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Restoring my itunes library

I've tried restoring my old iTunes library (it's been years) but when I can only get my fresh install of iTunes to list my library, not play the songs. None of the online directions I've found solve my issue. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Posted on Oct 17, 2023 9:08 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 18, 2023 1:47 AM

When you try to play a song in your new library does an exclamation mark appear next to the song's title?


If so, that means that iTunes can no longer find the file for that song, because either:

  • it is no longer in the location is was in when you added it to your library
  • the file has been renamed, moved or deleted
  • the path to the file has been renamed, moved or deleted


How did you add the music to your new library? If you simply told iTunes to add what is on an external drive, then that drive needs to be connected and ready to read before every time that you open iTunes.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 18, 2023 1:47 AM in response to jimrsouth

When you try to play a song in your new library does an exclamation mark appear next to the song's title?


If so, that means that iTunes can no longer find the file for that song, because either:

  • it is no longer in the location is was in when you added it to your library
  • the file has been renamed, moved or deleted
  • the path to the file has been renamed, moved or deleted


How did you add the music to your new library? If you simply told iTunes to add what is on an external drive, then that drive needs to be connected and ready to read before every time that you open iTunes.

Restoring my itunes library

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