Article
Sharing an iTunes library between a Mac and a PC
By Jesse Hollington
Social Media & Software Editor, iLoungeGoogle+
Published: Friday, July 31, 2009
Articles Categories: Ask iLounge, iPod touch, iTunes, Mac, Music, Windows
Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-, iPhone-, iPad-, iTunes-, or Apple TV-related questions from a member of the iLounge editorial team. We'll answer several questions here each week, and of course, you can always get help with more immediate concerns from the iLounge Discussion Forums. Submit your questions for consideration using our Ask iLounge Submit Form. We reserve the right to edit questions for grammar, spelling, and length.
Q: My husband, lucky guy, has a MacBook. I have a PC. Our iTunes library is located on another satellite hard disk. Can my husband access the library on his Mac? And, most importantly, can he sync his iPod touch to the library if he wants? Or are we stuck synchronizing only from my PC? Secondly, if we were to sync the iPod touch on my PC, does that mean we could never use it on the Mac? Or can it be reformatted? Thanks for your help.
- Renee
A: It is definitely possible to use the same content on both computers, although you will need to configure a separate iTunes library database on each one, meaning information like playlists and ratings will not be shared.
To share the actual media files, you would simply share them across the network from your Windows PC in the same way as you would share any other folder across the network. Your husband would then import the music from that network share to the iTunes library on his Mac, creating a new iTunes library database in the process, ensuring the “Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library” under advanced preferences in iTunes is disabled. This will tell iTunes to leave the media files in their original locations and reference them from there, rather than making another copy of them on your husband’s MacBook.
The main reason you wouldn’t be able to share the same library database is that Windows and Mac OS X references files in a different manner. For example, on Windows your media might be on the E: drive. Since Mac OS X doesn’t use drive letters, it wouldn’t have the faintest clue where to find the “E:” drive, and therefore wouldn’t be able to find your music files.
In terms of using the iPod touch on both the Mac and Windows computers, this is definitely possible with the newer iPhone OS-based devices. Traditional click wheel iPod models needed to be physically formatted like an external hard disk for a specific operating system, whereas the newer iPhone and iPod touch devices use a completely different synchronization model. You could therefore easily set your iPod touch to manual mode and use it back and forth between both computers without any problems.
|
The most asked question at iLounge.com:
|
Converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and more:
The Complete Guide to iPod, Apple TV and iPhone Video Formats |
Converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and more:
The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Mac) |
Converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and more:
The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Win) |
|
|
|
|
|
Find more answers in the latest publications in our Library. Free downloads developed by the editors of iLounge!
Ask iLounge Archives:
5-21-13: Inability to use Find My Friends without a passcode
5-17-13: Calendar info disappears after iCloud restore
5-16-13: Remove old iCloud backup after restoring to a new iPhone
5-15-13: Setting up a ringtone in iTunes
5-14-13: Using a Wi-Fi hard drive with an iPad
Related Stories
- Inability to use Find My Friends without a passcode
- Calendar info disappears after iCloud restore
- Remove old iCloud backup after restoring to a new iPhone
- Setting up a ringtone in iTunes
- Using a Wi-Fi hard drive with an iPad
- Backing up and restoring an iPod classic
Comments
If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods/iPhones/iPad or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod/iPhone/iPad products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.
Recent News
- Apps: ABC Aquarium, Disney Jr. Appisodes, Pinterest 2.4 + Pocket Informant Pro 3.0
- Report: iOS 7 could see Flickr, Vimeo integration
- Apple CEO Cook testifies on taxes, faces Senate critics
- Google Play Music All Access to get iOS app support?
- Senate subcommittee accuses Apple of tax avoidance
- AT&T: All video chat apps will work over cellular in 2013
- Apple releases testimony before CEO’s Senate appearance
- New Apple offers in India can reduce iPhone price
- Report: Apple testing 1.5” OLED displays for iWatch
- Song skipping terms slowing iRadio negotiations
Recent Reviews
- Mophie Juice Pack Plus for iPhone 5
- Ultimate Ears UE Boom
- Trü Protection Trü-Fit Anti-Glare Film Set
- New Trent iCarrier IMP120D Dual USB Power Pack
- BlueFlame 2M Charge and Sync Cable with Lightning Connector
- HMDX Jam Party Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Speaker
- Logitech Harmony Ultimate Universal Remote Control
- MyCharge Freedom 2000 Battery Case for iPhone 5
- Nike Nike+ FuelBand
- OCDesk OCDock for iPhone 5
Recent Articles
- Inability to use Find My Friends without a passcode
- Calendar info disappears after iCloud restore
- Remove old iCloud backup after restoring to a new iPhone
- Setting up a ringtone in iTunes
- Using a Wi-Fi hard drive with an iPad
- Backing up and restoring an iPod classic
- Can’t restore iPod touch without passcode
- Retaining older versions of Apps during an iOS Restore
- Can’t eject iPod nano without closing Firefox
- Can’t change iTunes Apple ID to iCloud e-mail address