Mac OS X Tip – Move your iTunes Library to a new Mac

Apple has made moving your iTunes Library from one Mac to another as simple as moving a folder.  Your entire iTunes Library is contained in one folder labeled iTunes in your Music directory.  This process is generally done when you want to move your library to another Mac.  The beauty of this is that your iTunes will look the same on the other Mac as it did on the previous one.  This is possible, because the database files and settings are contained in one folder.

Ok let’s get started.  You have many different ways to transfer you library from one Mac to another.  You can perform this operation over your Local Area Network, or you can copy your library to an external hard drive.  The latter is probably the quickest.  For this Mac OS X Tip, we will use the hard drive method.  The size of your library will dictate how long the copying process will be.

• Open up two Finder windows.
• Navigate to your iTunes folder. It is located under your Home Directory in the Music folder.
• Now that you are in the correct location right click on the iTunes folder and select Copy “iTunes”.
• Now navigate to your external hard drive.  Once there select Paste Item.
• This process can take some time depending on how large your library is.
• Now that the copying process is complete, safely disconnect your external hard drive, and plug it into your other Mac.
• You will right click on the iTunes folder and select Copy “iTunes”.
• Next navigate to your Home Directory and and double click on the Music folder.  In here you will see an iTunes folder.
• Now right click in the folder and select Paste Item.  You will receive a prompt that will ask you if you want to Replace or Stop you will select Replace.  Once you select Replace the entire folder will be replaced with the new content.
• Once the copying is done, you can close your Finder windows, and open iTunes.

Now your new iTunes will look identical to your old iTunes.  Your Playlists and the Purchased folder will display all of your purchased content from the iTunes Store.  This Mac OS X Tip is the first of two tips that I will be doing for iTunes.  Stay tuned.  Next week’s Mac OS X Tip – How to use an external hard drive for your iTunes Library.

Photo Credit: iTunes