Transferring iTunes Library( pre Big Sur) to Apple Music (Big Sur)

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Transferring iTunes Library( pre Big Sur) to Apple Music (Big Sur)

I know there's a good deal of similar questions here, (yet, unfortunately, no official how-to from Apple) but I want to make sure I am exactly copying the correct things in order to get all of my library, metadata, podcasts, and TV shows transferred.

I have copied my entire iTunes folder found in the Music folder to an external hard drive. I am using a pre-Catalina OS (Mojave) so I still have iTunes. Now, in order to import that entire library correctly, should I just drag and drop it into a folder in Big Sur, or option click Apple Music and click import library?

Can someone point me to the exact area I should drop the iTunes folder? I feel like I shouldn't be dropping anything that says iTunes into the new Music app.

Also, will my podcasts and TV shows automatically populate from this folder as well?

Thank you in advance.

Posted on Jul 5, 2021 8:29 PM

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Answer 1

TheLittles

Level 10

195,352 points

Jul 5, 2021 8:49 PM in response to yankee119

yankee119 Said:

"Transferring iTunes Library( pre Big Sur) to Apple Music (Big Sur): I am using a pre-Catalina OS (Mojave) so I still have iTunes. Now, in order to import that entire library correctly, should I just drag and drop it into a folder in Big Sur, or option click Apple Music and click import library?[...]"

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Are You Upgrading?:

Are you just looking to upgrade your Mac? Or are you looking to transfer this information to this Mac?. iTunes is Pre-Catalina, not Pre-Bug Sur. In Big Sur, then TV app is now used for TV Shows and Movies, whereas the Music app is used for Music. So, if you are looking to upgrade, then nothing would be impacted-- just let things stand. once the upgrade is complete, all would be placed to where it should be.

Important: Prior to the upgrading, Create a Time Machine Backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong, with the upgrade.

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Answer 2

yankee119 Author

Level 1

18 points

Jul 6, 2021 11:17 AM in response to yankee119

FYI: I went to an alternate thread with the same question. I found this thread to be the most helpful here. I would read the entire thread to get a hang for what exactly you are doing before beginning.

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Answer 3

yankee119 Author

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18 points

Jul 5, 2021 9:21 PM in response to TheLittles

I cannot proceed with Migration Assistant because there is no way to bring in just music or photos or documents without also bringing in a user's library folder. Migration Assistant does not allow you to fine tune selections like that. If I used Migration Assistant to make the automatic move from iTunes to Apple Music, my new computer would be populated with years of user/Library files, which I do not want at this point.

I know this thread has some clues as to what to do, but it's still a bit confusing about what to actually replace on the new Mac to make sure that Apple Music reads the iTunes.itl file correct.y.

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Answer 4

TheLittles

Level 10

195,352 points

Jul 5, 2021 9:17 PM in response to yankee119

yankee119 Said:

"Transferring iTunes Library( pre Big Sur) to Apple Music (Big Sur): I am transferring my music to a new MacBook Pro with Big Sur from a computer with Mojave. I did not use migration assistant, though, because I wanted a fresh install without leftover files from years of use. I need to manually bring the library over, but I'm not sure what to replace in Apple music on the new computer"

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iTunes Will be Used:

Mojave will have iTunes -- the Music app does not exist in it. So, by importing it, all will be added to the iTunes library, and so will movies and videos. So, proceed with Migration Assistant, backing up first.

Important: Prior to the upgrading, Create a Time Machine Backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong, with the upgrade.

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Answer 5

TheLittles

Level 10

195,352 points

Jul 5, 2021 9:36 PM in response to yankee119

yankee119 Said:

"I know this thread has some clues as to what to do, but it's still a bit confusing about what to actually replace on the new Mac to make sure that Apple Music reads the iTunes.itl file correct.y."

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Export, then Import:

Is Catalina currently installed? If not, can you restore from a backup of Catalina that has all of these files? Eitherway, once Catalina is on it, export the library to an external device. Then, once exported, and after you get Mojave on it, import it to Mojave. Go Here: Move your iTunes Library to Another Computer - Apple Support

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Answer 6

yankee119 Author

Level 1

18 points

Jul 5, 2021 10:05 PM in response to TheLittles

Catalina is not installed. I have Mojave on my old Mac and Big Sur on my new Mac. I recognize that the basic steps of this is exporting my iTunes library found in ~/music to an external and then bringing it in to a new Mac, but finding the exact steps for this are tricky. The only official support that Apple has is concerning the doing this through Windows, in the link you have listed above. Apple seems to really want us all to just use Apple Match or Migration Assistant.

This thread from Turing has some clues, but still a bit confusing about what exactly is a "portable" library and what exactly needs to be replaced in Big Sur's music folder in order to link correctly.

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Answer 7

yankee119 Author

Level 1

18 points

Jul 5, 2021 8:57 PM in response to TheLittles

I am transferring my music to a new MacBook Pro with Big Sur from a computer with Mojave. I did not use migration assistant, though, because I wanted a fresh install without leftover files from years of use. I need to manually bring the library over, but I'm not sure what to replace in Apple music on the new computer

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Transferring iTunes Library( pre Big Sur) to Apple Music (Big Sur)

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