This remains an unresolved problem. MacBook Air does not have CD drive so must convert music on other Mac and transfer to flash drive. Used to be able to drag file directly into iTunes from this flash drive. Cannot transfer file from within iTunes via "add file" either.
Thanks for the feedback. The songs show up and play in iTunes until the flash drive is removed, then the files "cannot be located". Running Monterey OS with most current iTunes App (Apple Music?). Used to be quick and easy, looks like Microsoft/Windows users are experiencing the same issue. The solution I have found that works is to search "iTunes" in finder and locate a file folder called "automatically add to music". Songs can be placed into folder with drag and drop. Then open folder and "play" the mp3 file, it will now transfer into iTunes. As mentioned, previously just dragged file to iTunes icon and boom it was copied. Easy Peezy. This is the cumbersome crap that existed in the Microsoft world that drove me to Apple in the first place. Expected so much simpler and streamlined process from Apple. Why did you change this??
Thanks for the feedback. The songs show up and play in iTunes until the flash drive is removed, then the files "cannot be located". Running Monterey OS with most current iTunes App (Apple Music?). Used to be quick and easy, looks like Microsoft/Windows users are experiencing the same issue. The solution I have found that works is to search "iTunes" in finder and locate a file folder called "automatically add to music". Songs can be placed into folder with drag and drop. Then open folder and "play" the mp3 file, it will now transfer into iTunes. As mentioned, previously just dragged file to iTunes icon and boom it was copied. Easy Peezy. This is the cumbersome crap that existed in the Microsoft world that drove me to Apple in the first place. Expected so much simpler and streamlined process from Apple. Why did you change this??
Hi AirPod66,
If you’re experiencing an issue dragging and dropping content on your Mac, the following steps may help:
"1. On your Mac, select an item you want to drag—such as an image or block of text.
2. Press and hold the trackpad or mouse while you drag the item to a new location. To copy the item instead of moving it, press and hold the Option key while you drag.
3. Release the trackpad or mouse to drop the item in the new location."
You can find more information about dragging and dropping content
here: Drag and drop items on Mac
If those steps don't help, we'd like to confirm a few pieces of information to help move forward.
What happens when you try to drag and drop content in iTunes?
Do you receive any errors? If so, what does the error say?
Which macOS version is your Mac running?
If you're using macOS Catalina or later, you can import music from your computer to Music on your Mac. You can find more information about that here: Import music from a computer to Music on Mac
Take care!
Thanks for the clarification!
It sounds like you're adding the songs from your flash drive to your Apple Music Library, but you're not copying the songs from the drive to the Mac's drive. As a result, when the drive is removed, the songs can no longer be found.
This was also the expected functionality in older versions of iTunes.
The reason it functions this way, is that some users may want to add this music without copying the files to their Mac, so music can be stored on a large external drive, they intend to keep attached, without taking up space on the Mac or Windows computer.
In your case, if you want to keep the songs on your Mac so they play when the drive is not attached, start by making sure that the songs you add, are also copied over.
Using the Automatically Add to iTunes option is one solution.
You can also customize iTunes settings, so songs you add are copied to your computer's hard drive.
Additional information is available here: Change Files preferences in Music on Mac
We hope this helps!
Yup, this box was unchecked. Not sure when this happened? Possibly on an update? Just always worked seamlessly. Thanks for the helpful responses
Hey AirPod66!
We're glad this has been resolved for you. Please don't hesitate to post again if you need assistance in the future.
Regards.
Can't drag and drop music into iTunes
