Cannot drag or import Win10 Apple Music folder MP4 files into iTunes - nothing happens

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LifeTooShort Author

Level 1

4 points

Cannot drag or import Win10 Apple Music folder MP4 files into iTunes - nothing happens

Catastrophic iTunes crash = having to rebuild my iTunes library from the ground up. Not good.

I am an Apple Music and iTunes Match subscriber.

I have an extensive Apple Music folder stored locally with MPEG-4 Audio File (Protected) (.m4p) files

I assumed being a subscriber I could drag the files back into iTunes - nope!

I assumed being a subscriber I could import the Apple Music library back into iTunes - nope!

Am I missing a trick here?

Using the locally stored Apple Music library I am now having to search again in iTunes for each Apple Music track that is already in the local Apple Music library !? Flummoxed.

When I do this I can see which tracks I have 'loved' but they show as not having been downloaded - they have as there is a record of the track in the local Apple Music library!? The protected file(s) are still sat in a 20Gb+ local Apple Music library that iTunes doesn't want!

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Feb 18, 2021 11:05 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

turingtest2

Level 10

272,905 points

Feb 19, 2021 5:55 AM in response to LifeTooShort

A flaw from your perspective maybe, but perhaps an additional aspect of DRM security from Apple's. You have a temporary licence to use Apple Music content while your subscription remains active. There are mechanisms in place to make sure that you don't try to circumvent that, and this might be one of them.

From Subscribe to iTunes Match - Apple Support:

If you have an Apple Music membership, you get all of the benefits of iTunes Match, plus access to the entire Apple Music catalog. You can also get a Family Membership to share the catalog with your family members. Learn more about joining Apple Music.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

272,905 points

Feb 18, 2021 6:35 PM in response to LifeTooShort

You can restore or migrate a properly backed up iTunes Library complete with its downloaded Apple Music content, but you cannot import locally stored Apple Music tracks into an existing library, iTunes must download them. See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash - Apple Community. Perhaps you have a valid iTunes Library.itl file you can restore.

Apple Music incorporates the features of iTunes Match. You don't need both services.

tt2

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Answer 3

LifeTooShort Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 18, 2021 11:08 AM in response to LifeTooShort

I should add that the catastrophic iTunes crash also included an iTunes Match crash caused by a synch disaster involving other devices. This resulted in the iTunes library needing to be rebuilt but zero ability to re-incorporate the locally stored Win10 Apple Music folder. Re-enabling iTunes Match is a non-starter.

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Answer 4

LifeTooShort Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 19, 2021 12:11 AM in response to turingtest2

The ITL was not backed up properly therefore there isn't a restore option. Lesson learnt.

Why have I got a fat 20Gb+ locally stored downloaded Apple Music content file that clearly points to the tracks having been downloaded that cannot be restored to iTunes? Why - because it's a flaw in the service and functionality.

I was also notified by Apple that I needed both services.

Time to break up with iTiunes moment perhaps.....

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Cannot drag or import Win10 Apple Music folder MP4 files into iTunes - nothing happens

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