How can I completely backup all the Apple Music library info & settings?

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Level 1

11 points

How can I completely backup all the Apple Music library info & settings?

I am trying to completely backup everything that is related to Apple Music which includes playlists, columns, file location references.

Having the subscription the playlist part is easy because it's stored in the cloud, however the rest is not.

Backing up the columns

I have tried to copy the com.apple.Music.plist file from ~/Library/Preferences but if, on a clean install, I try to restore the columns with that file it does not work. Moreover if I just delete it & the ~/Music/Music folder & the files from the ~/Library/Caches folder and then I start up Apple Music again, the column settings are still in place, which means it's the wrong file.

Backing up music location

I have some of my music that I am storing in another location and I have the "Copy files to Music Media..." option unchecked. When I import the music, I have the correct location for the file. If I delete the files mentioned previously (including the Cache files) and I relaunch the app I still got the correct reference which means those ones do not contain the references either.

In both cases backing up the ~/Music/Music folder does not work.

If I do a clean install of the OS I lose every customisation I have done on the library including the file references, so I have to add every column, for every playlist again. Furthermore I don't have the reference to the music files anymore, so if I just click download I'll get a duplicates on the disc: 1 in the music folder & 1 where I normally store it.

Does anyone know what I need to back up?

Posted on Mar 22, 2023 12:00 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

274,346 points

Mar 24, 2023 12:18 PM in response to andrei272

Take a look at Managing your Mac media libraries - Apple Community for some background. The phrase "When I import the music" suggests you're doing something wrong as a restored library database should contain the entries for all of your content. The active Music Library.musiclibrary package should hold your library. If you delete and then restore this file you may want to use the option-start-Music method to actively choose the library, otherwise it could potentially be connected to a version in the trash, or a hidden cached copy it can use to support Home Sharing even when Music isn't running.

tt2

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Answer 2

Mar 22, 2023 4:56 AM in response to andrei272

Reply to andrei272 🎵 Back up Music Files Information

To be clear , I don't have a subscription for Apple Music , I do have quite an extensive iTunes Library . I can relate to the column situation , I add & subtract information .

Once I enter the information in my columns , I back up the library to an external hard drive … like a thumb drive .

From ~/Music/Music , do you see any " previous libraries " ? Click on the items that aren't in your path , like " iTunes" or " iTunes Media " . Watch for any files ending with

.itl and .xml ( iTunes Library.itl ) ( iTunes Music Library.xml ) … these are the database files containing all of the information in those columns .

This is how mine is : from Finder … MacHD … users … your name … music … iTunes …

iTunes Media … music … all the artists appear followed by the other information .

https://support.apple.com/guide/music/change-where-music-files-are-stored-mus69248042d/1.2/mac?

🎸 🎹 🎷 🥁

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Answer 3

andrei272 Author

Level 1

11 points

Mar 22, 2023 10:30 PM in response to SteelCityAnne

In the Music folder I only have the library file and a folder

Media.localized
Music Library.musiclibrary

Backing up these files seems to be useful only for when you don't have a subscription.

The .musiclibrary seems to behave quite odd because I just did the following and the results are just strange:

I archive ~/Music/Music then I delete it and restart Apple Music => columns gone
I delete the folder again, unzip the file that I made on the previous step and restart Apple Music => columns back
I add a new random column, close the app, copy an old backed up version of the library and restart Apple Music => the new column did not go away

Given this info, either I am not backing everything or the library is coded to only work specifically with the system where it was created (even if it's the same computer, after a reinstall I think some identifier changes which means it identifies as a different system)

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How can I completely backup all the Apple Music library info & settings?

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