How to move your iTunes library to a new computer

The simplest way to move your iTunes library is to copy your entire iTunes folder from your old computer to your new one, then open iTunes on the new machine and point it to that folder. On a Mac, the iTunes folder lives in Music. On Windows, it's usually in Users > [Your Name] > Music > iTunes. If you copy the whole folder and tell iTunes where to find it, your music, playlists, and play counts come with you — no re-downloading required.

The catch is that this method works best if both computers are the same type (Mac to Mac, or Windows to Windows). If you're switching from Windows to Mac or vice versa, the process is more involved but still manageable. Either way, you'll need enough storage space on an external drive or network location to hold your entire library during the transfer, since you're moving files, not streaming them.

Key Takeaways

  • Copy your entire iTunes folder to an external drive, then move it to your new computer and tell iTunes where to find it.
  • On a Mac, the iTunes folder is in Music; on Windows, it's in Users > [Your Name] > Music > iTunes.
  • If you're switching between Mac and Windows, you'll need to authorize your new computer in iTunes and may need to re-add some files manually.
  • Music you purchased from the iTunes Store will work on your new computer if you sign in with the same Apple ID.
  • Playlists, ratings, and play counts transfer with your library folder, but only if you move the entire folder, not individual songs.

Copying your iTunes folder on the same type of computer

Start by connecting an external hard drive or USB drive to your old computer — you need enough space to hold your entire iTunes folder. Open Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows) and navigate to your iTunes folder. On a Mac, go to Music and look for the iTunes folder. On Windows, go to Users > [Your Name] > Music > iTunes. Right-click the iTunes folder and select Copy.

Plug the external drive into your new computer and paste the iTunes folder onto it. Once the copy is complete, plug the drive into your new computer again. Open iTunes on the new machine. Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or iTunes > Settings (Mac), click the Files tab, and select Change. Navigate to the iTunes folder you just copied and select it. iTunes will now read your library from that location.

Restart iTunes after you make this change. Your music, playlists, ratings, and play counts should all appear exactly as they were on your old computer. If you see a message asking whether you want to keep files organized in the iTunes Media folder, click Yes — this keeps everything tidy going forward.

Switching from Windows to Mac or Mac to Windows

Moving between operating systems is more complex because iTunes on Mac and Windows store some information differently. Start the same way: copy your entire iTunes folder to an external drive. On your new computer, create a new iTunes folder in the Music (Mac) or Users > [Your Name] > Music > iTunes (Windows) location, then copy the contents of your old iTunes folder into it.

Open iTunes on your new computer and sign in with the same Apple ID you used on the old one. Go to File > Library > Organize Library and select Consolidate Files. This step is important — it rewrites the file paths so iTunes can find all your music. The process may take several minutes if your library is large.

Your purchased music will work when ready once you sign in. For music you added from other sources (CDs you ripped, files you downloaded elsewhere), iTunes may ask you to locate the files. If you see a question mark next to a song, right-click it, select Get Info, and browse to the file location on your external drive. This is tedious for large libraries, but it ensures everything plays correctly on your new system.

Authorizing your new computer for purchased music

Music you bought from the iTunes Store is protected by digital rights management, which means iTunes needs to know your new computer is authorized to play it. Sign in to iTunes with the same Apple ID you used to purchase the music. Go to Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer (Mac) or Edit > Preferences > Account > Authorize (Windows).

You can authorize up to five computers per Apple ID at any given time. If you've already authorized five computers and need to add a new one, you'll have to deauthorize an old computer first. You can do this from any computer that's signed in to your Apple ID, or you can deauthorize all computers at once from your Apple ID account settings on Apple's website and start fresh.

What happens to music from other sources

Music you ripped from CDs, downloaded from non-Apple sources, or received from friends is stored as actual files in your iTunes folder. When you copy the entire iTunes folder, these files move with it. However, the file paths — the directions iTunes uses to find each song — may break during the transfer, especially if you're switching between Mac and Windows.

If a song shows a question mark or won't play, iTunes has lost track of where the file is. You can fix this one song at a time by right-clicking it, selecting Get Info, and browsing to the file on your external drive. For a large library, this is slow. A faster option is to use iTunes' Consolidate Files feature, which copies all your music files into iTunes' organized folder structure and updates all the paths at once.

Using iCloud Music Library as an alternative

If your library is small or you have a fast internet connection, you can upload your music to iCloud Music Library instead of copying files. Sign in to iTunes with your Apple ID, go to Account > Preferences (Mac) or Edit > Preferences (Windows), click the Library tab, and turn on iCloud Music Library. iTunes will upload your music to Apple's servers over the next few hours or days, depending on how many songs you have.

On your new computer, sign in with the same Apple ID and turn on iCloud Music Library. Your music will read automatically. This method works across Mac and Windows without any file path problems. The downside is that it takes time — a 10,000-song library can take 24 hours or more to upload — and you need a stable internet connection throughout the process. If your connection drops, the upload pauses and resumes when you reconnect, but it doesn't restart from the beginning.

Checking that everything transferred correctly

After your library appears on your new computer, spot-check a few things. Play a song from each category: purchased music, ripped CDs, and any other sources you have. Look at your playlists — they should all be there with the same songs in the same order. Check a few songs to see if your ratings and play counts came through. If you see question marks next to songs, those files didn't transfer correctly and need to be located manually or re-added.

If you're keeping your old computer, you can delete the iTunes folder from the external drive once you've confirmed everything works on the new machine. If you're selling or recycling the old computer, make sure you've deauthorized it in iTunes first so your five-computer authorization limit doesn't get clogged with machines you no longer own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my iTunes library if I don't have an external drive?

Yes, if both computers are on the same network. On your old computer, go to System Preferences (Mac) or Settings (Windows), find Sharing, and enable file sharing. On your new computer, you can then browse to your old computer's iTunes folder directly over the network and copy it. This is slower than using an external drive but works if you don't have one available.

Will my playlists transfer if I only copy some of my songs?

Playlists will transfer, but they may show question marks next to songs you didn't copy. To avoid this, copy your entire iTunes folder, not individual songs. If you've already copied only some songs, you can add the missing ones later and iTunes will link them to your playlists automatically.

What if I forgot my Apple ID password?

Go to iforgot.apple.com and follow the steps to reset it. You'll need access to the email address or phone number associated with your account. Once you've reset your password, sign back into iTunes on your new computer and authorize it.

Do I need to keep my old computer after I transfer the library?

No, but make sure you've deauthorized it first. Go to Account > Authorizations > Deauthorize This Computer (Mac) or Edit > Preferences > Account > Deauthorize (Windows). This frees up one of your five authorized computers so you can authorize another device later if you need to.

Can I transfer my library to multiple new computers?

Yes, but each computer needs to be authorized with your Apple ID. You can authorize up to five computers at once. Copy your iTunes folder to each new computer and authorize it, and your music will work on all of them as long as you're signed in with the same Apple ID.