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iTunes Sync: How to Sync Only Certain Songs

Put only the tracks you want on to your iOS device

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 24, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Cloud Services Browsers Cloud Services Error Messages Family Tech Home Networking 5G Antivirus Around the Web

What to Know

Select the iOS device icon in iTunes > Summary > Sync only checked songs and videos > Done.In the Library section of the sidebar, select Songs. Choose each song you want to sync.Next, return to the Summary screen > Sync. This article explains two methods for syncing some of your iTunes songs to your iOS device. These instructions apply to iTunes 12 and later. However, if you are a member of Apple Music or have an iTunes Match subscription, iCloud Music Library is turned on and you can't manually manage music.

Sync Only Checked Songs

If you have a large music library or an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with limited storage capacity, you may not want to sync every song in your iTunes library to your iOS mobile device. If you store and use other kinds of content besides music, such as apps, videos, and e-books, you may want to customize syncing. When you want to manually manage music and transfer only certain songs to your device, uncheck songs in your iTunes library or use the iTunes Sync screen. To sync only checked songs in your iTunes library on your computer, you need to first make a setting change: Open iTunes on your computer and connect your iOS device. Select the device icon that's located at the top of the sidebar. Choose Summary. In the Options section, select the Sync only checked songs and videos check box. Select Done to save the setting. In the Library section of the sidebar, select Songs to display a listing of all the songs in your iTunes library on your computer. If you don't see the Library section, use the back arrow at the top of the sidebar to locate it. Place a checkmark next to the name of any song you want to transfer to your iOS mobile device. Remove the checkmark next to the names of songs you don't want to sync to your iOS device. To select contiguous items, click the item at the beginning of the group you want to uncheck, hold Shift, then click the item at the end. All the songs in between will get checkmarks. To select non-contiguous items, hold down Command on a Mac or Control on a PC and click each item you want to check or uncheck. Return to the Summary page for your device and select Sync to update the music.

Use the Sync Music Screen

Another way to make certain only the specific songs sync is to configure your choices in the Sync Music screen. Open iTunes and connect your iOS device to your computer. Click the device icon in the iTunes left sidebar. From the Settings section for the device, select Music to open the Sync Music screen. Select Sync Music. Choose Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres. Select all items you want to sync with your iOS device. You can sync playlists, artists, genres, or albums. Choose Apply to make the changes and transfer your selections. To manage multiple devices, only sync certain playlists to each device. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Transfer Music from Computer to iPhone How to Sync iTunes Songs to Your iPad Downloading Music to Your iPad is Easy How to Move Your iTunes Library to a New Location How to Manually Add Music to Your iPhone Can You Install iTunes on a Mac? How to Download Songs to an iPod Nano How to Set Up and Use Home Sharing in iTunes How to Sync iPhone to a Computer How to Copy a Music CD to iTunes How to Make a Song Your Ringtone On iPhone How to Make a Playlist on Your iPad Sync Music to Your iPod Using iTunes How to Copy Music From Your iPod to a Mac How to Sync Movies to Your iPad How to Put iTunes Playlist Songs in the Right Order Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies