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Q: How Do I Move My iTunes Library To External Hard Drive?

I have Googled this but can't seem to find the information I'm looking for...

 

I would like to move my entire iTunes Library from my Windows PC to an external hard drive and I'd like to keep it there because it won't fit onto my new Macbook Air. I am happy to plug this in whenever I wish to use my iTunes Library.

 

I have found step-by-step instructions online but I'd like to know what happens if you never had the 'Copy files to iTunes Media Folder when adding to library' option ticked. Does this mean only future additions will be copied into my folder or will it copy all my previous music? I've taken a look in the folder and my latest addition is not in there so I assume it only copies future additions to the library. Is this correct?

 

If so, how to I get all my music in one folder so I can copy it over to my hard drive? (Yes, I admit my music seems to be dotted around my PC)

Posted on Jan 29, 2016 1:13 PM

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Q: How Do I Move My iTunes Library To External Hard Drive?

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  • by javaliga,

    javaliga javaliga Jan 29, 2016 1:42 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 4 (3,514 points)
    iCloud
    Jan 29, 2016 1:42 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix

    You might find this link helpful:

     

    <<Locate and organize your iTunes media files - Apple Support>>

     

    See the section "Find and change the iTunes Media folder location" especially.

  • by MeowMeowHotMix,

    MeowMeowHotMix MeowMeowHotMix Jan 29, 2016 2:34 PM in response to javaliga
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 29, 2016 2:34 PM in response to javaliga

    Thanks Javaliga,

     

    I've had a look at the link prior to posting and still can't find the relevant information.

    I need my music from my Downloads, iTunes and My Music to all be in the same place. Is this something I'd manually have to do? If I move them manually into the iTunes folder, all the tracks in my iTunes will need relocating.

  • by turingtest2,Apple recommended

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jan 29, 2016 6:39 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 10 (85,813 points)
    iPod
    Jan 29, 2016 6:39 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
  • by MeowMeowHotMix,

    MeowMeowHotMix MeowMeowHotMix Feb 1, 2016 12:59 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Feb 1, 2016 12:59 PM in response to turingtest2

    Thanks turingtest2,

     

    My issue isn't necessarily to do with a split library in that part of it is on my computer and part is on an external hard drive. It's all in my computer but just in different folders. I need to get them all in one organised folder basically so I can move it all to an external hard drive, not just part of it.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Feb 1, 2016 1:11 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 10 (85,813 points)
    iPod
    Feb 1, 2016 1:11 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix

    The user tip is meant as an overarching guide for all problems relating to the correct library structure. If you have media outside the designated media folder and/or that folder isn't the direct child folder then your library isn't portable and things will break if you attempt to move it between operating systems. The simplest solution would be to move or copy your current iTunes folder to the root of your external drive, access it there, reset the media folder if required to \iTunes\iTunes Media (it would normally happen automatically), then consolidate any remaining media that wasn't inside the original library folder. When it comes to the Mac you will either need to install an NTFS write driver or port the whole library over to an HFS+ formatted drive.

     

    tt2

  • by MeowMeowHotMix,

    MeowMeowHotMix MeowMeowHotMix Feb 6, 2016 6:45 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Feb 6, 2016 6:45 AM in response to turingtest2

    Hi tt2,

     

    I apologise, I am still new to Apple Macs and a novice at computer hardware in general. I'm not sure what you mean?

  • by turingtest2,Apple recommended

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Feb 6, 2016 7:27 AM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 10 (85,813 points)
    iPod
    Feb 6, 2016 7:27 AM in response to MeowMeowHotMix

    If you are a novice then it is unlikely that you've changed any of the default settings. Enable the menu bar in iTunes if hidden with Ctrl+B, then use Edit > Preferences > Advanced to look at some options that control what happens when media is added to your library. I would expect to see the media folder listed as C:\Users\<User>\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media and for the two options Keep... and Copy... to both be ticked. If so that is a good start as it means your library is in the standard layout which is portable.

     

    With iTunes closed you can copy the entire iTunes folder from C:\Users\<User>\Music\ to the top level or root folder of an external drive to make a working copy of the library. You can access this new copy of the library by holding down shift (Window) or Option (Mac) as you launch iTunes. You keep hold the key until a prompt appears asking you to choose or create a library, the browse to an open the iTunes Library.itl file that is inside the iTunes folder.

     

    A complication arises when switching from Windows to OS X in that most external drives for Windows come formatted as NTFS which OS X can read, but cannot write to without additional software. iTunes needs to be able to write to the drive in order to update the library. The options for getting around this obstacle are to download an NTFS write driver, or copy the iTunes folder to a second external drive formatted as HFS+ which is the default Mac filing system (and which Windows won't read or write). Once you've made the copy onto HFS+ and made sure that your library works properly there, and you've migrated any other data that you want to copy over from the Windows system, you could reformat the NTFS drive for use with the Mac and copy the data back to it so that you have a backup.

