Cannot create new Smart Playlist

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Level 1

4 points

Cannot create new Smart Playlist

I'm using the Apple Music app on a Windows 11 PC. I've made many Smart Playlists over the years, but for some reason today I am unable to create a new one. Regardless of the number of rules or potential number of results to the search, the screen simply gets the spinning loading wheel but never changes from a blank white screen. I tried making a quick Smart Playlist with a single rule of Plays=0 to see if it would update quickly (I have 48 items in the library that match that criteria as of this writing), but still get the spinning loading wheel. I updated an earlier working Smart Playlist to have this rule and it worked, just as it did when I switched that Smart Playlist's rules back to the prior rules. Not sure what's going on. Any ideas?

Windows

Posted on Dec 7, 2025 10:12 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

azaksalmarzur28

Level 4

1,212 points

Dec 7, 2025 10:31 PM in response to Dan0ne

Switch OFF “iCloud Music Sync,” Restart, Then Switch It Back ON. This forces Apple Music to rebuild the local metadata index, which Smart Playlists rely on.

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Answer 2

Dan0ne Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2025 11:48 PM in response to Dan0ne

So actually turns out, the playlist is there, I just cannot see it. If I click the gear icon next to the playlist, it plays music that complies with the smart playlist rules. For some reason, however, the screen will not load to show the list of music that will be played or the menu items such as shuffle, sort, etc... Appears to be some kind of bug that didn't exist when I created my earlier smart playlists.

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Answer 3

Dan0ne Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2025 11:25 PM in response to azaksalmarzur28

I am on a PC and do not own any Apple devices. The Windows version of the Apple Music App only has a few settings, none of which appear applicable to iCloud or music syncing: *check iTunes for downloads, *use listening history, *show store, star, checkboxes, *crossfade and duration, *sound enhancer, *sound check, *video playback quality, *video download quality, *send performance data to Apple, *content restrictions and lock, *local file for media, *media organization based on local files, *copy files to local media folder, *reset dialogs, *reset iTunes store cache, *MiniPlayer always on top, and *share analytics with Apple. Nothing to do with iCould or syncing (at least that I saw). I'm still at a loss here. I monkeyed with the local file settings on and off with intervening restarts. Behavior continues.

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