mhiggins87

Q: Library Disappeared

I have had my MacBook for several years and have always used it for my iPhone. Recently, my boyfriend got a new phone and we attempted to set it up with using my computer but without syncing my information to his phone. It worked fine. However, I have now discovered that my iTunes library has vanished from my iTunes program on my computer.

 

I searched my computer for my iTunes backup, but am not finding the file. The files I do find are in gray font and can't be opened. When I plug in my phone, it doesn't recognize it as it used to and simply says "iPhone" instead of the name I had previously assigned. My music and library files still exist on my computer, but I am hoping to find a way to get it all back to the way it was. Any help is appreciated!

Posted on Jun 20, 2016 7:45 PM

Close

Q: Library Disappeared

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by stuckboss,

    stuckboss stuckboss Jun 21, 2016 12:31 PM in response to mhiggins87
    Community Specialists
    Jun 21, 2016 12:31 PM in response to mhiggins87

    Hey there mhiggins87,

     

    I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you've been having, especially with somehow losing your iTunes library.  For help with getting your iTunes back up and running I suggest that you follow through the steps in the link below:

     

    Before following the steps below, make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes.

    1. Quit iTunes.
    2. Go to the iTunes folder that contains the iTunes library files:
    3. Mac: From the menu bar at the top of your computer screen, choose Go > Home. Open the Music folder, then open the iTunes folder.
    4. Windows: Navigate to \Users\username\Music\iTunes\.
    5. Drag the iTunes Library.itl file to your Desktop.
    6. In the iTunes folder, open the Previous iTunes Libraries folder.
    7. Find the file named iTunes Library YYYY-MM-DD where YYYY-MM-DD is the date you updated iTunes (Year-Month-Day).
    8. Copy this file to the iTunes folder (the enclosing folder).
    9. Rename the copied file iTunes Library.
    10. Open iTunes.

    You should now see your missing content in iTunes.

    Any changes that you made to your library after the date you updated (step 6, above), such as new playlists that you created or songs that you added, might be missing

    If you don‘t see your content after you update iTunes

     

    Now if you still aren't seeing your content in iTunes, then you can restore the iTunes folder from a Time Machine backup:

     

    Restore from a Time Machine backup

    Restore specific files:

    1. Choose Enter Time Machine from the Time Machine menu Time Machine icon, or click Time Machine in the Dock.
    2. Find the files to restore: 
         
      • Use the timeline on the edge of the screen to see the files in your Time Machine backup as they were at that date and time. The timeline may also include local snapshots.
      •  
      • Use the onscreen up and down arrows to jump to the last time the contents of the window changed. You can also use the search field in a window to find a file, then move through time while focused on changes to that file.
      •  
      • Select a file and press Space Bar to preview the file and make sure it's the one you want. 
    3. Click Restore to restore the selected file, or Control-click the file for other options.

    Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac

     

    Take care.