Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive

06.04.2020by
Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive Rating: 4,1/5 6719 reviews

Jan 04, 2020 How to Move Your iTunes Library. You can move your iTunes library to a different folder, computer, or drive. Here's how to do it, even in macOS Catalina, which ditches iTunes for the Music app. Running out of space on your Mac? Here's how to move your Mac's iTunes library to another location, whether it's another computer or an external hard drive.

  1. Move Itunes Library To External Drive
  2. Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive Windows 10
  3. Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive To Computer
  4. Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive Free
  5. Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive To Iphone

After decades of digital music, it's not unlikely if you've amassed quite the collection of music on your computer's hard drive. If your iTunes library is taking up too much space, you can move it off of your local drive and onto an external hard drive without breaking your music collection.

You can also transfer your entire iTunes library from one computer to another if you are migrating to a new Mac.

Move Itunes Library To External Drive

Before you start: Back up your Mac

Before making major changes to your computer, it's always a good idea to back up your data: The best way to back up your Mac is with a Time Machine routine in place, but you can choose an alternate backup option that's right for you.

What you will need

You will, of course, need the computer your iTunes library is currently on. You will also need the following:

  • An external hard drive (and power source, if applicable)
  • A USB cable to connect the hard drive to your original Mac
  • A power source for your original Mac
  • If you're moving to a new computer, your new Mac (and its power cable)

Step 1: Consolidate your library

Over time, it's easy for your music, movies, apps, and other iTunes content to end up stored in various places throughout your computer's hard drive. To ensure that you copy everything from iTunes over to an external hard drive, you should first consolidate your library. Even if you think your library has all your information consolidated already, it can't hurt to do a manual check before moving any data.

  1. Launch iTunes on your Mac.
  2. Click File in the upper left corner of your Mac's screen.

  3. Hover your cursor over Library in the dropdown menu.
  4. Select Organize LibraryDyld_insert_libraries os x. from the secondary menu.

  5. Tick the box for Consolidate Files in the window that appears.
  6. Click OK.

This process makes a copy of all files in the iTunes media folder, and leaves the original files in their current location.

Step 2: Move your iTunes Library to an external hard drive

  1. Quit iTunes.
  2. Connect your external hard drive to your computer using a USB cable.
  3. Click on Finder to open a Finder window.
  4. Select your Mac's hard drive.

  5. Click on the Music folder.
  6. Select iTunes and drag it to the external hard drive.

  7. Click Authenticate when prompted to give permission to move the iTunes folder.
  8. Enter your administrator password.
  9. Click OK.

This process could take upwards of an hour or two, depending on how much data stored in your iTunes library.

Move itunes library to external drive

Step 3: Redirect iTunes to the new location

Once you've transferred a copy of your iTunes library onto an external hard drive, you will need to set a new path for the iTunes app by redirecting it to search the external hard drive for content, rather than your local drive.

  1. Launch iTunes and hold down the Option Keyat the same time.
  2. Click on Choose Library when the window appears.

  3. Select your external hard drive under Devices in the Finder sidebar.
  4. Click on iTunes.
  5. Click Open.

Note: Until you delete the iTunes file on your local hard drive, you can switch which libraries iTunes uses by launching the app and holding down the Option key at the same time.

Step 4: Make sure it worked

If you performed the first three steps correctly, when you open iTunes, it should look the same as it did before. You can double-check to make sure the migration worked by checking the info of any content.

  1. Launch iTunes.
  2. Select a song, podcast, movie, app, or other content.

  3. Right-click or Control-click on the song.
  4. Select Get info from the drop down menu.
  5. Click on the File tab in the info window.

  6. Look under Location to ensure that the content is now being stored under /Volumes/external hard drive name/.. instead of Users/local hard drive name/..

Step 5: Delete the old iTunes library

Once you have transferred a copy of your iTunes library onto an external hard drive and redirected iTunes to the new location, you can delete the iTunes folder on your local hard drive, freeing up space on your Mac.

Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive Windows 10

Note: If you are making a copy to transfer to a new computer, you don't need to perform step 5 unless you want to remove your iTunes library from the old computer.

  1. Quit iTunes.
  2. Click on Finder to open a Finder window.
  3. Select your Mac's hard drive.

  4. Click on the Music folder.
  5. Select iTunes and drag it to the trash.

Make sure your external hard drive is connected to your Mac when you launch iTunes from now on. Otherwise, iTunes won't be able to find the files. If that happens, quit iTunes, connect your external hard drive to your computer, and reopen iTunes.

Step 6 [optional]: Move your iTunes library to a new Mac

Once you have your iTunes library on an external hard drive, you can relocate it to a new Mac.

