Need to transfer old iTunes files to new Mac.

I was using an old Mac Pro, 2009 running 10.11.6, and my granddaughter just gave me a 2019 iMac running Sequoia 15.2. I also just updated from an old iPhone 8 to an iPhone 14.


I just noticed that I am missing lots of albums and songs on the new iMac and iPhone. I still have the albums I purchased from the music store but there is a ton of stuff that I copied over from CD's that have just disappeared.


My old Mac Pro will not start up any more but I have a clone backup. Looking inside the clone I see all my music in the iTunes folder. Is there a way I can import all those songs to my new iMac and then onto my new iPhone? This is what the folder looks like:


All my music is in the iTune Music folder. Can I just import that folder? Or maybe import the iTunes Library? That would be the easy way if I could do it. I can also drag and drop the files if needed. I'd appreciate it if anyone has any advice on how to do this.


I can no longer start up my old Mac Pro, nor can I start up from the Clone with my new iMac. The Mac Pro is just too old and incompatible with the iMac. And because of that I was also not able to use migration assistant to transfer any files. I ended up just dragging and dropping any files I needed but no apps would transfer over.


And to make matters worse the new iMac doesn't even have a CD/DVD player to transfer all the music over again if needed.


I'd appreciate any help,

Thanks,

Kevin

iMac 21.5″, macOS 15.2

Posted on Dec 20, 2024 12:05 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 20, 2024 12:43 PM

See Move your iTunes/Music library to a new computer - Apple Community. In general you should copy everything to the same paths it would have held on the previous computer, then hold down option while launching Music to access the choose/create library dialog, click choose, then choose a location to save the library and a folder name. It may suggest Music 2, but you will normally want the Music library at ~/Music/Music (I.e. called Music and saved in the ~/Music folder.) There is likely an existing folder there that you should move/rename/delete first.


See also Managing your Mac media libraries - Apple Community.


tt2

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5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 20, 2024 12:43 PM in response to Kevin Horn

See Move your iTunes/Music library to a new computer - Apple Community. In general you should copy everything to the same paths it would have held on the previous computer, then hold down option while launching Music to access the choose/create library dialog, click choose, then choose a location to save the library and a folder name. It may suggest Music 2, but you will normally want the Music library at ~/Music/Music (I.e. called Music and saved in the ~/Music folder.) There is likely an existing folder there that you should move/rename/delete first.


See also Managing your Mac media libraries - Apple Community.


tt2

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Need to transfer old iTunes files to new Mac.

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