Migrating from iTunes to Apple Music, lessons learned
I'm writing this for anyone that runs into the problems I did. It took a lot of google-fu and trial and error.
I just switched from a High Sierra 10.13 iMac to a new Macbook Pro M1 on Big Sur. My iTunes library is over 30k files, and I wanted to migrate it to apple music with all the metadata, play counts etc, and playlists. How to:
- Move the library files where you need them. In my case, it was all on an external.
- Locate the iTunes library file on the old machine. This is likely located in User > Music > iTunes > "iTunes Library". Note that it has no file extension.
- Move the iTunes Library file to the new machine, into the Music folder.
- Add the extension .itl to the end of the file.
- Make sure the Apple Music application is off. Hold Option while opening the app. This shows a window that allows you to target a new library file. Find the iTunes Library.itl file you moved and renamed in the music folder. After loading for a few moments, Apple Music should open showing all your content.
- Depending when your music is, you also need to target the library. In my case it was on an external drive. In order to target that, go to the top nav Music > Preferences Files > Change > and target the folder with your library e.g. on the external drive.
And with that, all files should appear just like the used to on iTunes, metadata and everything.