Sync Itunes Library Between Macs

12.04.2020by
Sync Itunes Library Between Macs Rating: 3,7/5 3863 reviews

Connect your device to a Mac using a USB cable. Open iTunes and click the device icon in the upper-left corner. Go to Settings (left side of the window) and choose the type of content you want to sync. Check the boxes next to to-be-synced items. However, since I like to use the 'keep my iTunes library organized' option, the files get moved into the iTunes music directory and I can't write a script that will compare my MacBook Pro's iTunes music library with the 'Automatic' directory on the server. Also, a simple file copy will not sync.

  1. Sync Itunes Library Between Macs Free
  2. How To Sync Itunes Library
  3. Connect To Itunes
  4. Syncing Itunes Library To Iphone
  5. Sync Itunes Library Between Macs Computer
  6. How To Sync Itunes To Icloud

If you use multiple Macs, say one for work and one at home, it’s likely you’ll have files and folders that you need to access on both machines. Also, you’ll want those files to be always up to date and synchronized on both machines, so you can be sure you’re always working on the latest version.

Set up file sharing between Macs

The best solutions to connect two Macs to transfer, share and sync files. All in one pack, give it a go!

There are a number of different ways to transfer files from Mac to Mac or share them, depending on the tools you use to work on the file. The most straightforward is to use some form of cloud syncing. That could be via iCloud — Apple’s own apps use iCloud to sync between Macs and iOS devices logged into the same Apple ID — or, say, Dropbox. By saving files to your online cloud account rather than your local Mac, you’ll always be working on the most recent version of a document. Tools like Microsoft Office 365 and Google Docs work in a similar way — storing documents online so you can access them from anywhere.

How do I sync files between two Mac computers?

There are occasions, however, where you’ll need to store documents and files locally and sync them later. That could be because you work offline sometimes and need to be able to access documents or because you don’t want to store documents in the cloud.

There are solutions for that too. One of them is ChronoSync Express (above), which allows you to quickly and easily synchronize files between two Macs. There are a number of caveats — the Macs you sync need to be running the same version of Mac OS and the applications on them should all be the same version. In addition, you should only synchronize files in your user Home folder, with the exception of files in the Library folder. There’s an excellent guide to syncing between two Macs using ChronoSync Express here.

If you’d rather take a more manual approach to sharing files, Forklift (below) can help. Designed as a tool for managing FTP servers, Forklift can also synchronize and transfer files between Macs on the same network. All you need to do is connect to the Mac using AFP or SMB, log in and add the folder you want to synchronize to your Favourites in Forklift. You can then use Forklift’s sync tool to ensure the same data is always in both folders.

Dropshare is a cloud hosting service that allows you to upload files and folders from your Mac. You can use its own cloud hosting, which is free with Setapp, or use Dropshare to access third-party storage such as Amazon S3. By dragging a folder onto Dropshare on one Mac and copying it from Dropshare on another Mac, you’ll ensure that all the files within it are in sync. You will, of course, need to remember to drag the most recent version of the folder to Dropshare whenever you move to the other Mac.

Tools to sync data to Mac

Download a set of apps to transfer files from Mac to Mac. Only the most secure solutions in the pack.

How do I get all my Apple devices to sync?

Now you know how to sync two Macs, the next step is to do the same with iOS devices and your Mac. To get a quick access to images, music, and contacts on an iPhone or any other device, befriend iTunes:

  1. Connect your device to a Mac using a USB cable.
  2. Open iTunes and click the device icon in the upper-left corner.
  3. Go to Settings (left side of the window) and choose the type of content you want to sync.
  4. Check the boxes next to to-be-synced items.
  5. In the lower-right corner of the window, click Apply and then Sync in case the syncing process doesn’t start automatically.

Alternatively, you can sync content using Wi-Fi. Once you connect a device, select Summary on the left side of the iTunes window > Sync with this [device] over Wi-Fi > Apply.

A shortcut to syncing your devices is a small-but-mighty app called AnyTrans. This tool allows to backup or synchronize your iOS device to your Mac, archive its data, or run instant backups. You can use it to copy files between an iPhone or iPad and your Mac, and so between two iOS devices whenever you need to. Here’s how to use it.

  1. Install AnyTrans
    Download and install AnyTrans – it’s available on Setapp. Then launch it and connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to Mac using a USB cable. You’ll only need to use the cable for the initial setup — after that, as long as your iOS device and Mac are on the same wifi network, AnyTrans will see it. When it’s connected, if you see a box asking you if you Trust this Computer, tap Trust. Then type in your passcode on the iPhone or iPad.

    Show library folder. Sep 27, 2016  A lot of Mac tutorials mention the Library folder, which is where your macOS applications store things like settings and caches. Some settings can only be changed by editing files in the Library. But the Library is hidden by default. Jan 12, 2020  Apple hides the Library folder by setting a file system flag associated with the folder. Any folder on your Mac can have its visibility flag turned on or off; Apple just chose to set the Library folder's visibility flag to the off state. Access Hidden Library Menu Option On Mac. Left-click your mouse anywhere on the screen of your Mac. This will reveal the Go Option in the top menu bar of your Mac. Next, click on the Go option in the top menu-bar of your Mac. While you are still on the Go option, press and hold the Option. Oct 03, 2018  Inside the home folder on your Mac is a Library folder that stores app-specific files and settings, personal settings, and some data.

