When you open your Apple Music library, you expect to see all your favorite albums with their colorful covers. But sometimes, the album artwork you're used to might be missing, replaced by a blank square or nothing at all. It's a small detail, but it can make a big difference. Without it, even a full library can feel a bit off, making it harder to identify albums at a glance.
This problem affects many users across devices, whether they use iTunes or the Apple Music app on desktop or mobile. The good news is that fixing it is usually straightforward. By following the tips in this guide, you can easily adjust Apple Music's artwork settings and restore any missing album covers.
Part 1. Common Causes of Missing Album Art in Apple Music
There are several common reasons why album artwork might disappear from Apple Music:
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Outdated iOS or Apple Music App:
This isn't a rare problem. The iOS 18.2 update, mentioned by many users on Reddit and Apple Communities, may be one reason why album artwork disappears. Bugs like this can happen at any time, even with something as simple as album covers. Updating to a newer iOS version often fixes the issue.
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Syncing Issues Across Devices:
Artwork added on one device doesn't always appear on others. If your iCloud Music Library isn't fully synced, some album covers may be missing. Partially downloaded albums or interrupted transfers can leave blank spaces instead of artwork. Slow internet or syncing problems can also prevent covers from showing until the library finishes updating.
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Library Migration Problems:
If you moved your old iTunes library to the new Music app on Mac, some album artwork - or even entire songs - might be missing. Large libraries or interrupted updates can make this worse. Many users notice missing covers immediately after moving their library.
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Corrupted Music Files or Cache:
Apple Music and iTunes save album artwork in a cache so covers load faster. If the cache gets corrupted, albums may appear as blank squares. Large libraries, interrupted downloads, or glitches in the system can all cause this problem.
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Missing or Incorrect Metadata:
Album artwork is linked to the song's metadata, like title, artist, and album info. If this information is missing or incorrect - such as music from CDs or other sources - the app might not show the cover. Even artwork added correctly can fail to sync to other devices if the metadata doesn't match Apple Music's standards.
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Software Bugs and Server Issues:
Temporary bugs in Apple Music, iTunes, or iOS can prevent artwork from showing. The app may also fail to fetch covers from Apple's servers if there's a problem or delay. Even with a strong internet connection, album art may not appear immediately.
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Manual Editing Conflicts and DRM Content:
Manually added artwork can sometimes clash with iCloud syncing, causing covers to disappear. Songs purchased from iTunes or protected with DRM may also show blank covers if they aren't fully downloaded or if the device isn't signed in with the correct Apple ID.
Part 2. Step-by-Step Solutions to Restore Album Artwork
Missing album artwork can be caused by outdated software, app glitches, account sync issues, or content restrictions. Follow these steps to restore artwork on iPhone/iPad, Mac, or Windows PC.
Step 1: Update iOS and the Apple Music App
Before anything else, make sure your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is running the latest software. Apple often fixes Apple Music bugs - including missing album artwork - in system and app updates. Keeping both iOS and the Apple Music app current gives you the most stable version and reduces artwork loading issues.
On iPhone/iPad
Step 1 Open Settings > General > Software Update.
Step 2 Install any available iOS updates.
Step 3 Open App Store > Updates, update Music app if available.
On Mac (Music App)
Step 1 Open System Settings > General > Software Update.
Step 2 Install macOS updates.
Step 3 Open App Store > Updates to update Music app if needed.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes.
Step 2 Click Help > Check for Updates.
Step 3 Install any available updates.
Step 2: Restart Apple Music / Your Device
Sometimes Apple Music just needs a fresh start. This simple step often restores missing artwork without further troubleshooting.
On iPhone/iPad
Step 1 Swipe up from the bottom (or double-click the Home button on older devices) to open the app switcher.
Step 2 Locate the Music app preview.
Step 3 Swipe the app card up to close it. After closing Apple Music, consider restarting your device if needed to resolve device-specific issues like network or connectivity glitches.
Step 4 Tap the Music app icon to reopen it.
On Mac
Step 1 Click Music in the menu bar and quit the app.
Step 2 Reopen the Music app from the Dock or Applications folder.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Click the X in the top-right corner of iTunes to close it.
Step 2 Wait at least 30 seconds, then reopen iTunes from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.
Step 3: Sign Out and Back In
Signing out of Apple Music or iTunes and then signing back in forces your library to refresh. This syncs your account again with iCloud and lets Apple Music pull in any missing or outdated artwork.
