I have 2 windows based laptops, each have iTunes, and each have identical music in the iTunes libraries. I want to copy a playlist I made on one computer to my iTunes on the other computer. How?
null-OTHER, Windows 7
Not quite what I'm looking for. I want to physically download the playlist to my other computer so that when I take that computer somewhere other than my home network, I can still play the playlist.
I'm trying to figure out the File-->Library-->Import/Export playlist commands. It seems like that would create a file of the playlist I could simply copy to a thumb drive, then transfer it to the other computer. But I can't find the name of that file or where it resides (using Windows File Explorer). Any advice?
Also, I noticed when trying the Home Sharing, I was playing the playlist ok on my other computer, at the playlist name on the top of the screen, one of the options when clicking '...' was 'Import Playlist', I clicked that but nothing happened.
As long as both devices are on the same network, Home Sharing would be your best choice. See this support document. Use Home Sharing to share iTunes content with other devices - Apple Support
I saw this link before I posted but only got to the 1st paragraph where it says I need iOS. I'm using Windows, don't have iOS.
Not quite. I'm guessing that you do not have an iOS device, and you are only using iTunes on your computers. If that is the case, you do not need an iOS device. See this portion.
You can use Home Sharing with up to five computers on your home network. Follow these steps to use Home Sharing:
Now you can use Home Sharing:
in the top-left corner of iTunes.
, and select the content that you want to import.Once you click on the shared icon, you can access both libraries. No iOS device needed.
Well, I just tried testing a few things on my two computers. I have my main iTunes library on my desktop, and I have my laptop setup with Home Sharing. I have been able to copy music, but when I attempted to copy a playlist, it wouldn't work. Music would copy over to the laptop, but not a playlist. I can, however, copy all of the contents of the playlist to the laptop. While this may be a little sloppier than copying the playlist, at least it will work. I just selected the songs, and then drag it over to the left column, and that changes to the content of my laptop library, and the songs copied just fine. Not sure it that helps, but it is the best I can find right now.
After experimenting, I think I found a solution, so I'll try to answer my own question. Home Sharing is NOT the answer to this question!!
In iTunes, highlight the playlist you want to copy. Then, File-->Library-->export playlist. This will be saved as an XML file. A box comes up to let you designate where it will be saved. I saved mine to a thumb drive. Copy that file to the new computer. Go to iTunes on the new computer, then File-->Library-->import playlist. Click the file you just copied and the copied playlist will now appear in iTunes.
And that playlist will play? I'm just curious where it is getting the music file from? When I tried it on my Windows computer, it defaulted to save as a .txt file, but I was also able to select .xml. I don't have another computer to test it on right now, but will give it a try tomorrow when I get to work. I've emailed the file to my work address, and I can download it on computer that has a different iTunes library than I have at home.
As Chris has hinted I suspect having the XML playlist alone won't be enough. Exported playlist files refer to individual tracks by absolute file paths, so unless the second library has the same content stored at the same path as the original the imported playlist is likely to be missing tracks, or contain items that won't play.
tt2
We were both correct. I exported the playlist as the OP stated, emailed it to myself to use the file on my work computer. It has a clean library. I imported the playlist and while it saved, there was no music in it, since that .xml file refers to music and locations that exist on my home computer. The playlist opens, but since no music was saved to the exported file, then the music does not exist in the playlist or my library at work.
To the OP, while my Home Sharing step is not the most gracious, it does allow you to move the music from one computer to another, and would allow you to create a playlist. You still have to move the music to the other computer.
My original question assumed both computers have identical music libraries. That is why it worked for me.
I had forgotten that, but still, the file locations would still have to be exact for it to work. Either way, if it works for you, that is all that really matters.
How to copy an iTunes playlist from one computer to another?