  1. Quit iTunes on your new Mac.
  2. Connect your external hard drive to your new Mac using a USB cable.
  3. Open the external hard drive once it appears on your new Mac's screen.
  4. Click on Finder on your new Mac to open a Finder window.
  5. Select your new Mac's hard drive.

  6. Click on the Music folder.
  7. Drag the iTunes folder from your external hard drive into the Music folder on your new Mac.

  8. Launch iTunes and hold down the Option Keyat the same time.
  9. Click on Choose Library when the window appears.
  10. Select your local hard drive under Devices in the Finder sidebar.

  11. Click on the Music folder.
  12. Click on iTunes.
  13. Click Open.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions or issues with moving your iTunes library onto an external hard drive or onto a new Mac? Let us know in the comments and we'll help you out.

Power up

Anker's PowerCore Wireless 10K charger is a battery pack without the fuss

Anker is out with a new wireless battery pack that'll keep things ticking along no matter where you are.

How to transfer music from iTunes to flash drive or USB? This guide will show you two efficient methods to transfer music from iTunes to USB or an external hard drive without effort.

Roger SmithPosted on: Oct. 20, 2018,Last Updated: Nov. 01, 2019

iTunes Backup & Transfer Tips

Transfer from iTunes
Transfer to iTunes
Transfer without iTunes
iTunes Backup Password Problems
iTunes Backup Content

iTunes keeps your media files like songs, playlists, movies, and ringtones, and it is the default program to manage your music on iPhone/iPad/iPod. Since every iDevice can be synced with only one iTunes library, you will need to rebuild the entire music library when your computer meets hardware failure. Therefore, it is recommended to transfer songs from iTunes library to external storage like a flash drive or USB to make copies.

This action doesn't delete the photos from the library. Create i photo library for icloud on mac computer. Switch to the library you want to add them to.

This guide will offer you some simple ways to transfer iTunes songs/playlist to USB or flash drive easily. Keep reading to get the step-by-step instructions.

Method 1. How to Export Music from iTunes to USB/Flash Drive with AnyTrans

If you prefer a simpler and quicker method to transfer music from iTunes to USB or flash drive, then the iTunes content manager – AnyTrans for iOS is just the exact tool. Here are its excellent features on transferring iTunes music to USB or flash drive.

  • Quick & Easy. According to the test, it takes only 32 SECONDS to transfer over 3000 songs from iTunes to a flash drive. And just 1 click to finish the task.
  • More Than Music. Besides music, it also allows you to transfer photos, playlists, ringtones, videos and more from iTunes to USB.
  • Multiple-Directional Transfer. Supports transferring music from iPhone to computer, to iTunes, to another iPhone or to USB directly, and vice versa.
  • 100% Safe and Clean. No need to worry about information leakage.

Firstly, Free Download AnyTrans for iOS on your computer, and then follow the below steps to transfer music from iTunes to USB/flash drive effortlessly.

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 1. Open AnyTrans >Plug in your flash drive or USB on the computer > Click on the “iTunes Library” option > Select the music you need > Click on the “Send to Computer” button at the top-right corner to start exporting the selected music.

Export Music from iTunes to USB/Flash Drive with AnyTrans – Step 1

Step 2. Choose your USB or flash drive to be the export path > Click on “Open” button to export the iTunes music to your USB or flash drive directly.

Export Music from iTunes to USB/Flash Drive with AnyTrans – Step 2

Method 2. How to Export Music from iTunes to USB or Flash Drive Directly

Besides the help of the third-party tool, users could definitely use iTunes to transfer music to USB or flash drive. This method works for both Mac and Windows PC, please follow the steps below to transfer music to flash drive with iTunes.

1) Plug your USB or flash drive to a computer.

2) Open the iTunes on the computer and find the music playlists.

3) Open the USB or flash drive on your computer.

4) Select the music on iTunes you want to transfer to flash drive or USB and then drag them to USB.

Transfer Music from iTunes to Flash Drive or USB

The Bottom Line

Besides music, AnyTrans for iOS also supports transferring many other iOS contents from iTunes to USB or flash drive, like photos, videos, TV shows, etc. It also supports transferring data from iDevice to iTunes easily and all-around managing your data of iDevice. And at the same time, AnyTrans for iOS guarantees you 100% Safe & Security with your data and personal information. Now download AnyTrans for iOS. Any question or suggestion will be warmly welcomed.

Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive To Computer

More Related Articles

Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive Free

Popular Articles & Tips You May Like

Mac How To Move Itunes Library To Usb Drive To Iphone

Product-related questions? Contact Our Support Team to Get Quick Solution >

Comments are closed.