How to Re-import iTunes Music to Apple Music while Keeping Settings and Playlists

If you're an avid music listener and have been using iTunes for years, you've likely accumulated a large music library with carefully curated playlists and settings. With the introduction of Apple Music, you might be wondering if there's a way to transfer all of your music and settings over to the new app. The good news is that there is! In this article, we'll cover the key concepts and steps for re-importing your iTunes music into Apple Music, while keeping all of your playlists and settings intact.

Why Re-import Your iTunes Music into Apple Music?

There are several reasons why you might want to re-import your iTunes music into Apple Music:

• Apple Music offers a number of advantages over iTunes, including a larger music library, higher quality audio, and the ability to stream music on multiple devices.
• If you've recently purchased a new device, such as an iPhone or iPad, you may want to transfer your music library and playlists over to the new device.
• If you've been using iTunes Match, you may want to switch to Apple Music's similar service, Apple Music, which offers more features and a lower price.

What Gets Transferred?

When you re-import your iTunes music into Apple Music, the following items will be transferred:

• Your music library, including all songs, albums, and artists.
• Your playlists, including smart playlists and playlist folders.
• Your ratings, play counts, and last played dates.
• Your purchase history and any music you've downloaded from the iTunes Store.

It's important to note that some items, such as playlists created in iTunes that contain non-music items (such as videos or PDFs), will not be transferred. Additionally, any songs or albums that you have manually added to your iTunes library (such as those ripped from CDs) will need to be added to Apple Music manually.

How to Re-import Your iTunes Music into Apple Music

To re-import your iTunes music into Apple Music, follow these steps:

1. Open the Apple Music app on your Mac.
2. Go to Preferences > General > iCloud Music Library and make sure that iCloud Music Library is turned on.
3. Open iTunes.
4. Go to File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library.
5. Wait for iTunes to finish updating your library. This may take some time, depending on the size of your music library.
6. Once iTunes has finished updating, open the Apple Music app and check to make sure that all of your music and playlists have been transferred over.

Adding Non-Music Items Manually

As mentioned earlier, any non-music items, such as videos or PDFs, will not be transferred over when you re-import your iTunes music into Apple Music. To add these items manually, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the Apple Music app and go to the playlist where you want to add the non-music item.
2. Click on the "Add" button in the top-right corner of the app.
3. Select "Add File" or "Add Folder", depending on whether you're adding a single file or a folder of files.
4. Navigate to the location of the file(s) you want to add and select them.
5. Click "Add" to add the file(s) to the playlist.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While re-importing your iTunes music into Apple Music is generally a straightforward process, there are a few common issues that you might encounter. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

• My music isn't showing up in Apple Music: Make sure that iCloud Music Library is turned on in the Apple Music app's preferences. If it is, try updating your library again by going to File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library in iTunes.

• My playlists are missing some songs: Make sure that the missing songs are included in your iTunes library and that they are not marked as "Missing" in iTunes. If they are, try locating the missing files and adding them back to your iTunes library.

• My ratings and play counts are not being transferred: Make sure that "Keep iTunes Music Library organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" are both turned on in iTunes' preferences. If they are, try updating your library again by going to File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library in iTunes.

Re-importing your iTunes music into Apple Music is a great way to take advantage of Apple Music's features while keeping all of your playlists and settings intact. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to transfer your music library and playlists over to Apple Music without any issues. If you do encounter any issues, be sure to refer to the troubleshooting tips provided.

References

• Apple Music: About iCloud Music Library
• iTunes: If your music doesn't transfer to iCloud Music Library
• iTunes: If your ratings and play counts don't transfer to iCloud Music Library