How Do I Move My iTunes Library from PC to Mac?
Having switched to an Apple Mac and struggled to figure out how to transfer across my iTunes library for quite some time, I thought I would share the quickest way I found to move it. Copying the music is simple enough, but I wanted to keep my library file intact with all the play counts, ratings and everything else that I had built up over several years.
There are plenty of confusing guides across the Internet that talk about editing XML files and changing access permissions, but I eventually discovered that it is much simpler than anybody realises. So here is my simple 4-step guide to transferring your iTunes library from PC to Mac:
1. PC - Consolidate your Music Library
In your Windows version of iTunes, go to the Edit – Preferences menu, select the Advanced tab and then the General tab. Make sure that both Keep iTunes Music Folder Organised and Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library have ticks in their boxes, and make a note of the iTunes Music folder location.
Click OK to save changes and close the Preferences window, and then go to the Advanced menu and select Consolidate Library. This all ensures that every single music file is held in the same directory, making it very easy to copy all of your music across.
2. Mac – Initiate your new iTunes folder
Open iTunes on your Mac. From the iTunes menu select Preferences, then the Advanced icon and then the General pane. Again make sure that both Keep iTunes Music Folder Organised and Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library are ticked, and make a note of the iTunes Music folder location. You can now close iTunes.
3. PC - Mac
You now need to copy across your music folder. On your PC, go to the iTunes Music folder that you noted down earlier and copy everything across to your Mac’s iTunes Music folder. Either move it all to an external hard drive first, or perhaps share the folders across a network and copy across directly. This step puts your music in the right place on your Mac.
4. PC - Mac
Copy across your library file. Find the iTunes Library.itl file on your Windows PC (it should be in the My Documents – My Music – iTunes folder). Copy this across to your Mac’s iTunes folder (NOT the iTunes Music folder, but one folder back from that – you should have the correct folder if it shows the iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library.xml files in it).
Now delete the iTunes Library file on your Mac, and then rename your newly copied across iTunes Library.itl file to your iTunes Library (i.e. Remove the .itl extension from the end). This has given your Mac’s iTunes a new library file populated with all the extras you wanted to keep from your old library.
That’s all there is to it! When you next open up iTunes on your Mac, all of your music should be visible and all of your playlists, play counts, ratings and album artwork should be just as they were on your PC. However, if something is not quite right, don’t panic – nothing has been deleted from your PC so you can go through the process again.
Contact Us
preWeb IT Solutions is a Kent based creative agency specialising in cost-effective website design, online marketing and IT support for small businesses in Kent, London, Surrey and Sussex.
Contact us on 07590 196914 for a free, no obligation quote for your small business.
