Import iTunes library into clean installation of Catalina

I could imagine that you could split the „doubling“ process, so for example, all artists from a to l and then after the process is done you delete and repeat with m to z...

alternatively you could convert your library to 128kbps... 😉

I couldn’t handle it mentally to sit next to it during the copy process, but I would guess it took about 2-3 hours from a usb3 hdd on to a 2015 macbook and a Adata XPG SX8200 SSD 🙏🙂

I think with rougly about double the size of your files it should take somewhere around 5-6 hours.

how many files does your library actually count? 🤔

Since I‘m not so sure if you received it the way I intended it, the 128kbps conversion was supposed to be a joke 🙂

Quote:“

Right. But why should I? The path is correct, it’s working.

I could manually move the iTunes Media folder into the Music folder (while the Musik app is closed) and reassign it after opening Musik. But I’m scared of confusing things and make a mess of a formerly running system …“

You could copy your achievements back to your adata ssd or another external medium, and move it the way you suggested it, but if you‘re pleased the way it is, them there is probably no need to change anything.

I am glad it worked out for you and can only wonder why my „readdition“ created a duplicated library, although I am totally fine with the results 🙂

Thanks for documenting your process so well. I am going through the same headache.

I would have imagined that, since I actually pay for iTunes Match, the library would have just "appeared", like it does when you get a new iPhone and it syncs automatically. Obviously that's not the case.

Here's my twist on the problem: I added a PCIe SSD disk, onto which I installed a fresh Catalina. I left the other disk in, I'm copying all the parts I want to keep; that had Catalina as well. In its Music folder, there are both the iTunes library, and the Music library. The Music library copy did nothing at all. Trying to import it didn't work (error).

With your process, I tried not copying all the music files, but just one.

Music had identified my Purchases, so those were already present; I only copied ONE song, hoping to see the Ratings get copied. So I get a message saying "Some songs ween't imported cuz they couldn't be found" which makes sense.

I'm also getting all the Podcasts copied. All my playlists seem to be there. But no info for that song =-(

So I tried again. All the Podcasts are there again, my playlists are there twice!, but again no ratings for that song, or any of my Purchases for that matter.

Something's not working. Starting over. Deleted everything in the new Music. When I launch Music, everything is still there =O so it actually stores the info somewhere else. I'm going to have to try some things involving reboots.

Thanks for the help

Nothing. Weird.

So I try importing the entire OLD library. Now I get the Import bar. Perhaps I mixed up the formatting? No matter, when it ends, there are no additional files.

I notice another oddity. Between OLD Music and NEW Music, there's a difference of about 150 songs, for a total of 13 GB. That's too much memory. ...could these be all podcasts? No, because my old Music folder is 53.44 GB (it only includes the downloaded stuff), while Music thinks the library is only 50.05 GB.

I suppose I could copy all my files in the NEW correct locations, then import the files, and then handle the 7000+ dupes I'll end up with.

Not sure what else to try.

I've read through all of the responses and could have missed this (I apologize), but here's my situation:

iTunes Library (.itl and typical pre-Catalina file structure) created on Mac Mini 2018 in November 2018 on an external drive. Library and all files stored on external drive.

Mac Mini upgraded to Catalina in October 2019. New library is created in ~/Users/name/Music/Music/musiclibrary.musiclibrary (without my knowledge, just found this file after reading this thread). This holds 1.5 years worth of ratings and organizing my 1.28TB music library (mostly apple lossless files of CD Rips and albums downloaded from bandcamp and iTunes Store).

Get new 16" MacBook Pro in June 2020. Plug in external drive to new MBP and chaos ensues.

On new 16" MBP I've tried opening the .itl file (hold option, open Library from external drive), but this opens my iTunes library from just before upgrading to Catalina in October 2019. FYI, all of my iTunes purchased music from iTunes shows up in my Library as available to download.

Then, I find out about the new library file that my Mac Mini 2018 made and put that file on my external drive and transfered musiclibrary.musiclibrary to my new 16" MBP into the ~/Users/name/Music/Music/ folder. Upon opening it (option open Music), all of my ratings and playlists are syncing, with files in the correct location, but none of my artwork in showing up. If I Get Info on a single file, the artwork shows in the file properties, but no artwork shows when I play a song or view albums (like in Recently Added).

I'm fine with completely rebuilding my TV and Podcast Libraries, but I can't start over on Music. I've done it too many times and put in a lot of work rating songs and making playlists....but I also want my artwork to show up. Being able to just keep my music in a single folder on the external drive and my Library file either on the local drive or external drive, would be awesome.

I wrote this reply because most posts on this thread mentioned updating from a non-Catalina machine to a Catalina machine. My situation is a machine that converted itself to Catalina and then transferred to a machine that's known nothing besides Catalina.

Thank you for any responses!

I've also tried keeping my external drive with all of my music files plugged into the Mac Mini 2018 and accessing the music through a network Shared Library. This works pretty well, but I still have no artwork and I can't rate the songs when playing a network shared library, which is what I really want to do, rate and organize.

Just wanted to say THANK YOU! I've moved it from pc's to macs over the years by just copying the directory, but with this latest Macbook Pro 16 on Catalina it wouldn't work. But you just saved a 15 year old iTunes library but most importantly all my playlists :)

I have a large iTunes folder on my external drive. So it there now a simple way to migrate it into Catalina on my new MacBookPro, and keep all the playlists etc.?

Surely there must be a straightforward solution to this. Please?

Hey! This is amazing! Thank you. I’m stuck however. Could you please tell me what you mean by “where your actual audio files are”?

right now I have everything from my old library and it looks like my new downloaded stuff in the new folder. The only thing that is missing is newly created playlists.

thanks so much for your help and answer!! I was on the phone with Apple for a while, she couldn’t figure it out and then we were disconnected. So frustrating!

Hi,

4) Yes

5) I have Apple Music subscription

Thanks

Ouch, that does sound like a nasty bug.

tt2

I have same problem. but another Mac with Mohave has no matter.

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2

Thanks, I've added a little note.

tt2

hi there and merry christmas! for me, this whole thing is still not working and this makes me quite sad...

any other help available?