Moving music library to Catalina

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Moving music library to Catalina

I want to move my entire music library to a new MacBook running Catalina from another MacBook running an older version of iOS

In Catalina the files within the users music folder are different. In previous versions the structure was as follows:

Users > X > Music > iTunes > etc.....

(where X is a specific user)

In Catalina:

Users > X > Music > Music > etc....

What I did was copy the entire iTunes folder on my old Mac onto an external drive then move it and add it to Users > X > Music.

I then deleted the original Music folder originally in Music.

If I then open the Music app I still can’t see any of my music. I also notice that the deleted Music folder is created.

Can anyone help, please?

MacBook Pro 13″, 10.11

Posted on Oct 4, 2020 7:40 AM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

278,221 points

Oct 11, 2020 8:05 AM in response to JA_Kenya

The option-start Music or iTunes method is used to switch between libraries. When you ask Music to open an iTunes library it converts the iTunes (iTunes Library.itl) library to a new Music (Music Library.musiclibrary) library, it doesn't make any changes to the old iTunes library after that. Once you've used the change library method you'll carry on using the newly selected library each time until you option-start Music once more.

The active library database will be the Music Library(.musiclibrary) file shown in the screenshot, and the Music folder above that forms the entire library. You can copy this folder to a new computer or drive and use the option-start-Music method to connect to it and all of the content should work.

If you have video content then you can repeat the same reset and consolidate steps with the TV app to get everything organized into ~/Movies/TV.

I've possibly alluded to it earlier, but Podcasts and Books in Catalina make themselves hidden private libraries that are harder to move around, but should no longer be reliant on the old iTunes folder. As far I know the only clean up action that remains is to delete the iTunes folder that should no longer be needed.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

278,221 points

Oct 6, 2020 5:12 AM in response to JA_Kenya

You can manually change path listed, or click the Reset button you see in the Music > Preferences > Files dialog and then consolidate the library to the new path. Consolidating makes copies in the new folder of anything that was outside it, and relinks the library to the new copy. The old file is left behind for you to clean up manually. This would double the size of your media storage on the drive until you had to clean up. If you have room for this then it may be the easiest option, but copying the files and deleting them still takes time. If space is at a premium it may be possible to move files manually within the same volume and still have Music see the content on the new path. You would need to be careful to avoid overwriting folders if working manually.

tt2

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Answer 3

JA_Kenya Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 11, 2020 2:23 AM in response to turingtest2

Hi

Ok so I selected Yes.

Now in the Music preferences>Files> the music media folder location is specified as below:

/APPLE SSD/Users/JonathanAlder/Music/Music/Media

If then go and look at the folder in Users > X > Music >........ the old iTunes folder is still visible.

What I ultimately want is all my music in the new Catalina file format and the old legacy iTunes folder redundant so i can delete it. This is what I did I now went and deleted the older iTunes folder.

I opened then the Music app and all my music and playlists are all there and playable.... Amazing, success it would appear!

One question I have now is:

In the old iTunes folder you could drill down and find the actual raw music files:

However in the new Catalina structure I cannot find the actual music (m4a) files:

Where are the actual music files located?

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Answer 4

turingtest2

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278,221 points

Oct 5, 2020 4:27 PM in response to JA_Kenya

Music > Preferences > Files will show you the location of the media folder that will be used for new content. Typically this would be ~/Music/Music/Media in a new Catalina install. I'm not sure whether you'll be connected to the old iTunes Media folder or you've been set up with a new Media folder where you created the Music library. You might want to reset the media folder if it is iTunes Media, and consolidate the media into the new media folder within your Music folder so that you're no longer using the old iTunes folder at all. Or at least won't be once you've also reorganized any TV Shows, movies, podcasts, and audiobooks in a similar fashion.

tt2

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Answer 5

turingtest2

Level 10

278,221 points

Oct 11, 2020 7:21 AM in response to JA_Kenya

Plenty of room then. Use File > Library > Organize Library... > Consolidate Files. Once complete Music should be connected to the files it will create in ~/Music/Music/Media rather than ~/Music/iTunes and it will be OK to delete the iTunes folder once more.

tt2

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Answer 6

turingtest2

Level 10

278,221 points

Oct 4, 2020 12:22 PM in response to JA_Kenya

See Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community.

tt2

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Answer 7

turingtest2

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278,221 points

Oct 6, 2020 9:09 AM in response to JA_Kenya

JA_Kenya wrote:

Is it possible to upload my entire music library to iCloud on my old Mac then download onto my new Mac.

