How to Transfer iTunes to a New Computer Using a Flash Drive
One of the first items on the agenda of an iTunes user with a new computer is getting their library of media files moved over. A typical user has a lot of time and money wrapped up in their music and movies. They will have perfected their metadata tags and created playlists that they would hate to lose. Apple understood this necessity and built tools into iTunes that make the migration process simple. All you need to supply is a flash drive large enough to hold your iTunes Media folder.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
On Your Old Computer
-
1
Launch iTunes, click "Edit" and click "Preferences." Select the "Advanced" tab.
-
2
Click "Copy file to iTunes Media folder when adding to library." Before moving on, notice the "iTunes Media folder location" listed at the top of the page. You'll need to know this location later on. Click "OK."
-
-
3
Click "File," select "Library" and click Organize Library. Click "Consolidate files" and click "OK." Any files that were in your iTunes library, but not in your Media folder, will be copied to the Media folder. That puts all of your data in a singe folder that is easy to transport.
-
4
Insert your flash drive into a free USB port on your computer. When the AutoPlay window launches, click "Open folder to view files." This will open a window that contains the contents of your flash drive.
-
5
Click "Start" and click "Computer." Browse to the location of your iTunes Media folder. This is the location noted in step two. The folder will most likely be location in your Music directory.
-
6
Click on your iTunes Media folder and drag it into the flash drive's window. The Media folder that contains all of your media files and playlists will be copied to the flash drive.
-
7
Click the back arrow from your flash drive's window to return to the Computer screen. Right-click your flash drive and click "Eject." Remove your drive from the computer.
On the New Computer
-
8
Download and install iTunes from the Apple download page.
-
9
Insert your flash drive into a USB port on the new computer. Click "Open folder to view files" when the AutoPlay window appears.
-
10
Click "Start" and click "Music" from the top right area of the Start Menu.
-
11
Select the Media folder on your flash drive. Hold "Ctrl" and click "X." Select the Media folder that was created in your Music directory during the iTunes installation and click "Delete." Click "Yes" to send the folder to the Recycle Bin. Click "Edit" in the Music folder and click "Paste" to move your old computer's Media folder from the flash drive to the Music folder.
-
12
Hold down the "Shift" key and open iTunes. Click "Choose Library..." and browse to the location of your Media folder. Click "Open."
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you don't have a large enough flash drive, an external hard drive can work as well. You can even connect the two computers together on a home network and transfer the Media folder directly from one to the other.
Back up your media files to an external drive or disc to prevent data loss if your hard drive should fail.
