If you have a bombastic iTunes library , you may have reached the point where you need to unlade some of your media files to another drive . There are several ways you’re able to do this . you could connect an external hard thrust to your Mac , and utilize that to stack away your iTunes Media folder . If you use an iMac , this is likely the easiest choice . However , if you practice a laptop , you may not desire the dogfight of connecting and disconnecting an external driving whenever you desire to use iTunes .
Another selection is to use a internet attached depot gimmick , or NAS . This is a store machine that your Mac connects to over your connection — commonly via Wi - Fi , but you may also apply Ethernet — and that can give you vastly more store , especially if your Mac has an interior SSD .
If you use both iTunes and another electronic web gimmick or app — such asPlex , a hi - fi spiritualist streamer , or Sonos ’ wireless home audio organization — you may use the NAS to stash away media that other gadget can access too . You wo n’t necessitate to secure that your Mac is always on .
In this clause , I ’ll discuss how you could set up iTunes to use a NAS , and I ’ll point out some issuing you need to be aware of to ascertain that iTunes works correctly .
Choosing a NAS
There is a plethora of NAS devices usable , from elementary , single - drive units to larger , multi - drive foray - open storage gadget . Depending on your need , you may spend a brace hundred dollars for a childlike NAS without drive ( you may have some gruelling drives you’re able to reprocess ) , or much more for a unit with five drives and RAID capabilities . think that if you get a simple NAS with a individual movement , you still need to consider adding an additional external hard ride to back up the single file on the NAS itself .
I recently bought aWD MyCloud Ex2 NAS . This two - bay machine is uncommitted without drives , sell for around $ 159 , and it allowed me to use two 2 TB laborious drives I had in a wardrobe , having upgraded another memory board machine to 4 TB drive . ( The MyCloud is also useable in version with drives , with capacities from 4 TB to 10 TB . )
If you ’re blend to choose a NAS to store your iTunes library , first count what other room you’re able to use the gadget . I apply one of the heavy drives on my NAS for my MacBook ’s iTunes library , and the other for Time Machine backups . Many NAS devices support Time Machine backups , so if you want a gadget for this role , check its glasses .
The MyCloud , like some other NAS devices , also has an iTunes host feature , which lets you well out music from the equipment to a computer running iTunes or to an Apple television set . This stand for that any data processor in your family can pour your media files , without the Mac whose subroutine library is stash away on the NAS running .
Moving your iTunes library
When you ’ve chosen your machine and set it up , it ’s sentence to move your iTunes library . There are two ways you may do this , and each option has professional and cons .
Move just your media files
In your dwelling house folder is a Music folder , and , in that , an iTunes folder . This hold a issue of files , such as your actual iTunes depository library data file , and some support files . There ’s also an Album Artwork booklet ( which cache artwork from your medium data file ) , and an iTunes medium folder , which contains hero sandwich - leaflet for unlike types of mass medium : Music , Movies , telly appearance , etc .
These are the file in your iTunes folder .
If you move just your medium files , then your Mac hold back your iTunes library filing cabinet , as well as some other files ; all those in the screenshot above , other than the iTunes medium pamphlet . The advantage to maintain these data file on your Mac is that when iTunes updates its library file — which happens any time you make changes to any files in your iTunes library — this process wo n’t be slowed down by your connection . However , if you have a fast Wi - Fi router , such as a recent AirPort Extreme , you should n’t notice any lag .
However , if you move just your media file , you must ensure that your NAS ( or any external effort ) is mounted when iTunes launch . If iTunes does n’t see that drive , it will search in your Music folder for your medium , and wo n’t find it . It will then switch the location of the medium folder in its predilection to that local folder , and replicate any Modern file there . And this gets messy .
If you desire to move just the media filing cabinet , do the followers :
exchange the location of your iTunes medium booklet in the iTunes preferences .
When the transcript is finished , you’re able to play medicine , watch out movies , and listen to podcasts from your transcript of iTunes as if the content was on your Mac .
One tip for this scenario : when the NAS is mount in the Finder , openSystem Preferences > Users & Groups , and fall into place your bill . Click Login Items , and drop behind the NAS volume to that list . This ensures that your Mac mounts the intensity when you start up your Mac and lumber in .
Move your entire iTunes folder
This is a dim-witted process . Just copy the iTunes folder in your domicile pamphlet ’s Music booklet to the NAS . As above , this may take a long time .
The first time you launch iTunes after the move has complete , press the Option keystone immediately after get across the iTunes image . Click Choose Library , and then navigate to the iTunes folder on the NAS . iTunes will then use this library , and , if it ’s not available on the meshing , will alarm you . It wo n’t revert its options to your local drive .
However , if you have a slow connection , you may have issues with searches and you may see a piece of lag when seduce change to files or their tags . Also , you need to ensure that not only your media file but your iTunes Library file gets backed up regularly . Leaving the non - media files on your Mac ensures that Time Machine plump for them up ; putting all these files on the NAS means that you require to set up another backup routine .
What’s next?
Once your iTunes medium files ( or all your iTunes files ) are on the NAS , you use iTunes just as before . As long as the NAS is mounted , iTunes utilize that library . The only conflict you ’ll see is when you copy files to your iTunes libraries . You wo n’t notice much holdup with music files , but you ’ll definitely see that movie take a lot longer to copy to the NAS over your connection .
Syncing to iOS twist will also be slower . Again , you wo n’t find this if you ’re only sync some Modern medicine , but if you coif up a new iOS twist , and sync a lot of content , this will take quite a while .
Using a NAS , you could have a large iTunes depository library accessible from a laptop with a compact SSD , and , as I repoint out earlier , also get at that cognitive content easily from other hi - fi streaming devices that can learn data file from a web volume . Just remember to back up your iTunes library on the NAS , especially if you ’ve moved all your Indian file to the machine . If not , and you mislay file , you may have fuss reconstruct your iTunes library and playlist .