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Level 1

14 points

How to merge two iTunes Libraries?

I need some help merging 2 iTunes libraries. I have a large iTunes library on a WD 2TB external hard drive from a older computer in which iTunes would play items off the external HD and no iTunes item save on the internal HD. The library consists of music, movies, shows, books, apps, etc. I just recently bought a used 1st gen MacBook Air and without thinking transferred purchases from my iPhone and started syncing with the Air before I thought about the older library on the external HD. Now I have a new, small library on the Air's internal HD and the older, larger library on the external drive. What I'd like to do is merge the smaller into the larger one and keep the library on the external HD and iTunes read everything from the external HD.

With merging the 2 libraries, will it transfer my iPhone stuff as well? (backups, apps, info, etc.) Also, now that my iPhone is synced my Air and no longer synced through my older library, will I have to re-sync it again when the 2 are merged or will it automatically recognize it as already synced to newly merged library?

Currently running OS 10.6.8 and iTunes 10.5.2.

Sorry if anything is confusing. If you're confused on something, I'll try my best to clarify it.

Thanks in advance. ;)

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 5, 2012 10:02 AM

Best reply

iTJ84 Author

Level 1

14 points

Posted on Feb 5, 2012 11:28 AM

Nevermind. I got it all straightened out. :)

My sure to backup anything before starting just in case something goes wrong.

[b]Also, please note that this involved 1 computer and 1 external HD.[/b]

This is what I did:

1. Option+Click iTunes > Choose Library.. > Chose the one on my Air (the smaller one I'm wanting to merge with the larger one.)

My library was here: /Users/itj84/Music/iTunes.

Your's may vary depending which library you're wanting to combine.

2. File > Library > Export.

I renamed the .xml file to Air_Library.xml and saved it to my desktop. Rename the exported file(s) so you know which is which if you're merging multiple libraries.

3. Close iTunes > Option+Click iTunes > Choose Library.. In this step I chose the library on my external HD, so iTunes would open up my larger library I'm wanting to add to.

My path for the external HD happened to be /Volumes/My_Book/iTunes. Your path will vary.

4. File > Library > Import Playlist. I navigated to my desktop to pick the .xml I created in Step 2. iTunes imported all the music, movies, shows, books, etc. and kept the metadata intact.

Now I have just one large iTunes library saved on my external HD which iTunes will read from without taking up valuable space on my Air's HD. :)

One thing I do want to point out is that my apps DID NOT transfer over. I had to manually move them to the newly combine library, so be careful if your doing this, so you aren't overwriting apps with any older versions.

Everything works perfectly for me, so if your's does work, I'm not responsible. These are just the steps I took that worked in my particular case.

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19 replies

krummbum

Level 1

0 points

Aug 27, 2015 4:19 AM in response to iTJ84

This was brilliant! I am merging iTunes libraries from 4 computers onto one external drive to be used wirelessly from all four computers, so mine was slightly different. I started by simply backing up (see article Back up your iTunes library by copying it to an external drive - Apple Support)and then dragging and dropping the iTunes file from my main computer into the new external drive, because it was the largest. Once it was moved, I went to the second computer, and followed the instructions you gave to export the library to desktop from the second computer, and then choose a new library for the second computer so that I could import the list. It worked like a charm and they are merging as we speak. I will do the same for each of the four computers. Thank you!

Dec 24, 2015 9:02 PM in response to iTJ84

Thank you! This worked very well for me. I had an older iMac and a MacBook Pro that each had iTunes libraries. Both had some music the other didn't and there were many duplicates between the two. I got a new iMac and retired both the older iMac and the MacBook Pro. I used this process on my new iMac and now have a perfectly compiled merge of those two iTunes libraries.

pft44

Level 1

9 points

Apr 29, 2016 4:34 AM in response to Jason Weinstein2

I have a (I think) slightly different set of problems - please forgive the seemingly complex description but I am an 'old un' and my language reflects this.

I have a MacBook Pro with an iTunes library

My Wife also has a MacBook Pro with an iTunes Library

She also has a MacPro with yet another Library.

I am attempting to consolidate all three and house these music files of a single library on a Seagate Personal Cloud (8tb 2-bay Raid) NAS linked via wifi to our MBPs and Apple TV (via ipads and Seagate Media App).

So, how do I get all three iTunes Libraries onto the one NAS folder, consolidate and cleanse them and then make it so we can read iTunes on any device in the house (2 x iPad, 2 x iPhones, 2 MPB and 1 MacPro) Please respond in 'layman's terms' so I can easily follow it.

Thank you in advance

Limnos

Level 10

411,169 points

Apr 29, 2016 6:04 AM in response to pft44

With a question of this magnitude it might have been better to start a new topic rather than add it on to one started 4 years ago.

Decide which of the 3 is going to be your starter library and copy the entire iTunes folder to the external. Start iTunes while holding down the option/alt key and select the iTunes Library.itl file in the folder you copied. For the other 2 libraries drag the media files to an open iTunes playlist in the primary library. Spend a weekend sorting out duplicates.

Realize using a NAS with iTunes can be dicey. I am guessing the only NAS Apple tests with iTunes is their own Time Capsule and there are not infrequent posts here about erratic, unsolvable problems when using other NAS with iTunes.

Realize too that only one computer can use the library as configured above at any one time. It is possible to set up 3 libraries all sharing the same media files but then you are back to having to try to keep them up to date with each other.

How to merge two iTunes Libraries?