I forgot to address this question. If you have iTunes Match or Apple Music then it is possible to use this to transfer your music from one computer to another, but there is always the risk that some matches may not be perfect, or that uploads don't come back in exactly the same format and bit rate.

tt2

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Answer 8

JA_Kenya Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 6, 2020 12:07 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks.

So in preferences the music media folder is as follows:

~ Music > iTunes > iTunes Music

Essentially what I want is my music with the new Catalina file structure to avoid any issues rather than add a legacy file structure and have the Music app looking at it.

I think what I want above is what you suggest below in your response:

You might want to reset the media folder if it is iTunes Media, and consolidate the media into the new media folder within your Music folder so that you're no longer using the old iTunes folder at all

However I’m unclear how to do this.

Is it possible to upload my entire music library to iCloud on my old Mac then download onto my new Mac.

Thanks for your help to date.

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Answer 9

JA_Kenya Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 7, 2020 1:41 PM in response to turingtest2

I don't have Match or Apple Music so that option won't work. Sorry if you are having to repeat yourself. Lets just say on my mac I choose to use iCloud to store all my music instead of my hard drive. Does that mean I would never be able to download all my music onto my mac rather than having it in iCloud without a subscription to Match or Apple music?

So, I went for the Reset option and noticed the destination change to ~/Music/Music/Media. a blue updating bar appeared followed but the message below?

I have no idea whether to say No or YES and the implications?

Seems crazy that apple change from iTunes to Music yet moving over a library seems such a hassle. I would have thought music and maybe photos are peoples most precious files yet the process isn't a simple import.

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Answer 10

JA_Kenya Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 11, 2020 3:06 AM in response to turingtest2

If they are in trash, why when I open the Music app I can see all my music and actually play it?

Are you actually using Catalina file structure yourself? are you able to drill down in your folders to find the actual music files themselves within the new structure?

I have a full back of my old Mac from where the original iTunes folder was taken. I am doing all this on my new mac to try and get it set up right which as you can see I struggling with regarding these. So, any messing around here can be undone.

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Answer 11

turingtest2

Level 10

278,221 points

Oct 11, 2020 4:20 AM in response to JA_Kenya

Yes, I use Catalina, and Windows, and occasionally I'll go back to Mojave or High Sierra to test something. On a Mac you can still access files that are in the trash. Select a song in your library, press cmd+I to get Song Info and look on the file tab to see where it is stored.

tt2

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Answer 12

JA_Kenya Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 11, 2020 7:49 AM in response to turingtest2

OK done that and when I open the Music>Media>..... I can see all the actual music files do appear to be within the new file structure.

Do I need to do anything else?

For example right at the beginning of this post I mentioned to get the music initially displayed I opened the music app whilst holding down the option key, then choose to ‘Choose Library’ which I selected. I then opened the iTunes folder and choose the file ‘iTunes Library.itl’

Do need to do some sort of undoing of the step above or by consolidating is it automatically looking t the correct library with the new file structure?

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Answer 13

JA_Kenya Author

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9 points

Oct 11, 2020 8:45 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks for all your help with this to date.

OK I will delete the iTunes folder.

As I asked early am I have all this bother because I am trying to get it to a new laptop? What would happen if i was just updating to Catalina would all this have been taken care of.

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Answer 14

JA_Kenya Author

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9 points

Oct 11, 2020 7:01 AM in response to turingtest2

music is 76gb

Mac SSD has 350gb left

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Answer 15

JA_Kenya Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 5, 2020 2:32 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks.

I have had a good read and a go and have the following question:

So as previously explained I copied the old iTunes folder from my old Mac into the music folder, so per below.

Users > X > Music > iTunes (and deleted the Music folder)

I then opened the music app whilst holding down the option key. It then gave me the choice to ‘Choose Library’ which I selected.

I then opened the iTunes folder and choose the file ‘iTunes Library.itl’

It then wants to create a folder called Music (you can change the name if you desire), which I did.

When I then open iTunes it appears I now have all my music, playlists etc... Brilliant!

The question I have is as follows:

Great I've achieved what I want but in the process I now have two folders ‘iTunes’ and ‘Music’

What’s the implications of this. When use the app and add new music will it add any new music to the iTunes file or is that just a snapshot from my old Mac and anything new will be done in the music folder?

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Moving music library to Catalina

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