Unable to switch libraries in the Apple Music App

Question

Unable to switch libraries in the Apple Music App

I spent 4 hours yesterday with a second tier person at Apple care trying to switch a library in the Apple Music app. Never able to do it. Couldn't even go to the system library when I used Option->click to get into the app and then chose the system library. The system library did open automatically when I just clicked on the app. Couldn't get into the Music app at all using option->click on any library.

After hours, the Applecare person took told me there was a record of other people having this issue and took a bunch of data from me and sent it to the engineers and promised to get back to me on Monday.

Has anyone else been having this issue? Has anyone had this issue and solved it? I would love a work-around.

The concerning thing is that I found an old post on this that had expired which tells me Apple knew about this some time back and has not solved it. I hope the engineers are on it as this is a huge limitation for this app.

And...itunes is no longer a workaround as it won't run on recent operating systems.

Also, I wouldn't be having this issue now except for Applcare as it did work on the previous operating system and an AppleCare person forced me to upgrade to Venture before he would help me with another issue that had to do with converting old itunes libraries to the Music app, a problem upgrading did not solve.

One odd thing about the music app is that it gives every music library the same name, which is, I think, Music Library.musiclibrary, distinguishing the different libraries only by the folder in which they reside. This seems very odd and I wonder if this has something to do with the issue. I was able to create a new library, which was placed in a folder with the name I gave the new library, but the library within that folder is called Music Library.musiclibrary and if I double click on it it opens the Music app but using the systems library also called Music Library.musiclibrary, not the one I created.

There is something very odd going on here. I'd love to get any feedback or help with this.

--Kenoli

iMac 27″

Posted on Nov 18, 2022 07:49 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

277,723 points

Nov 18, 2022 06:03 PM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

The very fact that you're being told that you cannot change libraries is evidence that at least that bit is working. Music is trying to change libraries when you hold down option at launch and then select a different library. The error message ostensibly refers to devices which I took to be iOS devices, but it could be there is an open Home Sharing connection, in which case I don't know why rebooting/disconnecting hasn't killed it. Did you reboot/power off and on in addition to turning off Wi-Fi?

Things you could try:

Holding down option+cmd as you launch Music to open it in safe mode. This sometimes helps with odd issues.
Turn off Home Sharing (System Preferences > Sharing > Media Sharing > Home Sharing)
Reinstall the operating system (in lieu of a way to independently reinstall Music, somewhat drastic)

How do you convert .itl files by mail?

A few people have been sent me their .itl files, or more usually a link to a share in the cloud. I convert to .musiclibrary format, upload to my cloud service and send them a link to the share so they can download.

Having to disconnect every time I want to change a music library is a bit unsophisticated for a modern computer.

Of course. It isn't normally required. I swap libraries on various versions of Music/macOS (Catalina, Monterey, and Ventura) multiple times a week without getting stuck as you have.

tt2

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Answer 2

Nov 18, 2022 11:11 AM in response to turingtest2

Double clicking and then holding down option doesn't change things. It does the same thing as holding down option first. I get the following window after choosing a library:

As a result of this, the only library I can use is the system library that opens when I double click the Music app. Anything else leads to the above warning.

--Kenoli

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

277,723 points

Nov 18, 2022 10:16 AM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

Double-clicking a .musiclibrary file, as with the .itl file in iTunes, always opens the app with the last library that was successfully opened, not the selected file.

Try double-clicking the icon for Music then immediately press and hold down option. Keep holding until prompted to choose or create a library. You should find this order of operations is more reliable.

tt2

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Answer 4

turingtest2

Level 10

277,723 points

Nov 18, 2022 11:24 AM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

Ah, new information, thank you. Turn off Wi-Fi on any iOS devices that might sync with your library over Wi-Fi then reboot your computer and try again.

Monterey 12.6 (and perhaps older) has a particular issue converting .itl files which is fixed in Ventura. I’ve been converting libraries by mail remotely using Catalina.

tt2

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Answer 5

Nov 18, 2022 12:27 PM in response to turingtest2

I turned off wifi completely and tried again and it still doesn't work. Any other thoughts?

If it did, it would be weird as it would be balking at even a potential connection, as opposed to an actual one. It has to be possible to switch out of a library to another without disconnecting from the whole world.

I can switch libraries in Photos, which is fully synched through iCloud with no problem.

How do you convert .itl files by mail?

--Kenoli

PS -- I just tried to post this when wifi was turned off ant it didn't work, of course. Having to disconnect every time I want to change a music library is a bit unsophisticated for a modern computer.

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Answer 6

Nov 30, 2022 03:30 PM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

I have never gotten this to work. I have worked with a number of second tier AppleCare people to no avail. I am now working with one who has taken the issue to the engineering department. I have gotten several requests for more data which she has retrieved and sent to them but no way to get music to work.

She says I am not the only one reporting this issue.

I've reinstalled the system, disconnected everything from my computer, no work.

I have another appointment to hear back from engineering Saturday morning.

Frustrating.

--Kenoli

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Answer 7

Nov 18, 2022 08:24 PM in response to turingtest2

I appreciate the suggestions. I'll try these things tomorrow.

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Answer 8

turingtest2

Level 10

277,723 points

Nov 30, 2022 04:13 PM in response to Kenoli Oleari1

Frustrating it may be, but I'm glad to hear they are looking into it more deeply for you. Best of luck.

tt2

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Unable to switch libraries in the Apple Music App

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