Installed iTunes 12.2.2 and none of my previous playlists appear.
I've installed iTunes 12.2.2 and none of my previous playlists appear. I've spent years creating hundreds of playlists. How can I get those back?
Windows 7
9 replies
turingtest2
I just see a series of files called iTunes Library with a date after. No file extension. If I go to preferences I can see that it's an .itl file. Can I just rename it?
turingtest 2
I see my answer in your instructions.
It appears I do not have a file called iTunes Library.xml
The .xml file is created by iTunes to support 3rd party software. It isn't generally required. You should have a dated .itl file for the date you updated to 12.2. Copying this file into the main iTunes folder, renaming the file that is there so that it has a different name, and then the file that you copied so that it is called iTunes Library (or iTunes Library.itl if extensions are shown) should force iTunes to reevaluate your previous library. Hopefully this time it will work properly and retain all of your media and playlists.
tt2
Sorry to say after following your 1-2-3 process nothing changed. Well, actually none of the actual content appeared and the playlists I started recreating were all gone. I un-did the three steps and the content is back as is the playlists I started recreating. But none of my previous playlists appeared.
Hmm, well since it managed to break things the first time around it might be worth trying the steps a few times before giving up. As you've spotted the steps are reversible, and should always allow to return to where you are now, even if that isn't ideal.
I strongly recommend you Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy in future.
If you have any of the lost playlists on a iDevice see the two scripts mentioned near the bottom of Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
tt2
Thanks! I'm a PC guy running Windows 7. I don't have iTunes on any other device.
Following a query in another thread I've just added the following to my user tip.
With iTunes 12.2 or later it may pay to turn off iCloud Music Library and Apple Music before attempting to restore an older copy of your database as shown below. These options can be found under Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or iTunes > Preferences > General (Mac OS X).
I can picture the circumstances in which Apple Music has catalogued your library without any playlists, and then continues to show it to you without them, even though they should be contained in a restored .itl file.
tt2
Installed iTunes 12.2.2 and none of my previous playlists appear.