox that you are talking about? I cannot find it in iTunes 12.9.5
Yeah I agree that would wreck a lot of playlists for me
I don't have any connection to my music files with icloud - ane always use itunes as the master to sync from - but I still get this duplication
to my playlists I think you are right maybe it has something to do with changing things on the phone / iPad ??
Yes. Sometimes changing playlist on iPhone creates duplicates. Sometimes changing playlist on iTunes creates duplicates. Not 100% sure why it happens. Since I have two iOS devices now, yesterday, after I finish syncing both devices, I ended up having two duplicates in iTunes. Pretty amazing, right? /sYeah I agree that would wreck a lot of playlists for me
I don't have any connection to my music files with icloud - ane always use itunes as the master to sync from - but I still get this duplication
I think you are right maybe it has something to do with changing things on the phone / iPad ??
It happened to me again today. About 5 playlists had duplicates. Most only had 1 duplicate , ie PlayList, PlayList1 . One of them had 4 duplicates! This is madness.
^^^^^^
same thing here recently - cleaned up my duplicate playlists a while ago and now they starting to appear again ( playlist1 playlist2 etc.), what a pain - still have not figured out what is causing it.
New Issue - I also noticed that when I sync my iPhone and update the playlists - it is downloading my recent purchases from the iPhone to my iTunes media folder - even though I purchased the music on my MBP and have the same files already downloaded in the media folder (I am not even syncing these particular songs to the iPhone) - not just once - it is duplicating them every-time I sync - one recent album purchase downloaded all songs 5 times in a row - last 5 sync's.
I noticed when syncing there is a warning - see picture below - It makes sense maybe one time - but 5 times in a row? Also the warning does not tell you which files they are - how are you supposed to know if you want them or not - if you don't know what they are ?
The only way I could figure out what the files were was to "accept the transfer" and then go to media folder and look at the folders that were "recently modified" - then deleted the duplicates and then synced again = more duplicates.
I guess it's better to have duplicates rather than missing files - but it's still a pain
same thing here recently - cleaned up my duplicate playlists a while ago and now they starting to appear again ( playlist1 playlist2 etc.), what a pain
- still have not figured out what is causing it.New Issue
- I also noticed that when I sync my iPhone and update the playlists - it is downloading my recent purchases from the iPhone to my iTunes media folder - even though I purchased the music on my MBP and have the same files already downloaded in the media folder (I am not even syncing these particular songs to the iPhone) - not just once - it is duplicating them every-time I sync - one recent album purchase downloaded all songs 5 times in a row - last 5 sync's.I noticed when syncing there is a warning - see picture below - It makes sense maybe one time - but 5 times in a row? Also the warning does not tell you which files they are - how are you supposed to know if you want them or not - if you don't know what they are
?The only way I could figure out what the files were was to "accept the transfer" and then go to media folder and look at the folders that were "recently modified" - then deleted the duplicates and then synced again = more duplicates
.I guess it's better to have duplicates rather than missing files - but it's still a pain