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How to transfer music to new computer?

Hi: I recently got a new MacBook Pro. I had a older MacBook Pro for a long time. I have a lot of songs on iTunes (now called Music I think) on the old computer, in my library. How can I get them on the new computer? I don't use the Cloud so I hope this doesn't involve the Cloud. Thanks.

MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 2023)

Posted on Oct 8, 2023 3:12 PM

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Posted on Oct 9, 2023 8:18 AM

The Application lives in the Applications folder yes. But the actual music files are stored in the Music folder in your user profile. Not inside the Application itself.


You have to have a user profile, when logging into a Mac, you log into a profile, and that profile has a set of folders stored inside it. One of those folders is the Music Folder.


Your user profile folder is usually identified by a house icon in Finder.


You can find the location of your music files by right clicking, control+click, or two finder click on a track in iTunes / Music and the clicking on the "Show in Finder" option from the menu.


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Question marked as Best reply

Oct 9, 2023 8:18 AM in response to Phinney

The Application lives in the Applications folder yes. But the actual music files are stored in the Music folder in your user profile. Not inside the Application itself.


You have to have a user profile, when logging into a Mac, you log into a profile, and that profile has a set of folders stored inside it. One of those folders is the Music Folder.


Your user profile folder is usually identified by a house icon in Finder.


You can find the location of your music files by right clicking, control+click, or two finder click on a track in iTunes / Music and the clicking on the "Show in Finder" option from the menu.


Oct 8, 2023 3:40 PM in response to Phinney

If your iTunes library is consolidated in a single location, you can simply drag and drop the iTunes folder located inside the Music folder in your user profile to a USB stick or external drive, and then repeat the process when connected to the new Mac.


Once the copy process is completed, you can then hold the option key while opening the Music App on the new Mac, and point it to the iTunesLibrary.itl file in the folder you just copied


click here ➜ Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community


If your music is not in the Media folder of the above location, you will need to consolidate your library first.

click here ➜ Make a split library portable - Apple Community


iCloud is not involved in this at all.

Oct 8, 2023 3:52 PM in response to Phil0124

Ok great. Thank you very much. I don't know if the music is in a media folder or what exactly. It's just all in the 'library' in iTunes but I can investigate and, if not, follow the steps in your second link.


I don't know if I have a 'user profile.' The iTunes has always been in the harddrive apps location. But you have given me a lot to go on here so thanks again.

How to transfer music to new computer?

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