HT201610: About iTunes library files

Learn about About iTunes library files
DHBH

Q: I would like to transfer my music from one mac to another by backing up to hard drive. How do you do this please?

I would like to transfer my music from one mac to another by backing up to hard drive. How do you do the please?

Posted on Aug 28, 2016 7:36 AM

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Q: I would like to transfer my music from one mac to another by backing up to hard drive. How do you do this please?

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  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Aug 28, 2016 7:42 AM in response to DHBH
    Level 10 (311,939 points)
    Aug 28, 2016 7:42 AM in response to DHBH

    Drag the entire iTunes library, not just iTunes Media to it, take the drive to the second computer, drag it to the internal drive, launch iTunes with the Option key held down, and choose that library. Any rented movies in it will only play on the computer they were originally downloaded to.

     

    (144301)

  • by Limnos,Apple recommended

    Limnos Limnos Aug 28, 2016 11:10 AM in response to DHBH
    Level 9 (53,665 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 28, 2016 11:10 AM in response to DHBH

    == Moving a library ==

     

    Apple's 6 pages of step-by-step instructions: How to move your iTunes library to a new computer - https://support.apple.com/HT204318  It is handy if you suspect any of your media are not in the standard location.

     

    My one-sentence summary if you use iTunes' default preferences settings:  Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive, hold down the option/alt key (shift on Windows) while starting iTunes, and when requested to select a library select the iTunes Library.itl file in the copied folder. Open a different iTunes Library file or create a new one - https://support.apple.com/HT201596