The Apple Thread

[kdrcraig]

Question for a more experienced iTunes user than I am. I got a new laptop and want to be able to sync my phone with it. I downloaded iTunes on the new computer and see that everything I bought from iTunes is on there. How exactly do I get the rest of my music into this iTunes without having to re-rip everything?

[eversonpoe]

Question for a more experienced iTunes user than I am. I got a new laptop and want to be able to sync my phone with it. I downloaded iTunes on the new computer and see that everything I bought from iTunes is on there. How exactly do I get the rest of my music into this iTunes without having to re-rip everything?

use an external hard drive to transfer it over to the new computer (or a network transfer - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204445 ) and put it in the iTunes media folder. then just drag it all into iTunes (if you organize your library chronologically like me, you will want to add them one album at a time, which can be VERY time consuming). you can also use migration assistant to transfer files, but it can get a bit annoying.

[MrLobster]

use an external hard drive to transfer it over to the new computer (or a network transfer - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204445 ) and put it in the iTunes media folder. then just drag it all into iTunes (if you organize your library chronologically like me, you will want to add them one album at a time, which can be VERY time consuming). you can also use migration assistant to transfer files, but it can get a bit annoying.

Yeah, I just point my iTunes media to an external drive and keep bringing that forward when I get a new machine. Saves so much time. And after my last external took a dive off my desk and became nonfunctioning, I've decided that as I encode thing, I'll also back up on to thumb drives and keep those somewhere safe.

[eversonpoe]

Yeah, I just point my iTunes media to an external drive and keep bringing that forward when I get a new machine. Saves so much time. And after my last external took a dive off my desk and became nonfunctioning, I've decided that as I encode thing, I'll also back up on to thumb drives and keep those somewhere safe.

yeah, that's what i do, too. my library is actually located on the external drive so it doesn't take up room on my computer.

[Louie_Cypher]

Question for a more experienced iTunes user than I am. I got a new laptop and want to be able to sync my phone with it. I downloaded iTunes on the new computer and see that everything I bought from iTunes is on there. How exactly do I get the rest of my music into this iTunes without having to re-rip everything?

this should help https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201253
-louie

[allegro]

Question for a more experienced iTunes user than I am. I got a new laptop and want to be able to sync my phone with it. I downloaded iTunes on the new computer and see that everything I bought from iTunes is on there. How exactly do I get the rest of my music into this iTunes without having to re-rip everything?

I’m lazy, I subscribe to iTunes Match.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204146

[JustNoise]

I’m lazy, I subscribe to iTunes Match.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204146

High five, lazy bro

[Jon]

Question for a more experienced iTunes user than I am. I got a new laptop and want to be able to sync my phone with it. I downloaded iTunes on the new computer and see that everything I bought from iTunes is on there. How exactly do I get the rest of my music into this iTunes without having to re-rip everything?

You need to get the entire iTunes folder including the library files (e.g., .itdb, .itml, .xml) onto your new computer. So, you can:

1). Copy the entirety of the iTunes folder from your old computer onto an external hard drive, USB stick, etc. Then, you guessed it, copy that from your temporary storage space onto the new computer. Ensure you are signed in to your (old) Apple ID account, and that the new computer is authorized to play purchases.

2). If you don't have somewhere to dump the folder to, you can use Migration Assistant on PC or Mac.

3). iTunes Match ($$$; beaten by allegro).