Backup and Move Your iTunes Library to Another Computer
Posted on February 23, 2010 at 5:55 am
Backing up your iTunes library regularly is always a good thing to do, especially if you have a lot of music. Some people have several thousand songs. Imagine losing 2000+ songs because your hard drive failed… not good.
In many cases, 2000+ songs would mean $2000… down the drain. This tutorial will teach you three easy ways to backup your iTunes. Hopefully, one of them works for you.
For this tutorial, you will need:
- An external hard drive
or
- A high capacity flash drive
and/or
Another computer
*If you plan on transferring your iTunes to another computer, your hard drive or flash drive needs to be formatted correctly. If transferring to a Mac, the hard drive must be formatted as OS X Journaled. If transferring to a PC, the hard drive must be formatted as FAT 32.*
Backing up your iTunes library
1. Open up iTunes
2. Navigate to your iTunes preferences. If you are using a Mac, click the iTunes text in the top OS X navigation bar and select Preferences from the drop down menu.
If you are using Windows, select edit from the top toolbar of the iTunes window and select Preferences from the drop down menu.
3. Click on the advanced tab.
4. Check to assure that the option to Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library has a check mark next to it. If not, check it. Click the OK button when you are finished.
5. Click the File button located on the top OS X navigation bar on Macs, or the top Window menu in Windows. Hover your mouse over the Library link from the drop down menu and select Organize Library from the secondary sub menu.
6. From the Organize Library window, put a check next to the listing Consolidate Files. If you have the option, also put a check mark in the box that says Upgrade to iTunes Media organization. Click the OK button.
7. Close out of iTunes completely. If you are using a Mac, select iTunes from the top OS X navigation bar and select Quit iTunes. If you are using Windows, just click the X in the corner of the iTunes window to exit.
8. Connect your external hard drive or high capacity flash drive to your computer.
9. Navigate to your external hard drive or flash drive and open it. If you are using a Mac, it should auto mount and show up on the desktop. If you are using Windows, you may need to navigate to your My Computer and open it from there.
10. Find the location of your iTunes folder. By default, the location is Finder > Username > Music > iTunes on a Mac. The location is Start > Documents > Username > My Documents > My Music on a PC.
If your iTunes folder is not located in one of those locations, you can manually find it. Reopen iTunes. Use the path iTunes > Preferences on a Mac, or Edit > Preferences on a PC.
11. Click the Advanced tab. Look for the section labeled iTunes Media folder location. That is how you can get to your iTunes folder.
12. Click and drag your main iTunes folder into your external hard drive of flash drive.
That’s all there is to backing up your iTunes. You now have all of your music saved too your external hard drive or flash drive.
Restoring iTunes or adding iTunes to another computer (optional)
13. Make sure that you have iTunes installed on the other computer. If you do not, you can get iTunes here.
14. Connect your external hard drive of flash drive to the computer.
15. Launch iTunes.
16. Drag your iTunes folder from your external hard drive/flash drive into the iTunes Window.
17. Wait for all music to copy completely. This could take quite a while, depending on how many songs that you are copying. After that, you’re done.
» Filed Under Computer Tips
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Wait, so is this legal? Can I copy my iTunes music onto as many PCs as I want? How does that work, I thought it was only on one device?
I just read up online while typing this comment and it seems you can authorize multiple computers, but there is no mention of that here…I’m assuming you have to do that also correct?
I didn’t know you could do that. Wouldn’t that create problems. I thought iTunes didn’t let you copy stuff around.
Please explain.
Just do what he said. Yeesch!!
Is it legal! Is it “legal”!!
As long as you accept the consequences of BUYING the music you like…. or the consequences that come with not buying the music you like… then so be it!
Steve Jobs will not hunt you down, smash your door, and confiscate your $200.oo IPod!
BTW, Apple engages in shady, bad stuff. So there.
1. They on purpose refuse to make their cell phones, IPods, etc… have the battary removable. Thus the life shortens, and customers have to buy new battarys ONLY from Apple. Anyone who knows nothing about electronics will tell you when not in use, the battary is to be taken out – or else it will discharge and go dead/die faster.
That is why ALL OTHER cell phone companies MAKE their cell phones so that customers CAN remove the battaries.
2. ALL Apple stores refuse to sell the BEST computers Apple makes. You can be a Billionair customer, and they will refuse to sell you their best Apple computers! If they did, all their stores would shut down LOL! Go ahead and try it!
Walk into an apple store and say:
“Does Apple make the MacBook Pro with a SOLID STATE DRIVE?”
They will say yes.
Then say:
“I have have money right now. Right now I want to buy a MacBook Pro with a SOLID STATE DRIVE right now.”
They will refuse you.
Then say:
“I want to order a MacBook Pro with a SOLID STATE DRIVE.”
They will refuse you again.
Yet, if you ask to buy or order any Apple computer that does NOT have a solid state drive, they will do it for you.
(Yes, the MacBook Air comes with a SOLID STATE DRIVE. But it is a fake laptop. Does the same thing as a 10year old laptop – only good for surfing the internet. Need to buy the rest of the parts!!! LOL! Can you say buy an external drive!!!)
@American Stylee
what?