itunes media folder keeps resetting back to default

The shift key method is not really that useful. On previous versions changing the iTunes Media Folder Location worked as expected, i.e. it remembered the change.

Just try a fresh setup and change the iTunes Media Folder Location to another folder. Save and exit. Relaunch iTunes and check you will find it has reverted to the C:\users\yourname\Music folder.

iTunes64Setup 12.9.3.3 is the last version where this worked. I have been using this method for years as I have several Libraries.

Can Apple please fix this issue as it is really annoying. It was a great feature and now it does not work. I try every new release to see if it has been fixed (it still hasn't) and then have to uninstall it and reinstall 12.9.3.3.

Thanks

Allan

While I agree this is a bug that should be fixed it is possible to manage multiple libraries if each is in a portable shape with a library folder that contains an iTunes Media folder. I have several.

tt2

The protocol for migrating to a new drive changed often with the new versions. There are at least 5 protocols I found and used several of them without success. After 2 hours of searching Google for the answer, this simple pathway solve my migration issue in seconds! Thank you! Tony Mangubat

The solutions mentioned do not work. The Shift suggestion did nothing. As a matter of fact, iTunes did not recognize there was an *.itl file in the desired folder location even though there was already on there. The split drive solution is applied, but it did not affect the default storage location. The only solution that works is to make sure I manually reset the iTunes media storage location EVERY TIME I OPEN iTunes. I have copied, recopied, reset and reloaded so many times I worry that all the movie and music files will be lost or inaccessible if I keep this up. Have the incessant claims of doomsayers that "Apple will lose everything for you eventually so don't buy digital" finally come true? I have to wonder since this has been going on for quite a while....

I switch between libraries on a regular basis using the hold-down-shift-(option on a Mac)-and-launch-iTunes method. If you copy your active library files into the folder immediately above your desired media folder and shift-start-iTunes it should open correctly. If your media folder isn't called iTunes Media, but the active .itl file is in the parent folder then you should be able to close iTunes, rename the media folder to iTunes Media, and open iTunes once more. It should fix all the links in the library and be able to play everything, and your library will now be in the default layout so the problem is no longer an issue.

tt2

Unfortunately, that still does not replace remembering the media folder, since the directories that are merely "added to the library" but are not actually IN what iTunes considers its media folder are not managed by iTunes, that means if you change a track title or something, the actual file won't change it's file name.

Neither usable nor controllable ! The programming team that gave us this clusterhump should be exorcised as they are clearly possessed by The Dark Lord. Infernal malfunctioning mass of malevolent microchips ! Apple arrogance. No apple, you don't know best, your user knows best. What kind of programmer does this ****? Why don't you just ask the user. It takes about three seconds to think of better ways to do this. unbelievably retarded!

No, I just reinstalled 12.9.3.3 as I still had the download. I just say no to the current prompt to upgrade.

I agree with GreegorRankin and NPZwar. It is ridiculous that Apple can't put this back how it was. It is a great feature.

This reminds me of the screw up Microsoft made with the search in Win 10 file explorer. The latest fix doesn't fully work but at least they are listening to users.

Hey out there! Is anyone from Apple reading this ????

I'm not sure I understand the suggestion

When iTunes is restarted, the default directory is reset to C:\, and that's what the .itl file

If I hold down shift, I am asked to pick a file (*.itl), but the only .itl file is on the c drive, and selecting it doesnt solve the problem

tt2,

Thanks for response. You've posted a lot -- not sure which earlier post you are refering to.

FYI, my music is on D drive: D:\ConsolMusic\Music\...

(Automatially Add to iTunes is also directly beneath ConsolMusic.

The .itl file is saved in c:\[user]\Music\iTunes\

(iTunes Media is a folder in iTunes, and Automatically Add to iTunes a folder one level below that)

Thanks

With iTunes closed open your iTunes folder in the C:\ drive. Copy the iTunes Library.itl file along with the the two .itdb files and the Album Artwork folder into D:, then press and hold down shift as you launch iTunes, click choose library when the option comes up, then browse to and open the file D:\iTunes Library.itl. iTunes is likely to have the wrong media folder selected, so reset your media folder to D:\ConsolMusic once more and check that your music plays. Now close iTunes, rename the folder ConsolMusic as iTunes Media then restart iTunes. You should file the media folder is shown as D:\iTunes Media and that your media still plays. Close iTunes once more, create a folder called D:\iTunes and move the .itl file, .itdb files, and the folders Album Artwork and iTunes Media inside it. Shift-start-iTunes once more and this time choose D:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl. The library should now work as intended.

tt2

But unfortunately, this solution only works if the media folder is called "iTunes Media", otherwise you still have to remember to re-assign the actual folder every single time iTunes starts. In fact, if one does not do it, iTunes just creates an "iTunes Media" folder every single time and does not correctly apply edits etc. to the actual media folder. So it is sadly still broken in that regard, even after its latest update.

Thanks for all your help, turingtest2, and I know your advice has helped quite a few people, so more power to you.

But I am talking specifically about the problem of the iTunes Media folder NOT being called "iTunes Media", but something else (in my case "ALAC").

You are talking about moving the iTunes media folder from one drive to another drive, and that works fine, as long as the iTunes Media folder is called "iTunes Media", wherever it is. But my iTunes Media folder was never called "iTunes Media", but "ALAC"), but now this is a problem because the software is broken and cannot remember the actual location of the folder. My current solution is to EVERY SINGLE TIME I open iTunes to got into preferences, got into advanced, set the media folder to the correct one, let iTunes got through thousands of albums, and voila, it works. Until it is re-opened. It is a bug, pure and simple, and one that of really bad coding at that. It should have been corrected long ago.

I had my library on an external drive with a name other than "iTunes Media" for years. This just started recently. I never would have noticed until my C: drive was 99% full of music from the external drive.

I recently (a year ago?) started installing iTunes from the Microsoft store whereas I used to download the installer and update manually. Maybe that's a clue?

I'm assuming windows 10. With iTunes shut down, I moved all my iTunes files from C: to my new drive, say D:\. Include the iTunes Media and everything else. This will include the iTunes Library.itl (it's hidden in the iTunes folder) file. Press and hold down shift as you launch iTunes, you will be prompted to select the iTunes Library.itl file, click choose library when the option comes up, then browse to and select the file D:\iTunes Library.itl. The media folder should be D:\iTunes\iTunes Media.

It worked for me, your mileage may vary. Hope it works for you.