How to Add Shared Music to an iTunes Library

Add shared music folders to your iTunes library.

The Apple iTunes media application allows users to store and play back music and videos within the application. Users can also manage their iPod or iPhone device through iTunes by adding music or video files to the device or removing items. If you share a computer with another person or use a network you can share you iTunes library folder with the other users. You can also add other users' shared-music folders to the iTunes application so that you can listen to their music.

Things You'll Need

• iTunes application

Instructions

1. Close out of the iTunes application and then locate the iTunes Media folder, which is typically located in the Music or Documents folder of your hard drive.

2. Drag the folder to a publicly accessible location on your computer, such as the Public folder located in your Home folder.

3. Open the iTunes application again and then click on the “Preferences” option from the “iTunes” menu or click on the “Edit” option if you’re using a Windows version of iTunes.

4. Click on the “Advanced” option and then click on the “Change” button. Locate the iTunes Media folder in the navigation window and then click on the “Choose” option. Your shared music will then be added to the iTunes library.

5. Click on the “Preferences” option again from the “iTunes” menu to listen to add a shared-music folder that belongs to another user. Click on the “Advanced” option.

6. Click on the box next to the “Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library file,” field so that it’s deselected. Click on the “OK” button.

7. Click on the “File” option from the top toolbar menu and then click on the “Add File to Library” option. Locate the user’s shared folder and then click on the “Open” option.

References

• Apple Support: How to Share Music Between Different Accounts on a Single Computer
• Apple Support: Finding and Listening to Shared Libraries