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How to sync an iOS device to a new computer without losing photos and music?

My wife has been using a PC with iTunes for Windows to sync her devices. I just bought her a MacBook Air and am trying to sync her devices to iTunes on it but iTunes tells me it must ERASE the iPad and/or iPhone in order to sync it on this new computer with a different iTunes library. Any help here would sure be appreciated. Thnaks

Posted on May 5, 2015 10:24 AM

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Posted on May 6, 2015 5:54 AM

Moving a library: Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive. Hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) and open iTunes. At the prompt to create or choose a library choose the copied iTunes folder.


When this is to a new computer put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there. (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)


Windows users see tip at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4095896?answerId=18879381022#18879381022



Consider moving everything from your Windows PC to your Mac in a single move, including your iTunes library: About Windows Migration Assistant - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4796 - Learn about how to use Windows Migration Assistant to migrate your files from a Windows PC to a Mac. Additional tip by ChrisCA 05/2014 - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7022914?answerId=28178940022#28178940022

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Question marked as Best reply

May 6, 2015 5:54 AM in response to fredfrommccormick

Moving a library: Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its sub-folders and files) intact to the other drive. Hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) and open iTunes. At the prompt to create or choose a library choose the copied iTunes folder.


When this is to a new computer put the copied iTunes folder in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there. (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)


Windows users see tip at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4095896?answerId=18879381022#18879381022



Consider moving everything from your Windows PC to your Mac in a single move, including your iTunes library: About Windows Migration Assistant - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4796 - Learn about how to use Windows Migration Assistant to migrate your files from a Windows PC to a Mac. Additional tip by ChrisCA 05/2014 - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7022914?answerId=28178940022#28178940022

How to sync an iOS device to a new computer without losing photos and music?

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