iTunes libraries will not open in Apple Music - It upgraded me from Mojave to Big Sur, skipping Catalina. And now, I cannot open any of my iTunes libraries!

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iTunes libraries will not open in Apple Music - It upgraded me from Mojave to Big Sur, skipping Catalina. And now, I cannot open any of my iTunes libraries!

All the libraries are GRAY after it upgraded me from Mojave – automatically skipping Catalina – to Big Sur.

And I tried right-clicking on an iTunes library ("iTunes Library.xml"), but again nada.

I cannot open ANY of my iTunes libraries! They are all gray. They are on an external HDD, formatted to Mac OS Journaled. (At some point, Apple started reformatting people's system drives to a new type.) On one iTunes library folder I did the "Repair security permissions for iTunes for Mac" thing.† But still did not work, and still grayed out.

I googled for an answer, but the only one I found that seemed related (that I tried) didn't work: The libraries are grayed out. This was all I found, so far, which I already knew (holding the Option key when selecting Apple Music, just as I had done with Apple iTunes to switch libraries):

"Switch libraries with the Apple Music app in macOS

If you have multiple iTunes libraries, learn how to switch between them in the Apple Music app in macOS Catalina or later.

How to switch iTunes libraries

Press and hold the Option key, then open the Apple Music app.

In the window that appears, click Choose Library.

Select the iTunes library that you want to switch to.

Click Choose.

Published Date: July 20, 2021"

I was able to get access to music some other way, but it lost all Playlists, Ratings, Plays, etc.

Help!

† From Repair security permissions for iTunes fo… - Apple Community I did the first paragraph: "Occasionally incorrect security permissions may prevent iTunes or Music from operating normally. To make sure that your profile has full read and write permissions to the iTunes folder and all its subfolders use Get Info on the iTunes folder in Finder. (In Catalina or later go to ~Music/Music instead.) Click the lock at the bottom right to make changes. Make sure that Locked isn't ticked and that your own account has Read & Write access, then use the gear icon at the bottom to Apply to enclosed items and confirm. Repeat with the media folder if it isn't a subfolder of the main library folder."

But the iTunes Library was still grayed when I clicked Option when opening Apple Music.

Posted on Mar 27, 2023 12:00 AM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

272,725 points

Mar 27, 2023 1:52 AM in response to sadsongs

Hi there,

The iTunes Library.xml files are text-based versions of the library, primarily provided so that third party apps can interrogate the library even when iTunes isn't running. An XML version of the library can also be imported into iTunes or Music via the File > Library > Import Playlist method. This should include all playlists, ratings, plays, etc., but does reset date added. The correct method to switch libraries is to hold down the Alt/Option key as you launch Music and then select the .itl or .musiclibrary file that you want to open. When opening a .itl file Music will prompt you for a location and folder name into which it will save the converted library in the .musiclibrary format. You would typically convert each .itl once, and then use the .musiclibrary versions thereafter.

N.b. iTunes libraries normally have a .itl file extension, but at some point way back when iTunes on Mac used an extensionless format for the library name. If any of your iTunes library folders contain files called simply iTunes Library you may need to add the .itl extension before trying to open with Music.

You can check your Apple Support Communities preferences to make sure that participation notices are enabled.

tt2

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Answer 2

sadsongs Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2023 2:09 PM in response to turingtest2

Thank you!!! Amazing! That .itl thing worked! (I had to pay close attention to where it was putting things.)

It is extra steps to get to the new file for each library. (I had 3 libraries!) But at least I now again have my Playlists! And Plays are still there; and the Added date is there, too, once you add those columns back in.

I did have to add in again all the columns I wanted, and had to reorder them manually.

If only Apple had just kept things the way they were in those libraries....

Q. Can I rename the folders, as I saved the converted Music library into the original folders which were call called "iTunes..." something or other?

Q. I may need to add in new music that I imported in the meanwhile. Along with that, also:

Q. Now if I can merge the work I did in the past 4 months in the libraries that were missing playlists, etc.... I wonder if messing around with that will mess things up?

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