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How do I consolidate music from 2 iTunes Accts into 1 Acct?
- Thread starter marc55
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At this time Apple does how allow multiple iTunes accounts to be merged into one.
Roger that, but what's the easiest way to move the music from one account and add it to the other?
Do you mean from one iTunes library to the other?
Just transfer the songs to an external hard drive and copy them over the library you want them in. If that's what your asking.
You can't however transfer songs from one apple ID to the other which may be what your asking.
I think the answer to your question is that it's not possible. There are workarounds though.
Let me confirm what you're truly asking. Are you talking about 2 separate accounts on the iTunes Store? For example, you've bought music/videos with your account (husband@example.com) and your wife bought music/videos with her account (wife@example.com). Now, you guys want to use a single account, let's say yours, but still have access to music purchased on wife@example.com. Right?
Well, if this is the case, you're out of luck since Apple has not yet allowed for merging of iTS accounts.
The workaround that may work for you is to authorize your iTunes app (on your Mac/PC) with both accounts. This will allow you to play music bought on both accounts on your computer. Not sure if this will work with iPods/iPhones, though.
Another idea would be to upgrade all of your DRM protected songs to iTunes Plus. This will allow your iDevices to play those songs, regardless of which account it was purchased under. Videos, however, will still be DRM'd and you're out of luck there.
ft
NOTE - if you're not talking about merging separate iTS accounts and are talking about separate MacOS/Windows accounts, then it's much easier. Just import the songs from one library into the other. Then use the function to check for duplicates.
Let me confirm what you're truly asking. Are you talking about 2 separate accounts on the iTunes Store? For example, you've bought music/videos with your account (husband@example.com) and your wife bought music/videos with her account (wife@example.com). Now, you guys want to use a single account, let's say yours, but still have access to music purchased on wife@example.com. Right?
Well, if this is the case, you're out of luck since Apple has not yet allowed for merging of iTS accounts.
The workaround that may work for you is to authorize your iTunes app (on your Mac/PC) with both accounts. This will allow you to play music bought on both accounts on your computer. Not sure if this will work with iPods/iPhones, though.
Another idea would be to upgrade all of your DRM protected songs to iTunes Plus. This will allow your iDevices to play those songs, regardless of which account it was purchased under. Videos, however, will still be DRM'd and you're out of luck there.
ft
NOTE - if you're not talking about merging separate iTS accounts and are talking about separate MacOS/Windows accounts, then it's much easier. Just import the songs from one library into the other. Then use the function to check for duplicates.
It seems to me like iTunes Match would provide a solution for this. Convert any AAC files from the account you want to get rid of to MP3s, transfer them to the computer with the account you want to keep, sign up for iTunes Match, and all those files are now part of the account you want to keep. Would that work?
I don't even see why music is a concern, since Apple did away with music DRM years ago. Just copy all the music over into one library.
If you're talking about itunes purchases, that was described well above.
If you're talking about just moving the contents of one library to another, the easiest way in my opinion (also assuming you have some overlap/duplicate songs) would be use the itunes sharing feature. I forget the exact steps (google it) but basically you link both computers together via itunes, and you can view all the songs your wife has in her itunes library on her computer on your itunes/computer. You can then ask itunes to show you just the songs on her computer that are NOT on your computer. Do that and simply click and drag them to your own library.
If you are over wifi and transferring a bunch of songs that may take awhile, so just let it go over night.
edit - here is the apple support doc explaining how to do it http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620
If you're talking about just moving the contents of one library to another, the easiest way in my opinion (also assuming you have some overlap/duplicate songs) would be use the itunes sharing feature. I forget the exact steps (google it) but basically you link both computers together via itunes, and you can view all the songs your wife has in her itunes library on her computer on your itunes/computer. You can then ask itunes to show you just the songs on her computer that are NOT on your computer. Do that and simply click and drag them to your own library.
If you are over wifi and transferring a bunch of songs that may take awhile, so just let it go over night.
edit - here is the apple support doc explaining how to do it http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620