Share Itunes Library Between Computers Mac
Imagine you have spent the last three years building up a beefy iTunes library in such a way that when a stranger peruse through your iTunes library, the stranger would gasp in astonishment at the impeccable taste of the owner of such iTunes library. However, what is the point have such an impressive iTunes library if you cannot share it with others?
- Share Itunes Library Between Computers Mac Mini
- Share Itunes Library Between Computers Mac Address
- Share Itunes Library Between Iphones
This article focuses on how to share iTunes library by using iMyFoneTunesmate and iTunes.
- Method 1: An Effective & Fast Way to Share iTunes Library
- Method 2: How to Share iTunes Library on iTunes
Dec 06, 2019 Use the same Apple ID for every computer or device on your Home Sharing network. From the menu bar at the top of the iTunes window, choose File Home Sharing Turn on Home Sharing. You can use Home Sharing with up to five computers that are connected to your home Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. Aug 05, 2013 How to share iTunes libraries between user accounts in OS X. Or coworkers using the same Mac. If you would like to share the same media files in iTunes among multiple users, there are a. With music sharing and iTunes, you can share you music with any other computers running iTunes in the same home. For example, you can play music from your desktop computer on your laptop. While you're stuck at home, make the most of your time by learning a new language, skill, or even train for a remote-work job with our new premium online.
An Effective & Fast Way to Share iTunes Library
One of the best alternatives to share iTunes library is the iMyFone TunesMate . This software will sync iPhone, iPod, iPad between your devices and PC. The software views and exports directly multiple types of iPhone data to your PC with just a single click.
Without any damage to your iTunes library, it can transfer music, videos, and files between iOS and iTunes PC. It supports all types of music, playlist, movies, Camera roll, photo library, podcasts, iTunes U, TV shows, and audio books among others.
- Seamlessly sync iTunes between iOS and PC
- Transfer files from multiple libraries to your device without risk of erasing your data.
- Effectively manage iPhone music, photos, apps, and videos among others.
- Rebuild damage iTunes library from your iPhone
Steps of iTunes Library Sharing
Step 1: May sure you Download and install iMyFone TunesMate on your computer.
Step 2: Plug the iDevice into the computer and then launch the iMyFone TunesMate software.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Transfer iTunes Media to iDevice’ icon.
Step 4: Make sure to select the kinds of files you want to transfer.

Step 5: Then click on ‘Transfer’ to effect the transfer.
Even if the iDevice do not have the same Apple ID as your iTunes account, the files will be transferred and there would definitely be no data loss. This way, you can share your iTunes files with unlimited iPhones, iPads and iPods. It doesn’t require network connection and easy to use.
How to Share iTunes Library on iTunes
Sharing on Your Home Network
Sharing iTunes library on your home network is not a herculean task, provided you have a wireless network in your home or office, it takes a few easy step and any device connected to the network will have access to your iTunes library.
Steps Involve
Step 1: Network sharing can be enabled in iTunes. Go to “Preferences” then click on the “Sharing” tab at the top. You can decide to share your entire iTunes library or a few playlist, there is also the option of requiring others to enter password before they can have access to your iTunes library.
Step 2: Your iTunes library should now be shared on your home network at this point. On another computer, open up iTunes and then look for your shared library at the left-hand column. Click on the shared library and your tunes should appear. However, depending on the size of your library, it may take a little while to load.
Limitations
- It is only on your local network (wireless network, house and office) you can listen to a shared iTunes library.
- It can work with up to five computers.
- Unless your computer has been authorized to play songs purchased from the iTunes store, you cannot listen to such music. If your computer has not been authorized, you have to be contented listening to music ripped from CDs or download in other ways.
Note
Your computer might be set to block media sharing on your home network, depending on how your firewall is configured. Computers that are Mac OS X will do this by default, so ensure you enable iTunes sharing if you are using this kind of computer.However, if you are using windows computers, there is no issue with this so long as TCP port 3689 and UDP 5353 are not blocked.
To solve the problem of firewall, you need to make a rule for the firewall to allow iTunes sharing on your device. Here are the tips on dealing with firewalls .
iTunes Home or Family Sharing
If you have more than one iTunes library in the house and in that same house there is more than one computer. It is possible to share and copy songs between these libraries. A feature of iTunes called home or family sharing will enable you to achieve it.You can listen to the music in another iTunes library in tour house and copy music from other libraries to your computer or apple devices such as iPods and iPhones when you turned on the home sharing feature. However, note that all the devices connected through this feature must use the same Apple ID.
How to Turn on iTunes Home Sharing
Make sure that the computers and iOS devices that you want to be able to share are all connected to this same Wi-Fi network to begin with. Note that home sharing will not allow you connect a computer at home to the one at the office.
Follow these steps and make sure you have iTunes 9 or higher because home sharing is not available on earlier versions of iTunes.
Step 1: Open iTunes and sign in with your Apple ID
Step 2: From the menu bar, choose File > Home Sharing > Turn on Home Sharing . Your iTunes library will be available at this stage. Normally, a pop-up message will alert you when the home sharing is turned on.
Step 3: Repeat these steps for any other computer or device you want to make available via Home Sharing.
Enabling iTunes Home Sharing on iOS Devices
When you want to use this home sharing feature to share music from your iOS devices, follow these steps:
Step 1: Tap Settings > Music
Step 2: Scroll down to Home Sharing and tap Sign in
Step 3: Enter your Apple ID and tap Sign in
Bonus Tips – Dealing With Firewalls
How to Work Around a Firewall on Mac
- Go to Apple menu in the upper left-hand corner of your screen
- System preferences option should be selected
- The security & privacy option should be selected and the click on the firewall tab.
