Where should library.xml Reside on HD?

Your user profile should have a home directory. This would normally be \Users\<User Name> on your system drive. You can create a Music folder within it if it is missing.

You can press and hold down Alt/Option as you launch Music to get an option to choose or create a library. You can navigate to the location of the .musiclibrary that you've moved if you wish, or create a fresh one.

See Turn on Sync Library with Apple Music - Apple Support to enable Apple Music in the library that you've opened/created. Your computer needs to be authorized to your Apple ID and you need to be signed into it. Your existing cloud library should show in the cloud along with any local content already added to the library.

If content you add to your computer library doesn't show up on your other devices use File > Library > Update Cloud Library and/or see Identify cloud status icons in your music library on your Mac or PC - Apple Support and resolve any issues with content that hasn't matched or uploaded.

tt2

Hi FriesianQueen,

It seems like you have questions on the location of your library and music files, and we'd like to provide some information.

This link has some good information on where files are stored and the default locations: Change where your music files are stored on Mac

You also mentioned that you're not able to access your library on your iPad Air and iPhone; did you previously use these steps to sync your library? Access your music library on all your devices

Thank you!

The default library folder for the Music app in Catalina and later is ~/Music/Music where ~ is your user's home folder.

The default library database is ~/Music/Music/Music Library.musiclibrary, there is no XML file involved, although you can ask Music to generate one for use by other software.

The default media folder is ~/Music/Music/Media. A legacy from iTunes 9 was the introduction of a separate folder for music within the media folder to match those already provided for Movies, Podcasts, TV Shows, etc. Although the Music app only holds music and music videos this legacy option is still enabled by default, so effectively music ends up in ~/Music/Music/Media/Music. There is no direct mechanism provided to turn off this legacy option but you can edit a file called .Media Preferences.plist in your media folder and change the integer value from 1 to 0, then artist folders will be created directly in the designated media folder. Turning Keep organized off and back on again should rearrange everything to the new layout.

If iCloud Music Library, AKA Sync Library, is enabled on your devices then they sync with your computer library wirelessly and cannot be synced over USB.

tt2

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2