How to Move iTunes Music & Playlists to a New Computer

When replacing a computer or laptop with iTunes music and playlists, the easiest way to move the music and playlists is to copy the iTunes folder from one device to another. Syncing an iPhone with the music and playlists does not necessarily copy it to the new device. Even if both are selected for syncing, this does not guarantee they will be transferred between devices simply by syncing the phone to the new device.

Below are steps for the best way to move iTunes music and playlists to a new computer while ensuring all of the information is effectively moved.

How to Move iTunes Music & Playlists to a New Computer

Before you retire an older device, and certainly before it breaks if it is experiencing issues, be sure to follow the steps below to efficiently and comprehensively move iTunes music and playlists to a new device.

Copy* Music & Playlists off the old device

To copy music and playlists from iTunes:

• Log onto the old device.
• Make sure the iTunes software is closed.
• Navigate to the iTunes folder:
• Local drive > Users > User Profile > Music > iTunes
  
  
  
• Connect an external storage device large enough to hold all your music 
• If you are unsure how much storage you need, right click on the iTunes folder and select "Properties" from the pop-up menu. This will calculate how much space is currently in use so an appropriately sized external device can be used.
  
  
  
• Open another Windows Explorer window by right-clicking on the existing iTunes folder and selecting "File Explorer".
  
  
  
• Navigate to the external storage device in the second window.
  
  
  
• Click and drag the iTunes folder from the local drive to the window of the external storage device.
• Wait for the data to finish copying.
• Disconnect the external storage device.

*It is always safer to copy information rather than move it as this protects against any issues that can occur during the data move like reboots, updates, etc. 

Copy Music & Playlists onto the new device

To copy music and playlists into iTunes:

• Log onto the new device.
• Make sure the iTunes software is closed.
• Navigate to the iTunes folder:
• Local drive > Users > User Profile > Music > iTunes
• If it exists, move the existing iTunes folder to the desktop
• Connect the external storage device with the iTunes folder from the older device to the new device.
• Open another Windows Explorer window by right-clicking on the existing iTunes folder and selecting "File Explorer".
• Navigate to the external storage device in the second window.
• Click and drag the iTunes folder from the external storage device into the local Music folder.
• Wait for the data to finish copying.
• Disconnect the external storage device.
• Open iTunes and verify all the music and playlists are now listed.
  
  
  
• If desired, remove the iTunes folder on the old device and/or the external storage device to free up storage space. NOTE: Do not do this until you are absolutely sure all of the music and playlists have been successfully copied onto the new device.

The fastest, most thorough way to move music and playlists stored in iTunes from one device to another, is by copying the entire iTunes folder to the new device. Playlists can be exported individually, but this is time consuming and does not guarantee the songs will also be copied. The amount of time the process takes depends on how much music exists. While the process can take a few hours, it is a simple process and most of the time is spent waiting for data to copy.

As always, knowing how to upgrade without suffering from interruptions or a lack of functionality is key!

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