On iPhone/iPad
Step 1 Open Settings.
Step 2 Tap your Apple ID banner at the top.
Step 3 Scroll down and tap Media & Purchases > Sign Out.
Step 4 Follow prompts to remove your account.
Step 5 Restart your device, then return to the Music app and sign back in.
On Mac
Step 1 Open Music app.
Step 2 Click Account > Sign Out in the menu bar.
Step 3 Close and reopen Music, then go to Account > Sign In.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes.
Step 2 Click Account > Sign Out from the top menu.
Step 3 Close and reopen iTunes, then go to Account > Sign In.
Step 4: Check Content Restrictions
If some songs won't show artwork, Screen Time restrictions might be blocking explicit content or media categories. Turn Content & Privacy Restrictions off, or make sure Apple Music is allowed. Once restrictions are lifted, artwork usually appears again.
On iPhone/iPad
Step 1 Open Settings > Screen Time.
Step 2 Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Step 3 Enter your Screen Time passcode if prompted.
Step 4 Tap Content Restrictions > Music, Podcasts & News.
Step 5 Select Explicit to allow explicit content.
On Mac (Music App)
Step 1 Open System Preferences > Screen Time.
Step 2 Click Options at the bottom-left and ensure Screen Time is On.
Step 3 Go to Content & Privacy > Content Restrictions.
Step 4 Disable restrictions for Explicit Music.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes.
Step 2 Click Edit > Preferences > Restrictions tab.
Step 3 Ensure Restrict Explicit Content is unchecked.
Step 5: Check Album Artwork Settings
Use Get Album Artwork in the app to let Apple Music match and update missing covers. For local files, make sure Automatically Updated Artwork for Imported Songs is turned off in the Mac app's advanced settings - this prevents the system from mismatching your custom covers with Apple's server versions.
Option 1: Get Album Artwork for Apple Music Tracks
On Mac (Music App)
Step 1 Open Music app.
Step 2 Select the album with missing artwork.
Step 3 Click File > Library > Get Album Artwork in the menu bar.
Step 4 Wait for the app to fetch artwork from Apple's servers.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes.
Step 2 Right-click the album with missing artwork.
Step 3 Select Get Album Artwork.
Step 4 iTunes will download artwork from Apple's servers.
Option 2: Don't Update Artwork for Imported Songs
Step 1 On Mac, open Music > Preferences > Advanced tab.
Step 2 Uncheck Automatically update artwork for imported songs.
Step 6: Update iCloud Music Library
Updating your iCloud Music Library forces Apple Music to check for missing artwork and re-download it.
On Mac (Music app)
Step 1 Open Music app.
Step 2 In the menu bar, select File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes.
Step 2 Go to File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library.
Step 7: Reset the Artwork Cache
Apple's artwork cache (like AMPArtworkAgent) can get corrupted over time. Clearing it forces the system to rebuild your album artwork from scratch, which can resolve stubborn missing-cover issues.
On Mac (Music App)
Step 1 Close Music app.
Step 2 Open Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G, and go to ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Music.
Step 3 Delete the ArtworkCache folder.
Step 4 Reopen Music app; album art will reload from Apple servers.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Close iTunes.
Step 2 Navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes Media.
Step 3 Delete the Album Artwork folder.
Step 4 Reopen iTunes; it will rebuild artwork automatically.
Step 8: Re-Sync Your Entire Library
Sync Library keeps your music and artwork consistent across devices. Toggling it off and back on triggers a fresh metadata sync, which often clears artwork inconsistencies.
On iPhone/iPad
Step 1 Go to Settings > Music.
Step 2 Turn Sync Library off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
On Mac (Music app)
Step 1 Open Music > Preferences > General.
Step 2 Uncheck Sync Library, click OK, wait a moment, then check it again.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes > Edit > Preferences > General.
Step 2 Uncheck iCloud Music Library, click OK, wait a few seconds, then enable it again.
Step 9: Delete and Re-Download the Albums
If certain albums still won't load artwork, deleting and re-downloading them gives Apple Music a clean slate to fetch the correct covers - whether they're from Apple Music or your iTunes purchases.
On iPhone/iPad
Step 1 Open Music app.
Step 2 Find the album with missing artwork.
Step 3 Tap three dots (…) > Remove > Remove Download, or tap the downloaded icon.
Step 4 Tap the cloud icon to download again.
On Mac (Music App)
Step 1 Open Music app.
Step 2 Right-click the album > Remove Download.
