Lyrics tagged with local files missing in Apple Music after iOS 18 update

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Level 1

8 points

Lyrics tagged with local files missing in Apple Music after iOS 18 update

Context: I have a music library on my computer where I can tailor the metadata to my liking. For years now, I've used Apple Music to play most of this music library by converting the necessary files on my computer into .m4a for phone storage conservation, then using iTunes to drag the .m4a files onto my phone. I've tinkered with the metadata of my music library to where I'm capable of adding release date information, copyright information, and of course lyrics to better personalize my music library on my phone.

Now, as the title suggests, ever since I updated to iOS 18 about 2 days ago, I've had an issue where the lyrics I tag with my files no longer appear in the lyrics tab in Apple Music. The lyrics button is greyed out for files I know have lyrical content tagged to them. My process for tagging has not changed before and after the software update; my local files still have all their lyrics in the "UNSYNCEDLYRICS" tag field. Whatever was in the UNSYNCEDLYRICS or even LYRICS tag field read just fine in the lyrics tab in Apple Music before upgrading to iOS 18. I'm hoping this is just a mere bug and not a new sneaky restriction by Apple because even if this issue sounds persnickety, it is still quite inconveniencing. I don't expect a hasty resolution to this problem because I do understand iOS 18 just released about 5 days ago and bugs happen, but I do hope this generates some discussion with those familiar with metadata and Apple Music to perhaps get as close to resolution as possible.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 13 Pro Max

Posted on Sep 21, 2024 4:01 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

allegator

Level 1

10 points

Sep 29, 2024 5:35 AM in response to humteetum

Same here. All the MP3s on my Windows PC have lyrics lovingly embedded in the UNSYNCEDLYRICS tag, but since upgrading to iOS 18, when I upload to my iPhone 13 via iTunes, the lyrics tab is blank.

There is a longstanding (years old) bug that has prevented me from transferring multiple MP3s with lyrics via Wi-Fi. The lyrics do not display unless I copy and paste one-by-one. With iOS 18, that has stopped working as well.

Apple, please fix!

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Answer 2

Oct 6, 2024 2:05 AM in response to humteetum

Yup. Unfortunately no surprise. It's been years already for me. Apple only cares about music purchased through their ecosystem. Once you check the box "Manually manage music and videos" and upload from your private collection, Apple has no incentive to help (and we're probably in the minority). Okay, let's continue living in hope...

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Answer 3

humteetum Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2024 2:44 PM in response to humteetum

I should've posted this months ago, but I managed to find a fix to this: Install Apple Devices and Apple Music, and use them over iTunes.

Since I got a new phone with a new plan, it came with an Apple Music subscription, so I don't know for sure if you need an AM subscription to be able to sync music from the Apple Music app on PC to your iPhone (I'm pretty sure the subscription's only necessary for syncing with the cloud and whatever), but Apple Devices and Apple Music work like charms. Apple Devices also has a similar UI to iTunes (aesthetically it's more pleasing), so it's not an alienating experience using it.

For me, I just drag and drop my music files into Apple Music, check "Entire music library" in the Sync section in the music tab of Apple Devices, then press Sync in Apple Devices. I let Apple Devices do its thing, press Skip when it begins trying to backup, and huzzah, songs with lyrics on my phone.

There was a small issue starting out, though: my music wouldn't sync with its album art. For a while, I've had to manually correct this by going into Apple Music, going to the Properties tab of the entire album (or individual songs), copying the album art, deleting it, then pasting it back. It may have been copy, paste, then delete though because copy and pasting over the existing album art makes 2 copies (just delete one anyway). Nevertheless, the issue slightly amended itself over time and I could drag in music files with no missing album art, but a bug remained; if I try to add more music after syncing the first time, it wouldn't sync those songs with album art. Give it a day or a decent amount of hours, try to sync again, and the album art would sync.

Your mileage may vary, though. Hope this helps to anyone reading, especially you, allegator. I appreciate your update replies on this post a few months later, haha!

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Answer 4

humteetum Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 4, 2024 3:30 AM in response to humteetum

I would just like to come back to this and say it seems this issue is still not resolved as of iOS 18.0.1. Rather disappointing.

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Answer 5

Oct 29, 2024 10:10 AM in response to humteetum

Updated to iOS 18.1 and still no embedded lyrics.

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Answer 6

Nov 20, 2024 2:31 AM in response to humteetum

18.1.1 and still not fixed. Apple is the honey badger.

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