Unable to transfer music from a Macbook Air to my Versa

[sf_valerie]

I'm trying to transfer some music onto my new Fitbit Versa. Everything seems to be going well; I select the Music icon on the watch, then open the Fitbit Connect app. Problem is, the app is only seeing one song that's available on my Macbook Air. Only one song out of thousands! I've gone to the settings in the app to see if the folder is right - it is. I've created a new folder on my desktop and added that in the settings on the app. Nothing works - it is only seeing that one song. My bluetooth is off. I'm on the same wifi network on my Versa and my computer.

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @sf_valerie, I hope you're doing well, it's great to see you around the Fitbit Community! 

Thanks for bringing this to my attention and for letting me know the process you've gone through when trying to transfer music from your Macbook Air to your Versa. Tell me, since when have you experienced this issue? Are you using iTunes to transfer your music? If so, is iTunes fully updated? 

At this moment I would like to suggest you to check @ErickFitbit's excellent post about how to transfer your personal music as well as troubleshooting steps for this process. Please note that even when this post is about Ionic, the Versa uses the same FibitOS so the process is exactly the same. 

I hope this can be helpful, if there's anything else I can do for you, please feel free to reply. 

[kcronin]

@sf_valerie  You are best off making a playlist in iTunes just for your Versa and transferring that. Not individual songs.

Also, remember that you can only transfer songs that you have actually purchased.  Songs that were downloaded from a streaming service for which you have a paid subscription (like Apple Music or Spotify) isn't owned, it's only "borrowed" (your paid subscription gives you the privilege of "borrowing" as long as the subscription is active) and contains an electronic tag marking it as such.  Transferring of "borrowed" is restricted by rules from the music industry.

[sf_valerie]

Hi @MarcoGFitbit, 

I just got the Versa yesterday, so this was the first time I tried transferring music. The issue was that the Fitbit App was only seeing one song. I have purchased a lot more than that, so it definitely wasn't an issue of my not owning the music. Yes, my iTunes is fully updated and I have several playlists already created. I read the post you reference, and it doesn't mention my specific problem. But after I read the post, I went back to the app to see if I could figure out what was going on, and suddenly, all of my playlists are showing. Very strange.

I do have an issue though. I have music which I own (purchased a cd, not a digital file), and have uploaded those songs to my iTunes via a cd player. Some of them are fine, but I'm not able to transfer a few. It says they are DRM-encrypted. How is that possible, since I purchased the music in an actual brick and mortar store? Isn't there a way around that?

Thanks!

[kcronin]

@sf_valerie A long time ago (2003-2009) Apple was selling music through the iTunes store that was DRM encrypted.  Here's an article that talks about this and how to sort your music. 

https://www.wired.com/2014/03/kill-itunes-drm/

You should be able to show a column in iTunes that shows the encryption or not and then you can sort the iTunes library.  Here's an older discussion for the Ionic (same OS as Versa) that talks about the DRM tags on the music.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/NON-DRM-files-being-called-DRM-encrypted-when-I-transfer-music...

And this discussion:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Music-is-DRM-encrypted-how-do-I-get-my-music/td-p/2321212

Hope this helps.  I only transferred about 60 songs.  BTW, did you know that if you are willing to carry your phone with you, you can play music from your phone and control it from your Versa?  Doesn't matter what app is playing the music on your phone.  Control it all from your wrist.  Also, if your car has bluetooth control for the console, you can control that from your wrist too.

[sf_valerie]

Thanks @kcronin! I'll check these out. Feel like I've wasted enough of my life on this already!