How to Fix Apple Music Songs & Playlists Gone

“This afternoon, while working on my computer, I decided to take a break and listen to music. So, I went to my Apple Music app, only to find that one of my favorite playlists was gone! How could this happen, and more importantly, how can I get it back?”

When it comes to online music streaming services, Apple Music is one of the best. It offers a great variety of songs, playlists, and other features that make listening to music enjoyable. However, like with any other service, there are occasional hiccups. For example, you may find that one of your playlists is no longer available.

The “Apple Music playlists gone” is a more common issue than you think. If you have encountered the same problem, do not worry! Today, you’ll learn some troubleshooting tips to help restore lost Apple Music playlists. You’ll also learn how to prevent them from disappearing in the future.

Part 1: Why Did My Apple Music Playlist Disappear?
Part 2: How to Fix Apple Music Playlist Disappeared in 7 Ways
Part 3: How to Keep Apple Music Playlist Forever

• 3.1 Use Ondesoft Apple Music Converter
• 3.2 Use Ondesoft Audio Recorder for Mac
• 3.3 Use Tunemobie Apple Music Converter
• 3.4 Use Sidify Apple Music Converter
• 3.5 Use Leawo Prof. DRM Music Converter

Part 4: Restore Deleted Apple Music via iCloud Music Library
Part 5: FAQs about Apple Music Playlist Gone

Part 1: Why Did My Apple Music Playlist Disappear?

It can be frustrating when you cannot find a playlist you created. Before we attempt to fix this problem, let’s take a look at possible reasons why it happens:
1. Your Apple Music Subscription Has Expired
If your subscription expires, you will not be able to enjoy and listen to any of the music on the service. This includes playlists that you created.
2. There Was a Software Update
If there was a recent software update, some changes might make your Apple Music playlist unavailable. For instance, an update to iOS 15 could have switched off the Show Apple Music option.

3. Error in iCloud Music Library
The iCloud Music Library allows you to access your music library on all your devices. It is possible that there was an error with this feature, which caused your playlists to disappear.

Part 2: How to Fix Apple Music Playlist Disappeared in 7 Ways

Now that you know some possible reasons why your playlist may have disappeared, it is time to learn how to fix this problem. Below are seven different methods that you can use:

1. Update the iCloud music library with iTunes

More often than not, the problem can be solved by simply updating your iCloud music library with iTunes. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open iTunes on your computer.
• Go to File, and on the drop-down menu, select Library.
• Click Update iCloud Music Library to refresh and restore your Apple Music library.

2. Turn on Show Apple Music

Typically, an iOS update would be the reason for the playlist gone. Software updates often turn off certain features by mistake. In this case, the Show Apple Music feature might have been turned off. To turn it back on, follow these steps:

• Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
• Scroll down and tap on Music.
• Ensure that the Show Apple Music option is turned on.

3. Check your subscription

An expired subscription can be why the Apple music playlist is gone. Hence, check if you have an active apple music subscription.

• Open Settings on your phone.
• Tap on Subscription to see if you have any expired subscriptions.
• Alternatively, you can tap on iTunes & App Store >> Apple ID>> View Apple ID.
• Sign in and scroll down to find Subscriptions.

4. Clean up junk files

Junk files can occupy a lot of space on your iPhone and cause it to run slowly. This might be the reason your apple music playlist is gone. To delete junk files, go to storage space in your iPhone settings. Then, select the junk files you want to delete and tap delete.

5. Check whether Apple music was set as other media

If you recently updated your device to iOS 15, there’s a chance that the new update might have set Apple music as another media. Usually, the iTunes space is divided into Apps, Photos, Videos, and Others. An update may have sorted Apple Music files as Other Media and caused the playlist to go missing. Here is how you can fix the problem:

• Connect your device to the computer via a USB cable.
• Start the iTunes app on your computer.
• Click the phone icon and hit the Summary button.
• On the memory bar, find other media, and if it is too large, sync your device with iTunes.
• Disconnect your iPhone and restart it. Check to see if the issue is solved.

6. Toggle on the Apple music playlist button

Sometimes you will find that all your Apple Music songs have disappeared, but you can still see them on iTunes. If this is the case, you must toggle on the Apple Music playlist button.

• Start the Apple Music app on your device.
• Go to Library>> Edit and check if the library view is off.
• If it is, please turn it on to view your Apple Music playlists.

7. Reset your iPhone

If none of the methods work, you can reset your iPhone. This will delete all the data and settings on your device, so be sure to back up your data before doing this. To reset your iPhone, go to Settings -> General -> Reset and select Erase All Content and Settings.

Part 3: How to Keep Apple Music Playlist Forever

An alternative way to fix the Apple music playlist gone is to avoid the problem altogether by downloading the playlist as an MP3 file. This way, you will have a copy of the playlist on your computer and can transfer it to any device you want.

To download an Apple music playlist as MP3, you will need a downloading and converting tool as Apple Music songs are encrypted M4P, which is not compatible with most media players. In this section, we introduce you to several applications to download and convert Apple Music.