Step 3 Click the cloud icon to re-download.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes.
Step 2 Right-click the album > Remove Download.
Step 3 Click Download to re-download the album.
Step 10: Force Sync Album Artwork
As a final step, perform a full manual sync to ensure everything is aligned across devices. If toggling Sync Library isn't enough, connect your iPhone to a computer and force a direct sync. This extra pass usually stabilizes artwork across your entire library.
On Mac (Music app)
Step 1 Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.
Step 2 Open Music app.
Step 3 Select your iPhone in the sidebar under Devices.
Step 4 Go to the Music tab and make sure Sync music onto [device] is turned on.
Step 5 Click Sync to manually sync your library and artwork.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Connect your iPhone to your Windows PC.
Step 2 Open iTunes.
Step 3 Click the device icon at the top left.
Step 4 Go to the Music section and enable Sync Music.
Step 5 Click Sync to force a full manual transfer of your music and artwork.
Part 3. Alternative Methods to Fix Missing Album Art
If certain albums still refuse to load artwork, you can manually add the missing covers on your computer. Once added, you can sync the updated album to your iPhone or other devices via Sync Library or manually using a USB cable.
On Mac (Music app)
Step 1 Open Music app on your Mac.
Step 2 Find the album with missing artwork.
Step 3 Right-click the album and choose Get Info.
Step 4 Go to the Artwork tab.
Step 5 Click Add Artwork, then select an image file from your computer.
Step 6 Click OK to apply the artwork to the album.
On Windows (iTunes)
Step 1 Open iTunes on your Windows PC.
Step 2 Locate the album missing its artwork.
Step 3 Right-click the album and choose Album Info (or Get Info, depending on the version).
Step 4 Go to the Artwork tab.
Step 5 Click Add Artwork and select the correct image from your files.
Step 6 Click OK to save your changes.
Part 4: How to Preserve Album Artwork While Downloading Apple Music
If you want to download Apple Music tracks and preserve the album art and metadata, ViWizard Apple Music Converter is an excellent option. This tool lets you convert Apple Music songs to MP3 format while keeping essential details like album art, song titles, artist names, and album information intact.
ViWizard is perfect for creating a permanent backup of your Apple Music library. By converting your songs to MP3, you ensure they're compatible with a variety of devices and media players, even if your Apple Music subscription ends or you switch to a non-Apple device. The best part is that ViWizard doesn't just convert the audio; it also keeps the album artwork intact, so your music collection stays organized and visually appealing. Once converted, you can easily manage your files on any device, ensuring both the music and its artwork are preserved. If you're getting interested, you can try it for free:
A full-featured Apple Music converter that easily converts Apple Music songs, albums, playlists - including iCloud Music Library content, personalized recommendations, and curated playlists - into MP3, M4A, M4B, WAV, AIFF, and FLAC so you can keep your Apple Music forever or transfer it to any device without restrictions.
Step 1Install ViWizard and Connect Your Apple Music Account
Start by downloading ViWizard Apple Music Converter from the official website. The software is compatible with both Windows and macOS. Once installed, launch the application and log in using your Apple ID that's linked to your Apple Music subscription. This login allows ViWizard to access your full music library, including songs, playlists, and albums, directly from the interface.
Step 2Choose MP3 as the Output Format
Next, select MP3 as the output format to ensure your music is compatible with most devices. To do this, click on the settings icon in the upper-right corner of the interface. In the audio preferences window, choose MP3 as your preferred format, and adjust the sample rate, bit rate, and channels to suit your audio quality preferences. Once everything is set to your liking, click "OK" to save your settings.
Step 3Add Your Music to the Conversion List
With your settings configured, it's time to add music to your conversion list. Click the "+" button to load your music library, which will display all the available content linked to your Apple Music account. You can select specific playlists, albums, or even the entire library. Once you've made your selection, add the songs to the conversion queue by clicking "Add to Conversion List." When you're ready, press the "Convert" button to start the conversion process.
ViWizard will automatically convert multiple tracks at once. The speed of the conversion will depend on your computer's performance and the size of the music files. Let the tool work its magic while you wait.
Step 4Find Your MP3 Files and Backup
After the conversion is complete, click on the "History" button to view all your converted MP3 files. From there, you can easily access the output folder containing your music files. Now, you have your Apple Music tracks saved as MP3 files, free from any subscription or DRM restrictions. You can back them up to other devices, upload them to cloud storage, or organize them in any music player, such as VLC or Windows Media Player, for offline listening.
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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