  2. Connect multiple iOS devices
    If you have an iPad as well as an iPhone, you can repeat the process in Step 1 to connect that too. That way, you’ll be able to transfer files between the two iOS devices, as long as they’re on the same wifi network.

  3. Backup your iOS device
    With your iOS device connected, access Air Backup Manager. You’ll see a screen where you can set up instant backups. If you want to change anything — for example, set it to automatically backup your iOS device at specific time intervals, that’s the place where you can modify settings. That will ensure that whenever your iPhone or iPad is on the same network as your Mac and AnyTrans is running, it will sync with the iOS device.

  4. Copy files to your Mac
    To transfer files individually to your Mac, connect your iOS device via AnyTrans and click on Content to Computer in Device Manager. This will give you an instant access to all file folders stored on your mobile device. Check the boxes next to files you want to transfer or copy all – they will travel to your Mac in the blink of an eye.

Other ways to sync data between devices

External drives, including USB and flash drive memory sticks, are also a good time-tested way to share files and data between any of your devices.

In addition, depending on the size of the file, you could send an email with an attachment, or a zip folder. If your files are too large for email, you may be tempted to use a storage service.

Apple’s own iCloud offers a limited free storage and sharing plan, where you can keep up to 5GB of files. With all your photos and iPhone backups, this tends to fill up pretty quickly, urging you to upgrade to one of their paid tiers, either the 50GB plan for $0.99 per month, or up to 1TB for $9.99.

Other ways to share are AirDrop, which also works between Mac and iOS devices, or, as this MacWorld article states, File Sharing, when your devices are on the same Local Area (LAN) or WiFi network. The setup there is rather cumbersome and using one of the Setapp apps above could prove to be easier and more effective.

So there you go — lots of options for syncing files between two Macs, two iOS devices and even between a Mac and an iOS device. Choose the one that best meets your needs and give it a go.

Now there's an app for every media type

With macOS Catalina, your music, videos, podcasts, and audiobooks are organized in to their own dedicated apps — the Apple Music app, Apple TV app, Apple Podcasts app, and Apple Books app. You can also access your iTunes Store purchases in these apps.

If you have a PC, you can continue to use iTunes for Windows to manage your media library, make purchases, and manually sync and manage your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Use Finder to sync and manage your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Finder is the new place to back up, update, or restore your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Just connect your device to your Mac and it appears in the Finder sidebar. And you can easily drag and drop files to your device.

Use Finder to manage your devices.

Upgrade your iTunes library

After you update to macOS Catalina, just open the Apple Music app or Apple TV app to use your iTunes library in the new apps. Have multiple iTunes libraries? Learn how to switch between them in macOS Catalina.

If you open the Apple Podcasts app or Apple Books app first, you won't see any of your media until you open the Apple Music app or Apple TV app.

Here are some things to know

  • The Apple Music app and Apple TV app read the contents of your iTunes library — so don't delete your iTunes library.
  • If you open the Apple Music app and don't see all of your album artwork, leave the Apple Music app open so your album artwork can finish downloading.
  • If you previously used multiple iTunes libraries, your audiobooks are imported in to the Apple Books library and podcasts are imported in to the Apple Podcasts library on your computer.

Where's my media?

Here's where you can find your entire media collection, access your iTunes Store purchases, and synced libraries.

All of your music is now in the Apple Music app

The Apple Music app is where you can find all of your music, including music that you imported in to iTunes, purchased from the iTunes Store, and playlists and smart playlists that you created in iTunes. And if you subscribe to Apple Music, you can stream and download millions of songs, and access your entire music library across all of your devices.

Explore the Apple Music app.

Sync Itunes Library Between Macs Free

Looking for the iTunes Store?

If you don't see the iTunes Store in the sidebar, here's how to find it:

  1. Open the Apple Music app.
  2. In the menu bar, choose Music > Preferences.
  3. Go to the General tab and select iTunes Store.
  4. Click OK.

Everything you watch is now in the Apple TV app

How To Sync Itunes Library

The Apple TV app is the new home for all of your movies, TV shows, and home videos — including your purchases from iTunes. Browse movies and TV shows that you can buy, rent movies, and subscribe to just the channels that you want to watch. And soon you can discover new favorites with Apple TV+.

Discover the Apple TV app.

Find podcasts in the Apple Podcasts app

Find all of the shows that you’ve subscribed to or added to iTunes in the Apple Podcasts app. Continue listening to your favorite podcast episodes. And discover new shows that you might like based on the ones that you’re already listening to.

Listen with the Apple Podcasts app.

Connect To Itunes

Listen to audiobooks in the Apple Books app

Syncing Itunes Library To Iphone

Find your audiobooks, including the ones that you purchased from iTunes, in the Apple Books app. Discover new books to read in the Book Store. Or buy audiobooks from the new Audiobook Store so you can listen on the go.

Sync Itunes Library Between Macs Computer

Check out the Apple Books app.

How To Sync Itunes To Icloud

The Apple Music app, Apple TV app, Apple Podcast app, and Apple Books app aren’t available in all countries and regions. Learn what’s available in your country or region.

You may need to access the Library folder when you need to clear cache, remove the app’s leftovers, edit preference files manually, etc.In this article, we explain how to find the Library folder on Mac. How to open mac photo library. Despite the fact that Apple keeps the Mac Library folder hidden from users, it’s good to learn how to show the Library folder on Mac.

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