     

    Another option is set up your external drive on the Mac to begin with, connect both computers to the same network, share the Music folder in Windows, and copy the iTunes folder from the Windows system over the network directly to the external connected to the Mac.

     

    tt2

  • by MeowMeowHotMix,

    MeowMeowHotMix MeowMeowHotMix Feb 7, 2016 11:57 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Feb 7, 2016 11:57 AM in response to turingtest2

    Hi tt2,

     

    Thanks for the above. I bought a hard drive but I don't actually know if it's made for Windows or Apple so I don't know if it's formatted as NTFS or HFS+. The box does not reveal what format it takes, nor does the item description online. Do you know how I find this out? The product photos online show the hard drive on an Apple Macbook, but I don't know whether that would be a poor assumption.

     

    Also, I am an Apple Macbook novice but have been using iTunes for a while on my Windows computer. But Keep and Copy were not checked so I can only assume that I unchecked these at some point since downloading it (many many years ago).

     

    Does this complicate things further?

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Feb 8, 2016 5:11 AM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 10 (85,813 points)
    iPod
    Feb 8, 2016 5:11 AM in response to MeowMeowHotMix

    Drives are generally pre-formatted for Windows. You can connect it to your computer, see if it will open, and check the properties of the drive.

     

    Both Windows and OS X have utilities for reformatting drives.

     

    The Keep option isn't so important, this tells iTunes to rearrange files inside the media folder as you update tags. I would generally leave this option turned on unless you are really picky about having your media arranged the way you want it, and are prepared for the extra effort that entails.

     

    The Copy option ensures that anything added to the library is copied into the media folder rather than accessed at some original location elsewhere. This helps make sure that if you add some albums from a memory stick, for example, they can still play in iTunes when the stick is removed. iTunes has a feature called consolidation that copies in any files that are currently located outside of the media folder. To consolidate the library enable the menu bar if hidden with Ctrl+B then use File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate files. This will copy in any files that might be referenced in alternate locations such as the desktop. Don't do this if the bulk of you library is stored on an external drive and copying in the files would take more room than you have. If that were the case you should look at Make a split library portable in more detail.

     

    Once you've consolidated the library the iTunes folder should be in a portable shape and you can proceed as outlined earlier.

     

    tt2

  • by MeowMeowHotMix,

    MeowMeowHotMix MeowMeowHotMix Mar 25, 2016 11:04 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Mar 25, 2016 11:04 AM in response to turingtest2

    I've successfully consolidated my file! However, as you mentioned the file I export it as is a .xml file. As I've put this file onto my hard drive, it's either formatted it as Windows or was already formatted for Windows (NTFS). How do I import this .xml file to iTunes on my Mac when their files are .itl?

     

    Also, I've noticed that now my Mac can only read my hard drive now and now write it. I tried to drag a file from my work Mac to my hard drive but because it's formatted for Windows, it won't allow me. I've Googled how to partition my drive but most of the tutorials have had negative feedback, especially mentioning how the tutorial has corrupted the hard drive which I definitely don't want to do!

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Mar 25, 2016 11:27 AM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 10 (85,813 points)
    iPod
    Mar 25, 2016 11:27 AM in response to MeowMeowHotMix

    I'm not sure why you mentioned the XML. The library is the entire iTunes folder, in particular the core database in iTunes Library.itl and all of the media files.

     

    If your library is in the portable shape copy the iTunes folder to an external drive in NTFS format, e.g. as X:\iTunes. Use the shift-start iTunes method to open X:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl and confirm that the library works properly on that external drive when attached to Windows. (You may already be at this point.)

     

    Close iTunes and safely eject the drive. Now connect it to the Mac and copy the entire iTunes folder either to Mac's internal drive if you have room, or another external drive formatted for use with OS X. You can then option-start iTunes on the Mac to open the correct library there.

     

    tt2

  • by MeowMeowHotMix,

    MeowMeowHotMix MeowMeowHotMix Mar 25, 2016 4:14 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Mar 25, 2016 4:14 PM in response to turingtest2

    Hi tt2,

     

    I exported my iTunes library onto the hard drive and it came out as an .xml file. Am I not meant to export it?

    I plan on plugging my HD to my Mac overtime I use iTunes as there isn't any space on my Mac to hold my music. However, you mentioned having a separate HD that works with the Mac, I only have the one and I don't necessarily want to buy another. This is why I looked into partitioning my HD.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Mar 25, 2016 5:27 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix
    Level 10 (85,813 points)
    iPod
    Mar 25, 2016 5:27 PM in response to MeowMeowHotMix

    Exporting the library as XML makes a text based snapshot of the library database. It doesn't make anything that can be transferred as a working library to a new machine.

     

    You should never rely on one disk to hold your content. Drives are cheap. I just bought a portable 3TB for £110.

     

    Please read the user tip Make a split library portable. Where is your active library file? What is the path to your media folder? I can give detailed advice if I know where things are.

     

    tt2