how to move music library to external hard drive

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Level 1

88 points

how to move music library to external hard drive

Need the space. Can't backup with TM or update to

Nothing on Support site. Remarkable. Lots of external sites, but old or iTunes. I'm afraid may be different with Music app. I can see in Finder that a separate iTunes and Music library. I can see that the actual music, album are in Music>Media>Music, and another that is way too small called Music Library.musiclibrary.

In Music app, i tried preferences>File and changed Music Media Folder Location to external HD, but nothing happened. It's not on HD.

There appears to be several Music media and Music libraries. Very complicated. Not like moving all my iPhoto, Photos, and Pictures to HD.

Running out of ideas to create storage. And pls don't suggest Cloud. I've only bad experiences with it and use only for syncing.

Thanks for help.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Feb 9, 2022 4:38 PM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

272,937 points

Feb 10, 2022 8:35 AM in response to ArmandoWyo

I'm not entirely sure where storage gathers its data from. If you started with ~/Music/Music at 9Gb and ~/Music/iTunes at 9GB, moved the ~/Music/Music to external and then consolidated and have 18Gb that rather suggests that part of your content was in the Music media folder and part was still in the old iTunes folder. Consolidating will have brought it all together. Use Cmd+/ to show the status bar at the bottom of the screen and review the size of your library there. Assuming that also shows as 18Gb that would make sense. There should be 18Gb of data on the internal drive you can safely delete.

tt2

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Answer 2

ArmandoWyo Author

Level 1

88 points

Feb 10, 2022 5:18 AM in response to Niel

Thanks, but which library? I see several. Here's a screen shot. I assume none under iTunes.

Then under Music>Media, there are 3 files-folders. 1. Folder called Automatically Add to Music, which I assume is not it (I see one with this name already in HD?). 2 Music, it's highlight and if open I see all my albums and music); and Music Library.musiclibrary, it says library but it's only 1.2MB and actual music library is 9GB, but some other websites said that this was folder to move to HD.

As I said, don't want to wipe out music moving wrong file-folder. Which is correct one to drag and then choose?

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Answer 3

ArmandoWyo Author

Level 1

88 points

Feb 10, 2022 6:56 AM in response to ArmandoWyo

Did it. No problem. and my music appears in Music app (although since it is still on MBP and external HD, don't which appears.)

Now to clear space on MBP, I assume I need to move the Music folder on MBP to trash and empty trash, correct?

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Answer 4

turingtest2

Level 10

272,937 points

Feb 10, 2022 7:11 AM in response to ArmandoWyo

In Music use Music > Preferences > Files > Reset to make sure music is using the folder ../Music/Media for its media folder. Then use File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate Files. This makes sure that if your library is currently connected to files on some other path, e.g. legacy iTunes content in ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media, that the content is copied into the active media folder on the external drive. Once complete you can manually delete the original on your internal drive. Best practice would be to backup this data first just in case you delete more than you should. Similar steps can be used to move the TV library from ~/Movies. It too may have data in the old iTunes Media folder.

tt2

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Answer 5

ArmandoWyo Author

Level 1

88 points

Feb 10, 2022 7:42 AM in response to turingtest2

OK. Pls, still another question. When now check storage space, it has not changed, but on listing of app's size, Music no longer part of list. Could it be in the "Other"? Also, when I look at "Music" folder in still present iTunes folder, it shows that it has 9GB? Should I trash that? And final strange thing, the size of Music library in external HD is double what it was on MBP, from 9GB to 18 GB now. That's ok. have plenty of space on HD.

But I do need space on MBP. It has only 4GB free. Not enough to backup or upgrade. I plan to get a new Mac in next few months.

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Answer 6

ArmandoWyo Author

Level 1

88 points

Feb 10, 2022 8:48 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks. I trashed iTunes Music and also a extra Photos library that duplicates 98% of one I have in external HD. Now I have 25GB free. Will back up to another HD and then update. 'course then i will not have space for next update.

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