I have a bit of a dilemma: my old iPhone 14 Pro Max is loaded with music that I didn't purchase through iTunes, and now that I've got a shiny new iPhone 17 Pro Max, I'm struggling to transfer it. Two years ago, my laptop was stolen, which had a backup of all my music. I spoke with an Apple advisor who said that even if I connect my old iPhone to a new computer, the music won't actually transfer; it's a one-way deal. Basically, the non-iTunes songs appear in gray on my dad's computer, meaning I can see them but can't play them.
I've collected nearly 900 songs over 25 years, a mix of indie and orchestral tracks, not all of which are available on streaming platforms. Recently, I noticed that my music library isn't even available on my iPad anymore—just gray icons. It's really frustrating because I can't afford to lose this music; it feels like losing a piece of my history. I've looked into iTunes Match, but I'm confused about how that works if my music isn't on iCloud.
I'm open to any tips, tricks, or apps that could help me transfer my non-iTunes music to my new phone. I just ordered a new laptop, but I don't think that's going to solve my problem. If I can't figure this out, I might even consider returning my new phone. Any help would really mean the world to me!
3 Answers
Unfortunately, to transfer non-purchased music, you need a computer that already has the music via iTunes. Apple has these restrictions in place to comply with the music industry rules, which is really frustrating. Without that setup, it can be tricky to sync your music.
I have heard good things about iMazing for transferring music between devices. It's supposed to allow you to extract your music easily. You might want to give that a try!
Totally agree! iMazing is a solid option if you're stuck. It's pretty user-friendly, too.
You could try using iExplorer by Macroplant! I had to do that with my old iPhone to pull off non-iTunes music after my laptop crashed, and it worked great for me! Give it a shot!
I know it seems impossible with traditional methods. I switched from my 13 to 14 Pro Max and it transferred fine without needing iTunes, so I'm hoping there’s a workaround for you too!