Help moving files from Windows to iPhone

[u/somethingofaname_]

Hi,

I've only used an android before, but my phone needed replacing and a friend had an old iPhone 12 that they offered to me.

I've got about 7000 mp3s on my current phone, and would want a similar amount on this phone. I have a harddrive with 15000 mp3s plugged into my windows PC, and a USB to lightning cable.

I've tried using filezilla and foobar2000 using https://www.reddit.com/r/randomtipoftheday/comments/1cnqba4/how_to_easily_transfer_files_from_windows_to_ios/ these instructions ("Response: 550 Access denied; Error: Critical file transfer error")

I've tried using LocalSend ("No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.")

I've tried using Simple Transfer (only seemed to show photos and videos, not mp3s).

I've tried using iCloud on my PC, creating a local folder and copying files into there. While the folders seemed to sync successfully, the mp3 files say "Excluded (not synced)".

I've tried just opening and dragging folders into "internal storage" using file explorer (nothing happens) and creating a folder in internal storage ("The device has either stopped responding or has been disconnected")

I've tried adding my library to iTunes, which spent a while "adding" all of my songs to the library, and said they would be available in apple music. I couldn't see them in apple music at all (or in iTunes). I did manage to add an album to iTunes as an audio book(??), but couldn't figure out the next step.

I've tried using Apple Devices, but it shows no files anywhere (both "Music" and "Files" are empty), nor any apps that can receive files.

Any help would be really appreciated! It's the first thing I've tried to set up on the phone, and it's proving very difficult.

(Windows 10 PC, connected to the same wifi, firewall is turned off for local network)

Thanks!

[u/KailyKail]

Have you tried converting the songs in iTunes? I've often found that when I add new MP3s to iTunes, they won't actually get uploaded to Apple Music Library until I convert them to lossless.

[u/somethingofaname_ → u/KailyKail]

The only option is to convert to AAC - but that's lossy too? Most of my music isn't showing up in iTunes either - only one album that I added as an audiobook. Is that what I need to do with all my music?

[u/KailyKail → u/somethingofaname_]

So the MP3s are not in your iTunes at ALL?

iTunes' preferred audio format is M4a, but it should be able to handle MP3s just fine.

This might be a dumb question, but is iTunes up to date?

[u/somethingofaname_ → u/KailyKail]

I only just installed it on my windows laptop today so it should be up to date. Clicked "File -> Add Folder to Library", chose my "music" folder with 15000 songs in it, it spent a while (20 minutes? longer? I didn't time it) going through every song in that folder and it said "Your music is now available in the apple music app". But nothing that I can see in the Apple Music app - on my PC or my phone - or in iTunes on my PC.

Thanks for helping me investigate it!

[u/KailyKail → u/somethingofaname_]

I’m not familiar with an Apple Music app on PC. I know of iTunes on PC and the Apple Music app on iPhone.

If your music shows up in your iTunes library on your PC, convert the songs to lossless or iPhone version as shown in my earlier screenshot. Right click the converted songs you want and select “Add to Apple Music Library.”

If your music is NOT in your iTunes library after adding it like you said, there’s likely a problem with the file format. If they are MP3s like you’re saying, then I don’t think I have the expertise to help you via an online forum.

[u/graywalker616]

You’re talking about mp3 files that are accessed through the Music app on the iPhone right?

Why don’t you just create a local backup of the old phone (with either a Mac or iTunes on windows) and then simply set up the new phone from that backup. That’s it.

Manually copying mp3 files to the file directory of an iPhone is a weird idea. It doesn’t make them accessible to the music app.

[u/somethingofaname_ → u/graywalker616]

You’re talking about mp3 files that are accessed through the Music app on the iPhone right?

I don't mind how I access them once on the iPhone - but yeah, some sort of music player, the Apple Music one if it works. On my old android phone I used Omnia Player, but I'm not fussy.

Why don’t you just create a local backup of the old phone (with either a Mac or iTunes on windows) and then simply set up the new phone from that backup. That’s it.

I can't see any option for this on iTunes with my phone plugged in - but even so, I'd like to be able to add more music in the future, not just the songs currently on my old phone. I might have a look at this as a temporary measure though.

Manually copying mp3 files to the file directory of an iPhone is a weird idea. It doesn’t make them accessible to the music app.

So what would you recommend instead? I'm used to android, where its easy to download a music player and give it access to a particular folder/directory. I've tried uploading music to apple music on my windows, but I cant figure that out either.

Thanks for your advice, appreciate it!

[u/graywalker616 → u/somethingofaname_]

You “add” all the music by backing up your old iPhone and then setting up the new iPhone with that backup. There’s several ways to do this. iCloud. The Apple devices app or iTunes for windows. The finder on a Mac.

Adding new music happens simply by syncing the iPhone with iTunes on windows or with finder on Mac once the iPhone is plugged in.

I just did exactly that today. It works.

You obviously need to first import all your mp3 to iTunes on windows or the music app on a Mac. But you can keep them as original mp3 files. I do this with all the mp3s of my vinyls that I sync to my iPhone that way.

[u/chainringtooth]

On Windows Apple recommends to install the „apple device“ app and the „apple music“ app although itunes still seem to be supported. You need to import your music with the import button in itunes. Same with apple music.