What better way to schedule your organization than with the often-overlooked task of cleaning up your Apple Music library? You may have started with the best intentions, meticulously curating playlists and adding your favorite tracks, but over time, duplicates may have slipped through the cracks. Or maybe your library grew so sprawling that the clutter became unavoidable - split albums, identical songs in multiple playlists, or even duplicate tracks sprinkled throughout your collection.
If you take a little time to sort through and remove these duplicates, you'll not only tidy up your library but also make it easier to rediscover the music you love without distractions. So, let's roll up our sleeves and dive into the process of cleaning up your Apple Music library once and for all.
- Some duplicates appear due to metadata differences: Some duplicates appear because Apple Music relies on metadata—like song title, artist, album, and version—to organize tracks. Small differences can cause the same song to appear multiple times.
- Some duplicates happen with iCloud Music Library syncing: Some duplicates happen when syncing across devices. Even minor variations, such as a studio version versus a live version, can create separate entries.
- Other duplicates come from catalog variants or manual imports: Other duplicates come from adding different versions of a song, like explicit, clean, remixes, or deluxe editions, or from uploading songs from a computer or external drive.
Method 1: Remove Duplicates in Apple Music with the Built-In Duplicate Finder
On Mac or PC, Apple Music (or iTunes) has a built-in duplicate finder that makes cleaning your library much easier. Go to File > Library > Show Duplicate Items and you'll see repeated tracks lined up side by side. You can check metadata like album, version, or release year to decide which copies to keep.
For a sharper cleanup, try Show Exact Duplicates, which compares song name, artist, and album all at once. It's helpful for identifying duplicates within playlists, albums, or even across the entire library, saving you the trouble of scrolling manually through every playlist.
How to Remove Apple Music Duplicates on Desktop:
Step 1 Open Apple Music (or iTunes) on your Mac or PC. This is the same app you use to play your songs.
Step 2 In the sidebar, tap Music to access your library. This is where all your tracks live.
Step 3 You can also use this method for movies, TV shows, or audiobooks.
Step 4 Decide where to look for duplicates. You can choose a playlist, or search a bigger section like Songs, Albums, or Genres.
Step 5 For a broad search, go to File > Library > Show Duplicate Items.
Step 6 To narrow it to exact duplicates, hold Shift and select File > Library > Show Exact Duplicate Items.
Step 7 Duplicates will appear side by side. Look at the Cloud Status column to see if a track is local or in iCloud. Or tap Song Info (PC) or Get Info (Mac) to compare album, version, or release year. This helps you decide which one to keep.
Step 8 Scroll through and select duplicates. Hold Shift (PC) or Command (Mac) to select multiple tracks at once.
Step 9 Right-click and choose Delete from Library. You will get a prompt if the tracks are also in iCloud Music Library. Confirm if you are sure.
Step 10 Tap Done to return to your full library. Feels cleaner already, doesn't it?
Method 2: Remove Duplicates in Apple Music Using iOS Shortcuts
iPhone doesn't have a native duplicate finder, but iOS Shortcuts can help without needing a Mac or PC. Custom shortcuts can scan your library, highlight repeated songs, and even remove them automatically or flag them for review.
How to Remove Apple Music Duplicates on iPhone Using Shortcuts:
Step 1 Open the Shortcuts app. This is Apple's automation tool built into your iPhone.
Step 2 Create or download a shortcut that scans Apple Music for duplicates. One example is Apple Music Playlist Duplicate Song Remover by @ctalbot2004. It works for iOS 12 and higher.
Step 3 Run the shortcut. It will remove duplicates from your playlist and create a new one with only unique tracks. If you had the same song on two albums, only one version ends up in the new playlist.
Method 3: Remove Duplicates in Apple Music Using Sort and Filter Options
Even without shortcuts, you can manually clean duplicates on your iPhone or iPad. Sort songs by title, artist, or album, and scroll through your playlists to spot repeats. This method works well if you have a smaller library or want to remove specific duplicates selectively.
How to Remove Apple Music Duplicates Using Sort and Filter:
Step 1 Open Apple Music on your iPhone or iPad.
Step 2 Tap Library to access your songs. You will see sections like Songs, Playlists, and Albums.
