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How to share the Music library files and playlists across multiple user accounts on one Mac

Hello all. I have a 14" MBP running Monterey which has two user accounts, both mine.


I have a large (184GB) music library, all files, which I have built over decades of being a Mac / iTunes user. I do not use or subscribe to the Apple Music streaming service.


I would like to share this library across both user accounts, including files and the thousands of playlists. I don't seem to be able to do this.


Things I have tried:


  1. Opening Music on the second user account with the command key, selecting the old music library. Nothing happens - no play lists, no access to music files. This includes changing permissions to the directories so that the second user has read and write access.
  2. Copying the iTunes folder from the Users folder to the Shared folder and then pointing the new user account at the new location for the iTunes folder and the Music library. Again, nothing happens.
  3. Changing the Music application's settings to share the library - there is no share option, probably because I am not a Music subscriber.


I have not yet tried simply copying the Music folder from the old user library to the new user library because I don't want to take the risk of breaking my music library. And I may want to keep the old user account around, with access to the music library.


Can anyone suggest a way forward?





Paul’s MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro

Posted on Dec 31, 2022 10:44 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 1, 2023 9:47 AM

Here's what seemed to work for me. It includes steps that don't seem to be recorded anywhere else AFAICT.


In the new user account, copy the Music library file to the new "Music" folder created in the new user account.


I also added the iTunes library.itl file to that folder but I’m not sure if that helped.


Music should open with the all the music files and playlists.


Separately - if you have also moved the actual music library to another physical disk you also need to point Music to the new file location in Music Preferences.



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1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 1, 2023 9:47 AM in response to Pressure

Here's what seemed to work for me. It includes steps that don't seem to be recorded anywhere else AFAICT.


In the new user account, copy the Music library file to the new "Music" folder created in the new user account.


I also added the iTunes library.itl file to that folder but I’m not sure if that helped.


Music should open with the all the music files and playlists.


Separately - if you have also moved the actual music library to another physical disk you also need to point Music to the new file location in Music Preferences.



How to share the Music library files and playlists across multiple user accounts on one Mac

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