[HELP] How do you transfer an entire iTunes library to another computer?

[Pigperson]

I need to transfer my music from a Windows computer to a MacBook. How can I do this so that it's all transferred with the names I changed them to and the album artwork etc?

Help is much appreciated. +11rep.

Will

[Jack!]

In windows:

my documents > Itunes > then copy everything in there.
or my docs > Music > Itunes.

You need to copy it to portable media, SD Cards, External HDD's, USB Sticks ETC. You can do it in bits, just make sure its the same as when it was when it was on Windows, then import it all into your Mac itunes.

Then on your Mac drag the Itunes folder into iTunes, will import everything as it was.

[Pigperson]

In windows:

my documents > Itunes > then copy everything in there.
or my docs > Music > Itunes.

You need to copy it to portable media, SD Cards, External HDD's, USB Sticks ETC. You can do it in bits, just make sure its the same as when it was when it was on Windows, then import it all into your Mac itunes.

Then on your Mac drag the Itunes folder into iTunes, will import everything as it was.

Thanks, does this import all the music with their names I named them on windows and everything the same or do I have to change the names manually?

Will

[Pigperson]

In windows:

my documents > Itunes > then copy everything in there.
or my docs > Music > Itunes.

You need to copy it to portable media, SD Cards, External HDD's, USB Sticks ETC. You can do it in bits, just make sure its the same as when it was when it was on Windows, then import it all into your Mac itunes.

Then on your Mac drag the Itunes folder into iTunes, will import everything as it was.

I just tried this and it only gave me a selection of like 15 folders named after artists with like 1 song in each. Can I just like transfer music using my iPhone or by something else because I can't find a way to copy the whole iTunes library.

Will

[Jack!]

Go into your iTunes folder, Look for the following:

iTunes Music Libary.xml
iTunesLibrary
iTunesLibrary Genius
iTunesLibrary Extra

And some folders should be in there, copy all your music along with them files to a folder on your Mac, then import the XML File into iTunes onto the Mac, SHOULD work as long as your music is in iTunes Folders, if you have your music stored elsewhere but imported into iTunes, Im not 100% sure how it works.

A quick google search and I found this:
http://www.macworld.com/article/146958/2010/03/move_itunes_windows_mac.html

[Pigperson]

Go into your iTunes folder, Look for the following:

iTunes Music Libary.xml
iTunesLibrary
iTunesLibrary Genius
iTunesLibrary Extra

And some folders should be in there, copy all your music along with them files to a folder on your Mac, then import the XML File into iTunes onto the Mac, SHOULD work as long as your music is in iTunes Folders, if you have your music stored elsewhere but imported into iTunes, Im not 100% sure how it works.

A quick google search and I found this:
http://www.macworld.com/article/146958/2010/03/move_itunes_windows_mac.html

Thanks for the link, it looks really promising :D I have most of my music imported from other folders so yeh, although in the iTunes folders theres just random music, like some purchased, some imported, some old, some new.

Anyway I will try out the method on the site, thanks :D

Will

[Chippiewill]

If you didn't set up iTunes to move your music into the iTunes folder on import then it won't work, you either need to turn on moving the music into your folder or copy across the music wherever it's stored.

[Pigperson]

If you didn't set up iTunes to move your music into the iTunes folder on import then it won't work, you either need to turn on moving the music into your folder or copy across the music wherever it's stored.

That's very annoying, all this time I haven't had this checked so grrr :@ I guess I have to move and name all the songs again. Looking at my iTunes folder, the songs that are in it are the ones that have a track number before the track name as the file name :l

Will

---------- Post added 29-12-2011 at 10:44 PM ----------

Will it work if I go: Music>iTunes>Previous iTunes Libraries and copy the most recent one. It probably won't lol but :S

Edit: dw it's probably not gonna work as its like 500KB LOL

Will

---------- Post added 29-12-2011 at 10:47 PM ----------

Oooh, in the guide that [@]@Jaaaack[/@]! gave, it tells you how to organise the files so they are in the iTunes folder so woooooo :D

Will

[Markeh]

This worked on a Mac but I don't know if it does on Windows.

Ctrl-A (Select all tracks) in iTunes itself, then drag and drop into a folder on your USB, external HDD or whatever your transferring them with.

Then copy this folder onto wherever you want on your new Mac, and drag that into iTunes.