Tranferring old iTunes libraries to the Apple Music software

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Tranferring old iTunes libraries to the Apple Music software

I'm working on a 2020 suped up iMac.

I have several old iTunes libraries that I transferred some time back to external drives. I'd like to transfer them to the new Music app. However, when I copied them to the hard drives, the OS seems to have removed the library extension or changed something internally and when I try to open them in the music app the app treats them like they are a folder and will not import the libraries. As I search through "choose library" when trying to open the library, it just opens them as if they were a folder. The folders contain all the subsidiary files put there by iTunes, but Apple music doesn't seem to be able to make sense of them.

Applecare has been clueless. they don't even seem to be able to differentiate between Apple music the app and the subscription service. They have given me all kinds of mis-advice like it must be that the music files have copy protection. None of them do. They have all been ripped from CDs that I bought or are music files I recorded myself and, anyway, the Music app doesn't recognize the library and doesn't even get to the stage of opening a music file where it would check for copy protection. Some of the music files I actually bought from Apple.

Is there an extension I need to add to the filename to get this to work? Is there anything else I can do?

Thanks,

--Kenoli

iMac 27″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Nov 13, 2022 06:48 AM

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Answer 1

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turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Nov 13, 2022 07:20 AM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

See Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community for general background on moving iTunes libraries to Apple Music. It should work much the same as iTunes as far as music is concerned. There are changes for audiobooks, podcasts, and video content.

That said I've seen a number of posts lately where Monterey 12.6 fails to correctly convert an iTunes Library.itl database correctly and just sits there with a spinning busy icon. There seem to be two possible workarounds, copy the .itl file to Big Sur or Catalina and convert it there (the media folder is not required) then move the database to Monterey and place it above the media folder, or if you have an iTunes Library.xml file you can import that into an empty Music library with File > Library > Import Playlist... as long as the media files are at the paths listed in the XML file. This method loses date added details.

If you don't have the XML files or access to Catalina or Big Sur I could convert the .itl files for you. I've done a number over the last few weeks. You can send me a link to your .itl files on a cloud service such as iCloud Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. I would convert the libraries to the .musiclibrary format and post back a link in the same way. You'll find my email address in my profile here.

This issue seems to be fixed in Ventura, so another approach would be to upgrade before trying to migrate your libraries.

tt2

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Answer 2

Nov 13, 2022 07:28 AM in response to turingtest2

Thank you so much. I'm going to try the Ventura route and if that doesn't work, I'll take you up on your offer to convert the .itl database. I have both those files and the .xml file.

Why can't AppleCare tell me this? AppleCare folks in many cases seem to less information about Mac than users., even second tier suipport. And then you get someone who actually knows and is willing to work with you. It is very uneven and crazy making at times.

--Kenoli

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

277,729 points

Nov 13, 2022 09:13 AM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

The issue with Monterey not converting .itl files is fairly obscure. It may well be one that Apple Support hasn't picked up on yet.

The intended process is that you hold down option as you launch Music, select an existing .itl file, then choose a location to save the converted library. A new folder is made and a Music Library.musiclibrary package (a folder that appears as a single file) is built inside that folder to host the converted database. It will make everything tidier, particularly with multiple libraries, if you move the resultant database into the same folder as the original .itl file, so that each library folder holds its own media folder. You can also rename the media folder from iTunes Media to Media to match the standard layout of a Music library.

As with iTunes you can switch from one library to another by holding down option as you launch Music and choosing the .musiclibrary package that you want to open. The database defines what is known to that library, there is no automatic mapping of the contents of the media folder.

tt2

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Answer 4

Nov 13, 2022 07:53 AM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

One more question...does the folder have to have some kind of extension indicating that it is a music library or will the music app see the files in it and ascertain that it is a library?

--Kenoli

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Tranferring old iTunes libraries to the Apple Music software

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