Step 3 Tap Sort By and filter by Title, Artist, or Album. This makes it easier to spot duplicates.
Step 4 Scroll through manually, select duplicates, and either remove them or add them to a new playlist for review. This method is slower than using shortcuts but gives you full control.
Method 4: Remove Duplicates in Apple Music with a Third-Party App
If your library is huge or messy, duplicate music finder tools can save the day. They're perfect solutions to detect duplicates, clean up metadata, and even sync changes back to Apple Music. These tools are faster and more precise than manual cleanup.
How to Remove Apple Music Duplicates Using a Third-Party App:
Step 1 Download Dupin or Tune Sweeper from the official website. These apps are designed to safely clean your library.
Step 2 Open the app and let it sync with your Apple Music or iTunes library.
Step 3 Use smart filters to match duplicates by Title, Artist, Album, or other metadata.
Step 4 Review the duplicates the app finds. Be careful with live versus studio versions so you do not lose unique recordings.
Step 5 Click to remove duplicates in bulk. This is faster than doing it manually.
Step 6 Check Apple Music or iCloud to make sure your library changes synced across all devices.
Bonus Tip: Back Up Your Clean Apple Music Library on Mac or PC
Before making big changes, it's smart to back up your Apple Music library. Export your entire Apple Music library to an organized "Apple Music backup" so you can restore it if something goes wrong, such as accidentally losing tracks if your subscription lapses. ViWizard Apple Music Converter helps users make regular backups or conversions by downloading Apple Music songs, albums, and more into common formats like MP3, WAV, M4A, M4B, FLAC, or AIFF. With one click, the conversion starts, making future cleanups safer and less stressful.
Key Features of ViWizard Apple Music Converter
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- Convert Apple Music songs, albums, playlists, and artists into MP3 for easy access
- Preserve lossless audio, high-resolution lossless, and Dolby Atmos quality
- Strip DRM from Apple Music for unrestricted offline listening
- Save converted audio files while retaining full ID3 tag details
Step 1 Download and install ViWizard Apple Music Converter on your PC or Mac.
Step 2 Open the tool and sign in with the Apple ID linked to your Apple Music subscription. This allows the app to access your library.
Step 3 Go to Menu > Preferences > Conversion. Choose and save your preferred output format, bit rate, sample rate, channels, and other settings.
Step 4 Browse your Apple Music library inside the app and select the songs, albums, or playlists you want to back up. Click the "+" button when it lights up to add tracks to the conversion list.
Step 5 Click Convert to start processing. The tool will create a personal backup of your tracks.
Step 6 Open Apple Music or iTunes on your Mac or PC.
Step 7 Confirm you are signed in with the same Apple ID on all devices.
Step 8 Go to Preferences > General, and make sure Sync Library is checked. Click OK.
Step 9 On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Music and toggle Sync Library ON.
Step 10 Keep a stable Wi-Fi connection and updated OS/software. Your library will sync automatically. If changes don't appear, double-check Sync Library on each device and update iCloud Music Library on your computer.
Pro Tips: Best Ways to Manage and Prevent Duplicate Songs in Apple Music
Let's not stop at just removing duplicates when it's urgent. There are more pro tips to help you keep your library organized and avoid duplicates in the first place.
Tip 1 Track and Identify Duplicate Songs
Spot duplicates before they pile up by checking metadata like album names, artist spellings, and release years when adding new songs. Tools like Music Library Tracker can help by scanning your library, highlighting duplicates, and showing details like live versions or remixes so you can choose which track to keep.
Tip 2 Prevent Duplicates from Appearing in Your Library
Preventing duplicates is easier than cleaning them later. Review new tracks in a small staging playlist before adding them to your main library. Smart playlists help too, automatically grouping songs by artist, album, or genre to make duplicates easier to spot. Keep Sync Library enabled across devices and monitor your library regularly to stay organized.
Conclusion:
By taking the time to identify and remove duplicate tracks, you're giving your Apple Music library a fresh start. Your library will look cleaner, and navigating playlists, albums, and favorite songs will feel effortless. Consider using ViWizard Apple Music Converter to back up your newly organized collection.
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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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