cheekyage
Level 1 (12 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Move iTunes library from iMac to external hard drive

Hi all

 

Ive just installed a new SSD in my 2009 iMac. My current iTunes library is rather big in size and I'd like to save some space on the new SSD rather than have it at near capacity.

 

Can anyone tell me if this is easy enough to do? If there are some simple instructions or video tutorials I'd love to hear from you.

 

Here are my questions:

 

1. How do I move existing iTunes library to a external hard drive?

2. Does this also move device back ups such as iPhone, iPad etc?

3. Does this also move apps?

4. How do you delete the iTunes library from the main internal iMac SSD once it's moved over to the external drive?

 

Thanking you!

Posted on Jan 23, 2016 5:16 PM

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cheekyage

Q: Move iTunes library from iMac to external hard drive

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Jan 23, 2016 5:18 PM in response to cheekyage
    Level 10 (311,966 points)
    Jan 23, 2016 5:18 PM in response to cheekyage

    1. Drag it there, launch iTunes with the Option key held down, and choose that library.

    2. No.

    3. Yes.

    4. Put a copy of it on a third drive(in case the one holding it fails), throw away the original copy, and empty the Trash.

     

    (138739)

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Jan 23, 2016 5:32 PM in response to Niel
    Level 8 (38,416 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 23, 2016 5:32 PM in response to Niel

    For 1 and 4, the "thing" the needs to be copied to external drive (and later deleted from internal drive to free up the space) is the iTunes folder.  This is the folder located at

     

    [startup disk]/Users/[your user account name]/Music/iTunes

     

    For a Mac user, if you use the default settings in iTunes, all of your iTunes data should be located in that iTunes folder.  But if you have media files (used by iTunes) stored outside of the iTunes Media folder that is in the iTunes folder, use the Consolidate command first, before copying iTunes folder to external drive.

     

    menu bar -> File -> Library -> Organize Library -> Consolidate Files (checkmark box)

     

    NOTE:  You are doing the backup iTunes library procedure described here

     

    Back up your iTunes library by copying it to an external drive - Apple Support

     

    then opening iTunes using iTunes library file on external drive as described here

     

    Open a different iTunes Library file or create a new one - Apple Support