3.1 Use Ondesoft Apple Music Converter

With using Ondesoft Apple Music Converter, you can seamlessly remove the strict DRM encryption from your Apple Music tracks and then convert Apple Music to MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, M4A, M4B, etc. Even better, this tool comes with a 30x faster conversion speed making the whole process easier.

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iTunes Audio Converter – One-stop Audio Converting Solution features:

• Easily remove DRM encryption from Apple Music and iTunes tracks.
• Convert M4P to MP3, FLAC, AAC, M4B, M4A, and WAV.
• Keep all ID3 tags with 100% lossless quality.
• Convert Audible and iTunes audiobooks with zero-quality loss.
• Supports batch conversion with 30x faster conversion speed.

A step-by-step guide to downloading Apple Music/iTunes playlists:

Step 1: Open iTunes Audio Converter
After installing iTunes Audio Converter, launch it on your computer. Keep in mind, however, that you can only convert 1/3 of your files with the trial version. To be on the safe side, click the menu icon, and then click the Register option. Key in your registration details to unlock all the software features.

Step 2: Add your Apple Music tracks
Next, click the audio button with a +sign to automatically add your iTunes songs. You can also click the Add button to browse and import your Apple Music playlists, albums, and tracks from your computer. An easier method is to drag and drop your songs from Apple Music to the program. Note that there are no limits on the number of songs you can import.

Step 3: Choose your preferred format
Quality and size are two of the most important aspects that you should pay attention to when backing up tracks. Here, we will choose MP3 because it’s supported by most modern devices. On the flip side, MP3 is a lossy format. WAV and FLAC are lossless formats, but they occupy rather big storage space.

To choose your preferred format, click the folder icon with a speaker sign located next to the Convert button. You can also set the sample rate, bit rate, channel, and codec, depending on your preferences.

Step 4: Download Apple Music playlists for offline listening
Finally, tap the Convert button to start downloading your Apple Music tracks. You can find the downloaded files in the Converted folder. The folder will indicate the number of downloaded files.

3.2 Use Ondesoft Audio Recorder for Mac

One of the most effective ways to download Apple Music is to record the songs as they play on your computer. This can be quickly done with Ondesoft Audio Recorder for Mac. It is a professional audio recording tool that can record sound from your computer, including Apple Music songs.

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The best thing about the Ondesoft recorder is that it records the songs losslessly, which means there is no quality loss during the recording process. Additionally, it can automatically add ID3 tags to the recorded MP3 files, so you do not have to do it manually. Besides MP3, the recorder software supports other popular audio formats, such as M4A, AAC, WAV, and FLAC.

Ondesoft Audio Recorder Features:

• Capture audio from any application.
• Record lossless music from streaming services.
• Records audio in many formats: MP3, WAV, AAC, etc.
• Retains ID3 tags after recording.

How to use Audio Recorder for Mac:
Step 1: Run Ondesoft Audio Recorder
Download and install the Ondesoft Audio Recorder application on your computer.

Step 2: Add the application
Hit the Applications button and import the application you want to record. You can add Chrome, Safari, iTunes, etc. Click the Advance button to define your output format, codec, bit rate, and sample rate.

Step 3: Record Apple music audio
Click Start or Load to load the application and play the Apple Music song you want to download. The Ondesoft Audio Recorder will automatically begin to record the playing songs.

Step 4: Save the recording
Once the recording is complete, the Apple Music song recordings will automatically save on your selected destination folder.

3.3 Use Tunemobie Apple Music Converter

Tunemobie is a world-class software that helps you download apple music as MP3 files. It can losslessly remove DRM from both iTunes M4P and Apple Music songs while preserving the original audio quality.

With conversion speeds of up to 20X, you can quickly download apple music as MP3 and save them on your computer. The converter supports a wide range of audio formats, such as MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, and WAV. It also has a built-in Apple Music Web player that lets you play apple music songs directly in your web browser.

Tunemobie Apple Music Converter Features:

• Converts Apple Music to WAV, AIFF, MP3, etc.
• Built-in Apple Music web player.
• Incredible 20X faster conversion speed.
• Keep ID3 tags and metadata.

How to use Tunemobie Apple Music Converter:
Download, install, and launch the Tunemobie converter application on your computer. Enter the app registration code on the new pop-up window and hit the Register button to activate the app.

Step 1: Sign in to Apple Music
After launching the app, hit the Sign In button and enter your Apple ID as well as the passcode to access your account.

Step 2: Change the output format
Go to the Settings icon and select your preferred audio output format. You can also choose the output quality, file name, language interface, etc.

Step 3: Open playlists and add to the conversion list
Find and open the Apple Music playlists/ album you want to download. Then, select it and hit the Add songs>> Add to list button to import the songs for download and conversion.

Step 4: Start Apple Music conversion
Finally, click the Convert button to begin the conversion process. After it is complete, hit the History icon to find the converted Apple Music songs on your computer.

