How to transfer iTunes Library from PC to Mac
2011-12-29 23:36:59 /
Posted by Ivan Cook to iTunes Tips
Follow @IVANJCOOK
Just switched to a Mac and struggled to figure out how to transfer across your iTunes library? It's easy to copy the music, just take your "my documents folder" and copy it to your Mac. But what if you want to keep your library file intact with all the play counts, ratings etc. that you had built up over the years? It's not a tough job and this article is a detailed guide assisting you to transfer iTunes Library from PC to Mac step by step without losing any data. The exact required steps follow:
To sync your PC iTunes library to Mac, you need first do some preparations with your Windows version of iTunes:
- Head to "Edit">"Preferences">"Advanced">tick both "Keep iTunes Music folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library". And you'd better make a note of the "iTunes Music folder location". These settings will ensure that all your media files end up in the main iTunes Media folder, which you will later copy to your Mac. After that, click "OK" to save those changes and get rid of the preferences window.
- Go to "File">"Library">"Organize Library… " >" Consolidate Files">"OK". What all of this does is ensure that every single music file is held in the same directory, making it very easy to copy all of your music across. If the "Upgrade To iTunes Media Organization" option is not dimmed, check this too; it sorts your files in separate sub-folders.
- "File">"Library">" Export Library..." and save the Library.xml file somewhere on the destination machine.
If you have a big library, these two steps would take a while—all of this is for copying the PC iTunes folder. If your PC is Windows 7 OS, the iTunes folder would be in: yourusernameMy MusiciTunes, if it's Windows Vista, the iTunes folder then is in yourusernameMusiciTunes. Windows XP? Well, the iTunes folder is here: Documents and SettingsyourusernameMy DocumentsMy MusiciTunes.
After that, you now can copy the entire PC iTunes folder to an external hard drive or copy it across your network to your new Mac—you'd better copy it to the Music folder in your Mac user folder.
Note: If there is already an iTunes folder, it means you've launched iTunes at least once on the Mac. If there's no music there, you can just replace the folder. However, if you've already added music, you won't be able to merge the libraries; in the iTunes Media folder, found in the iTunes folder, move the Music folder to your desktop and add those files into iTunes after you've completed this process. (Note that you'll lose any playlists, play counts, and the like associated with those files, however.)
Now, it's time to tell Mac iTunes where to find the PC iTunes library. You need do something with your Mac version of iTunes to accomplish the iTunes transferring from PC to Mac.
Launch the Mac iTunes. Head to "iTunes"> "Preferences…">" Advanced">"Change…"> navigate to the iTunes Media folder on your external hard drive>"OK". Same as before on the PC, select the music folder, and tick the two check boxes.
Note: iTunes will now look to that drive for you content, and everything should be working correctly. If not, choose File> Library>Organize Library>consolidate the library, as above to fix any problems.
Now you have finished transferring iTunes from PC to Mac, have a nice media experience!
Related Articles
Social Connection