- If the firewall settings are locked, click the lock icon at the bottom left of the window and then enter your password
- Click the Advanced button at the bottom right of the window. Click on the iTunes icon and set it to allow incoming connections.
How to Work Around a Firewall on Windows
Dozens or firewalls are available for windows, so it is impossible to provide instructions for each one.
- Open Windows Firewall (go to Control Panel and search for Firewall).
- Choose 'Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall'in the left menu.
- A list of apps will appear and you can navigate to iTunes.
- If the Private or Public checkboxes are not marked, click the Change Settingsbutton.
- You will then be able to check those boxes (Private will most likely be all that's needed).
- Click Ok.
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You can also read this guide in Français.
It can take years to build up a huge iTunes library of interesting music, movies, playlists,etc, especially if you’re an audiophile who loves a vast array of different artists and genres. After all of that time and money that you put into building your music collection, it’s only natural that you would want to share it with your family and friends. Or you may want to share iTunes library to new computer.
Unfortunately, Apple puts a lot of restrictions on the music that you buy from them. Fortunately, there are ways around this.
- 1: How to Share iTunes Library Between Computers - without Any Limitations
- 2: How to Share iTunes Library Between Computers - Using Home Sharing
- 3: How to Share iTunes Library between Computers - Using Music Sharing
- 4: Which Way to Share iTunes Library Is Better?
How to Share iTunes Library Between Computers - without Any Limitations
Normally, with iTunes you are limited to where you can share iTunes library. You can only share with your own devices that share your Apple ID and unless you have a family share plan, you can’t easily share your music with friends.
However, there’s a great iTunes alternative that can help you bypass all of these issues, and it’s called iMyFone TunesMate. It helps you transfer and share iTunes library without restrictions, and it comes with lots of great features:
- You can share iTunes library between multiple computers without data loss.
- You can share iTunes library between users.
- You can share iTunes library to iPhone even signed into different Apple ID.
- You can share the whole iTunes library or part of the library.
- TunesMate is highly spoken of by hundreds of users and well-known media.
Steps to Share iTunes Library between Computers
Step 1: Download and install iMyFone TunesMate on each computer.
Step 2: Connect your iPhone/iPad to the computer that you want to extract the library from.
Step 3: Launch TunesMate and click “Transfer iTunes Media to iDevice” on the home screen. Click “Transfer,” then “OK” when it is done.
Share Itunes Library Between Computers Mac Mini
Step 4: Disconnect the device from the first computer and connect it to the second computer.
Step 5: Launch TunesMate on the second computer. Click “Transfer iDevice Media to iTunes.” Click “Start,” then “Start” again.
Now everything that was in the iTunes library of the first computer is on the second computer as well.
Pros
How to Share iTunes Library Between Computers - Using Home Sharing
One of Apple’s official ways to share iTunes library between computers is with Home Sharing. This works well enough in many cases, but it still has its limits:
- You can’t share your iTunes library with computers that are signed in with different Apple IDs, which means you can’t share iTunes library between users.
- Your computers should be on and awake, and so does iTunes.
- Your computers need to be networked for the transferring to occur.
- You can’t be individually selective about which files you want to transfer and which you don’t - it just happens automatically.
In case you still want to use Home Sharing, though, this is how you can do it:
- Launch iTunes.
- Sign in with your Apple ID.
- Make sure that you are using the same Apple ID for every device in your home.
- In iTunes, go to File > Home Sharing > Turn on Home Sharing.
You can drag some specific iTunes contents from the shared library to your iTunes library. But note that iTunes home sharing always not working.
How to Share iTunes Library between Computers - Using Music Sharing
Alternatively, you can use music sharing. This is similar to Home Sharing, but you must have iTunes open on all the devices that are sharing. There are a few disadvantages to this method:
- Again, you must be on a network. Your computers should be in the same network.
- Your computer and shared iTunes should be on and awake that others can access your library.
- It only works with DRM-free content. This means that if there are any digital rights management restrictions on your music, you won’t be able to use Music Sharing to share the files.
- Apple Music content can’t be shared with these method. (Though this is also true for Home Sharing.)
- It can be a privacy concern because if Music Sharing isn’t password protected, anyone connected to your network can see your library.
- Launch iTunes.
- Go to Edit > Preferences (Mac: iTunes > Preferences).
- Click where it says “Sharing.”
- Click the box next to, 'Share my library on my local network.' You can specify certain types of content or playlists that you want to share, or let it share everything.
Tips
How to View Your Shared Library on Another computer?
- Open iTunes.
- Click “Music” at the top left corner of the iTunes window.
- Go to Edit > Shared Libraries, and click “Done.” You should now be able to see the libraries that you share with other devices that have iTunes open. Click the name of the library to examine what’s in it.
Which Way to Share iTunes Library Is Better?
Music Sharing |
---|
Can transfer both purchased and non-purchased files |
Files can have DRM |
Library can be shared across more than one Apple ID |
Convert files automatically during transfer for maximum compatibility |
Share Itunes Library Between Computers Mac Address
Final Thought
If you want to share iTunes library to different computers without any restriction, or without any worry about the privacy of your library, just consider iMyFone TunesMate for help. It provides free trial to experience its full features, why not go ahead and have a shot. It also does well to iPhone transfer.
- Two-way sync: transfer music/movies from iPhone to computer, or from computer to iPhone.
- Back up iPhone or iTunes music library and restore backup without data loss.
- Add media files to iPhone from computer/iTunes/external drive/CDs, etc.
- Transfer iPhone music/movies/files to iTunes, and free contents are included.
- Share iPhone music with friends even with different Apple IDs.
- And more ...
Share Itunes Library Between Iphones
Other features of TunesMate are waiting you to discover.