Problems with iCloud Music Library and Macbook sharing songs to iPhone

[ojc1234]

Basically the problem i am having is this...

On my Macbook, the iTunes library consists pretty much of songs i have burned from CD's or songs i have downloaded from sources other than the iTunes Store. I have aimed to have a completely separate library on my iPhone , which consists only of songs i have bought from the iTunes store.

When Apple music first came about i subscribed straight away as i thought it was a good idea, however since doing this, the songs from my Macbook automatically shared onto my iPhone (I guess through iCloud), without my consent. As i have tried keeping the two libraries separate, this is not something that I want! Not only does this make my iPhone library a complete mess, but i means i have to stream 80% of my songs now via mobile network (the songs from my Macbook), and also for some reason a lot of the songs are greyed out and wont even play!

I have figured out that to stop this from happening, all i need to do is switch 'iCloud Music Library' off on my iPhone. This gets rid of all the songs that got transferred from my Macbook and leaves me only with the songs i originally had on my iPhone. HOWEVER, by doing this i can no longer stream songs from Apple music, i can only listen to the ones i downloaded.

All i am asking really is this... How do i just have songs purchased from iTunes store on my iPhone, whilst at the same time stream songs from Apple Music, without having the songs from my Macbook being shared to my phone?

Many Thanks.

 

[lagwagon]

If I understand correctly. You just want to "see" the songs you have synced onto your device prior to adding Apple Music/iCloud Music Library right but also still be able to stream from Apple Music?

Could you not just turn on "show only music available offline" that way it will only display songs that are ON the device locally and still have access to Apple Music and streaming.

The toggle for that is in the menu at the top of your music list when you tap on the red "artist" (or whatever sorting method you have set)

 

[ojc1234]

Thanks for the reply! I think what you suggested might work but in my frustration I ended up deleting all the songs on my laptop (I backed them up before!) so that there would be nothing for iCloud to transfer over to my iPhone, and for now that seems to be successful.. I can only assume that when i come to putting the songs back on my laptop the issue will come back so hopefully your method will work, it makes sense.

 

[lagwagon]

Thanks for the reply! I think what you suggested might work but in my frustration I ended up deleting all the songs on my laptop (I backed them up before!) so that their would be nothing for iCloud to transfer over to my iPhone, and for now that seems to be successful.. I can only assume that when i come to putting the songs back on my laptop the issue will come back so hopefully your method will work, it makes sense.

Adding songs to iCloud Music Library from your MacBook doesn't download them directly into your phone. Your phone just sees them in the cloud and makes them available to stream. You have to specifically tell your phone to download that song or album from the cloud for it to be locally on the phone.

Turning on the "show only music available offline" hides music that are cloud only (in this case songs only in the iCloud Music Library) and only shows you what's been downloaded into your phone (or synced prior to enabling iCloud Music Library)

At least this is how it has always worked on my MacBook/iPhone since day 1.

 

[ojc1234]

I wish I had read this before making such a rash decision. Cheers for the help mate, appreciated!

 

[bcave098]

I have figured out that to stop this from happening, all i need to do is switch 'iCloud Music Library' off on my iPhone. This gets rid of all the songs that got transferred from my Macbook and leaves me only with the songs i originally had on my iPhone. HOWEVER, by doing this i can no longer stream songs from Apple music, i can only listen to the ones i downloaded.

You're still able to stream music with Apple Music with iCloud Music Library off, you just can't make Apple Music songs available offline or add them to "My Music".

 

[Jeff Flowerday]

Adding songs to iCloud Music Library from your MacBook doesn't download them directly into your phone. Your phone just sees them in the cloud and makes them available to stream. You have to specifically tell your phone to download that song or album from the cloud for it to be locally on the phone.

Turning on the "show only music available offline" hides music that are cloud only (in this case songs only in the iCloud Music Library) and only shows you what's been downloaded into your phone (or synced prior to enabling iCloud Music Library)

At least this is how it has always worked on my MacBook/iPhone since day 1.

Actually there is a major bug in iOS 9.2 where new iTunes Match music is being download to iDevices even if you've told it to not automatically download new music. I've experienced it and I've had to turn off cloud music on my iDevices till I get everything up on match first.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7372732?start=0&tstart=0

 

[popcorn-in-sac]

Actually there is a major but in iOS 9.2 where new iTunes Match music is being download to iDevices even if you've told it to not automatically download new music. I've experienced it and I've had to turn off cloud music on my iDevices till I get everything up on match first.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7372732?start=0&tstart=0

Yep, I've had the exact same experience. Every single new album that I add to iTunes on my Mac and subsequently synced to iCloud Music Library (iTunes Match) gets downloaded automatically to my iPhone. It adds up pretty fast. This was not the case prior to 9.2.

 

[Jeff Flowerday]

Yep, I've had the exact same experience. Every single new album that I add to iTunes on my Mac and subsequently synced to iCloud Music Library (iTunes Match) gets downloaded automatically to my iPhone. It adds up pretty fast. This was not the case prior to 9.2.

9.2.1 hasn't solved the issue and from further reading the same goes for the 9.3 betas.

 

[macuser1232]

9.2.1 hasn't solved the issue and from further reading the same goes for the 9.3 betas.

I think I'd have to disagree. I'm on 9.2.1 on the iPhone 4S and this was happening to me as well, but after playing around with some settings I got it to stop automatically downloading. These are my settings:

1. Use Cellular Data for Music App is ON
2. iCloud Music Library is ON
3. Cellular Data for Music App is OFF

I'm not sure how this will work once I leave my home wifi, but so far it hasn't been downloading anymore.

 

[Jeff Flowerday]

I think I'd have to disagree. I'm on 9.2.1 on the iPhone 4S and this was happening to me as well, but after playing around with some settings I got it to stop automatically downloading. These are my settings:

1. Use Cellular Data for Music App is ON
2. iCloud Music Library is ON
3. Cellular Data for Music App is OFF

I'm not sure how this will work once I leave my home wifi, but so far it hasn't been downloading anymore.

Until you add additional new music to match. Turning icloud music off stops it until you turn icloud music back on and add new music again.

 

[miknos]

I was having problems with my list. I did same as OP. Made a backup of my library, deleted everything and started from scratch. My iPhone was still with problems. Restarted the phone and everything is fine now.