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Removing folder from itunes library

I recently added a folder from an external HD using "Add to Library" but now want to remove that folder from the library. I had unchecked "keep music files organized" because I did not have enough space on my original hard drive to copy these songs. I have not been able to determine how to remove the folder from my itunes library. Is there a way to remove the folder I added previously? Thanks!

20" Imac Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 23, 2009 1:26 PM

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Posted on Mar 2, 2013 12:41 AM

Your lack of tact was a little bit insulting, regardless of when it happened. No big deal though. I digress.



Since you cannot view folders in iTunes, you cannot delete folders thru iTunes.

You could put all the songs you want to delete into a playlist then select all the songs and Command Delete to delete them all at once.


That's the point. There should be an easier way. But putting them into a playlist before deleting them would be even more work than just deleting them the first time you click them. So this isn't really helpful either.



Ed's answer was helpful because he addressed the concerns of the original poster. But it also illustrated the need for iTunes programmers to include a feature to remove a folder from your iTunes library as easily as you can add them. If the best way to remove 200GB worth of music from your itunes library is to change the file extensions, then click to delete every single file with an exclamation point next to it; there is quite simply a flaw in design.


Apple iTunes programmers need to make the adjustment. Right next to the "File" command: "Add folder to library", you could have a command to "Remove folder from library." Or a "Manage Library" option would be great. Itunes obviously knows what folders it's library consists of so why not allow it to populate a list of them with the option to deselect undesired folders? Why hasn't this been done in one of the numerous iTunes updates? Is it really that hard to understand?

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Question marked as Best reply

Mar 2, 2013 12:41 AM in response to Chris CA

Your lack of tact was a little bit insulting, regardless of when it happened. No big deal though. I digress.



Since you cannot view folders in iTunes, you cannot delete folders thru iTunes.

You could put all the songs you want to delete into a playlist then select all the songs and Command Delete to delete them all at once.


That's the point. There should be an easier way. But putting them into a playlist before deleting them would be even more work than just deleting them the first time you click them. So this isn't really helpful either.



Ed's answer was helpful because he addressed the concerns of the original poster. But it also illustrated the need for iTunes programmers to include a feature to remove a folder from your iTunes library as easily as you can add them. If the best way to remove 200GB worth of music from your itunes library is to change the file extensions, then click to delete every single file with an exclamation point next to it; there is quite simply a flaw in design.


Apple iTunes programmers need to make the adjustment. Right next to the "File" command: "Add folder to library", you could have a command to "Remove folder from library." Or a "Manage Library" option would be great. Itunes obviously knows what folders it's library consists of so why not allow it to populate a list of them with the option to deselect undesired folders? Why hasn't this been done in one of the numerous iTunes updates? Is it really that hard to understand?

Apr 24, 2009 11:17 AM in response to bcfrancis

Change the name(s) of the folder(s), or temporarily move them to another place on your hard drive. iTunes will not know where they are, so you can go ahead and delete the iTunes library entries without worrying.

In case you are wondering how to find the iTunes library entries, sort your library by "Date Added," and they will all be together according to when you added them.

Apr 24, 2009 4:50 AM in response to Chris CA

These are approx. 200GB of songs in several folders, so I don't want to risk deleting them from the hard drive. Since it was such a large volume I didn't allow Itunes to organize the music since there wasn't space to copy all the files to my itunes library folder. I was trying to simply remove the association between the folders I imported to the library rather than deleting songs since there are so many and I cannot tell which are in my original itunes folder versus the imported folders which are now imported to the library but not the ituned folder.

Feb 28, 2013 9:20 PM in response to bcfrancis

I would also like to know how to remove a folder from my itunes library. Chris' answer was insulting.


If you can add a folder to your library with a couple clicks, why can't you remove a folder from your library with the same ease?


My iTunes decided to copy some of my music files even though the box to copy itunes files to itunes media folder is unchecked, now I have duplicates of hundreds of songs. Rather than going through and deleting each one, (and yes I know I can select multiple songs at once and mass delete, but that is also an extremely inefficient method) there must be a way to remove a folder with a single click. If there is not a way, there should be. There quite simply should be.


I feel like I've done it before but I am having a great deal of trouble finding a way to do so again.

Feb 28, 2013 11:00 PM in response to BigMauiRick

BigMauiRick wrote:


I would also like to know how to remove a folder from my itunes library. Chris' answer was insulting.

Seriously?

Suggesting (almost 4 years ago) to remove a file by deleting it is "insulting"?

Rather than going through and deleting each one, (and yes I know I can select multiple songs at once and mass delete, but that is also an extremely inefficient method)

You have to select the songs you want to delete, else how would iTunes know what you want to delete?

there must be a way to remove a folder with a single click. If there is not a way, there should be. There quite simply should be.

Since you cannot view folders in iTunes, you cannot delete folders thru iTunes.

You could put all the songs you want to delete into a playlist then select all the songs and Command Delete to delete them all at once.

Jun 27, 2014 5:27 PM in response to bcfrancis

I have the same problem. From the lack of new posts on this, I'm guessing the only real workaround is to:


1. rename the folder you want to disassociate with iTunes

2. delete all the songs that are marked with an exclamation point (error)


My issue is that I changed computers and now all my MP3 songs that are stored in folders other than the iTunes folder are showing up twice. Like daveshome, I'm on a PC so I suppose this is the wrong specific forum, but the functionality is pretty much the same in iTunes for PC as it is in Mac so obviously both communities need a better, more user-friendly way to remove a folder after one is added.


I have 100's of songs that are duplicated so i better get to work. arrrgh

Sep 5, 2014 4:11 PM in response to BigMauiRick

BigMauiRick got it right (as did TSwatek). This is a clear failure on the part of Apple developers and extremely inconvenient to their users. I would expect this kind of "one-way" functionality from Windows but I expect more from Apple, who are usually customer focused.


P.S. - In case you can't tell I'm having the same problem with hundreds of albums and thousands of songs. Double arrrgh!!

Removing folder from itunes library

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