3.4 Use Sidify Apple Music Converter

Sidify Apple Music Converter is another excellent tool for downloading Apple music in MP3, FLAC, M4A, or WAV format. This way, you can transfer and play them on other devices such as MP3 players, car stereos, etc.

The program is straightforward and can convert apple music at breakneck speeds. It also keeps partial ID3 tags and metadata of songs after conversion and therefore you do not have to worry about losing any information. Besides, you can use the app to download and convert iTunes audiobooks for offline playback.

Sidify Apple Music Converter Features:

• Convert Apple Music songs to MP3, FLAC, and WAV.
• Keep partial ID3 tags.
• Fast conversion speed.
• Supports batch conversion.
• Work for iTunes M4P music and audiobooks.

How to use Sidify Apple Music Converter:
Step 1: Download and install the Sidify Apple Music converter on your computer. After installation, please launch the app.

Step 2: Click on the Add button to see your iTunes library. Select the songs you want to download and click Ok to import them for download.

Step 3: Hit the Settings button and choose your preferred output format on the pop-up window.

Step 4: After setting the parameters, hit the Convert button to download and convert Apple Music on your computer.

3.5 Use Leawo Prof. DRM Music Converter

Leawo Prof. DRM is a fully-featured music converter that can convert apple music files to MP3 format. It is super easy to use. With this converter, you can easily convert entire Apple music playlists to MP3 files and keep them forever.

The app is available for Windows and Mac. With it, you can adjust specific music parameters like bit rate, sample rate, etc. Thanks to its advanced acceleration technology, the conversion speed is up to 5 times faster than other similar converters.

Leawo Prof. DRM Music Converter Features:

• Remove DRM from M4P Apple Music.
• Converts Apple Music to MP3 format.
• Keep original audio quality.
• Conversion speeds of up to 5X.

How to use Leawo Prof. DRM Music Converter:
Step 1: Import Apple Music to the program
After installing the app, launch it and click Add File on the pop-up window to import the songs for conversion. Or, you can drag and drop the songs on the app’s interface to add them.

Step 2: Define channel, sampling rate, and bit rate
After adding the songs, go to the music category and select the Edit icon. You can adjust each song’s sample rate, channel, and bit rate.

Step 3: Set the output directory
Go to the Home page and hit the … button to set the output path for your Apple Music songs.

Step 4: Start Removing DRM
Hit the blue Convert button to download and convert the M4P Apple Music songs to MP3 format. Once complete, hit the Converted tab to find the converted songs.

Part 4: Restore Deleted Apple Music via iCloud Music Library

As I’ve said, iCloud Music Library automatically uploads your music files if enabled. Therefore, if you miss your tracks, here is how to go about it:
Mac/Windows Computer

Follow these tips if you want to enable iCloud from iCloud and restore your missing Apple Music playlists:

Step 1: Launch iTunes on your Mac or PC.
Step 2: Proceed to click Edit and then choose Preferences on PC/Mac, click iTunes&Preferences.

Step 3: Tap the General tab and then click the iCloud Music Library check box to turn it on.
Step 4: Click the OK button. iCloud will sync your entire music library back to iTunes.

iOS Devices
Whether you own an iPad, iPod, or iPhone, the instructions are the same.

Step 1: Open Settings and then scroll down to find the Music section and click on it.
Step 2: Go to the Library section,where you’ll find the iCloud Music Library option. Check if the activation toggle is turned on. If yes, turn it off and then reactivate it again.

Step 3: You’ll see a small pop-up window asking whether to turn on the iCloud Music Library. Click Merge to confirm. Your Apple Music playlists will be merged with existing songs in iCloud. You can now log in to your Apple Music account to access your lost music library.

NOTE: It’s advisable to disable the iCloud Music Library after restoring your lost songs or playlists. This will help you prevent the Apple Music playlist disappearance problem in the future.

Part 5: FAQs about Apple Music Playlist Gone

Does Apple Music delete your library?
No, in the event that you fail to re-activate your Apple Music subscription, Apple provides a 30 days grace period after which your music library will be deleted.

How long does Apple music keep playlists?
Apple keeps users’ music library for 30 days after the expiry date, after which it will be deleted.

Are Apple music playlists saved to iCloud?
If you are an active Apple Music user, you can choose to sync your Apple Music library to iCloud for backup. This way, you can access the playlist from any iOS device using the same Apple ID.

How do I find old Apple music playlists without a subscription?
Unfortunately, you will not be able to access your old Apple music playlists if you do not have an active subscription. Once the subscription expires, you will lose access to all Apple music content within 30 days.

Can I get my playlist back on Apple music after renewal?
Yes, if you renew your Apple Music within 30 days after the initial expiry date, then you can still find your playlist.

Sum Up
The above solutions should restore all your lost Apple Music tracks in no time. But if you want to get rid of the Apple Music playlist gone problem forever, simply install the powerful tool Apple Music Converter for Windows. This way, you can enjoy your Apple Music tracks even after your yearly/monthly subscription has expired.