Sharing my iTunes Library with other Users on my computer?

...hi guys! Nice to find this friendly commumity!
I wonder if any of you have worked out how to share the library across other users on the computer yet?
I share a PC with my girlfriend, and all of our downloads on iTunes are from our CD collection. But as I installed iTunes on my user account, she can't get the songs now!
When she opens iunes from her user account, it's a blank library!
Please help!
Thanks chaps,
Kerr
Message was edited by: heinzeman

Chris CA wrote:
Move the entire _iTunes folder_ located in *My Documents/My Music*/ to a Shared directory. Make sure to set this folder for read/write permissions for all users.
I set my permissions as follows OS 10.4.X:
first under the original owners login, change all permissions to read & write, then change 'group' to wheel. Then change the owner from the user to system (I applied to all within ~ may not be necessary).
Start iTunes holding the Shift key and select *Choose existing library* then pick the iTunes library file you moved into the Shared directory.
In iTunes 7.5, you'll need to hold the Option key and then pick the /Users/Shared/iTunes/iTunes Music
Quit iTunes and log out of your user and let her log in.
Start iTunes holding the Shift key and select *Choose existing library* then pick the iTunes library file you moved into the Shared directory.
Now she needs to File -> *Add folder to library* and pick *My Documents*/My Music*/*iTunes*/iTunes music*.
This will add all her music to the common library.
Once this is complete, she can delete *My Documents*/My Music*/*iTunes.
Do this for all users. Any changes made by one will be seen by all.

Similar Messages

Does home sharing allow me to share my iTunes library with other users on the same imac

Does home sharing allow me to share my iTunes library with other users on the same imac?

Apparently so (as long as each user operates out of a different Mac User account).
After setting up home sharing in the various different user accounts on the Mac, you need to have iTunes open in the account that you want to Home Share from.
Now use fast User Switching to get into the account that you want to Home Share to. Launch iTunes in there. The library in the other account should appear as shared for you.

How do i share my itunes library with other users on the same mac

I'm trying to share my itunes library with other users on the same mac. I have tried moving my library to a public folder but when the other user logs in they can't see it in the public folder?

Presuming you moved the entire iTunes folder to the shared folder the other users need to start their iTunes while holding down the option/alt key and select the iTunes Library.itl file in the shared folder. Only once should be necessary. Note that any changes anybody makes will be seen by everybody, so you have to trust each other a lot.
If all you moved are media files each user will have to add those files to their iTunes library.
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203 - relocating iTunes' media folder to a shared area but leaving separate library files - extra tip at https://discussions.apple.com/message/17331189 Chris CA's instructions on sharing one iTunes music library between multiple user accounts - https://discussions.apple.com/message/8974074 - Multiple users using a single library file - similar post at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3753008 Suggestion by Turingtest for multiple users and one library - http://discussions.apple.com/message/9117622 - use smart playlists and tags to isolate groupings.

Question re. sharing iTunes library with other user accounts

I have seen this document:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
I want to share one library with four users on my account. I'd like for any music purchased or ripped to this computer to end up in User 1's iTunes library, and for Users 2, 3 and 4 to have access to User 1s library just as User 1 does.
When I follow the directions for "Listening to another account's music files" in the above referenced document, it tells me to navigate to User 1's library through the dialog box that pops up after User 2 clicks "Add to LIbrary".
The problem is, when User 2 is doing that, and User 1 has put the iTunes library in ~user1/public, as the directions suggest, that dialog box won't allow user 2 to access User 1's Public folder.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance...
Chris

Another long description in store here...
iTunes has two main elements. One is the library.itl database file. When you open iTunes it is this that you see. It contains what music is in a library, playlists, date added, playcount, etc. It is this that is really the library. The other element are the media files. When you tell iTunes to play a track it checks in its library file which music file is associated with that track and goes and plays it.
Now you say, "for Users 2, 3 and 4 to have access to User 1s library just as User 1 does." Do you really want User 4 to be able to go and delete or rename tracks, or change the playlists? This can be done if you really want it. Or do you want each person to keep their own library [file] and share media? Even that has disadvantages as a person might still be able to rename a file or even delete it for all. At least everybody would have their own playlists, ratings, etc, though a person could delete a file and then it would appear as a broken link for others. To be honest, iTunes isn't great for sharing.
What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660
More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management
What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html
Exactly what you want to do will involve different setups so before going into detailed insructions it would help to know which ones to provide. Here's an sampling:
iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203 - relocating iTunes' media folder to a shared area but leaving separate library files - extra tip at https://discussions.apple.com/message/17331189
Chris CA's instructions on sharing one iTunes music library between multiple user accounts - https://discussions.apple.com/message/8974074 - Multiple users using a single library file - similar post at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3753008
iTunes Home Sharing now works between users on same computer - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3865597 The problem with HS is I think you then end up with multiple copies of files, one for each user. At least they cannot damage another's collection though.

Sharing iTunes library with other users (on Vista)

I'm posting this for my sister who just purchased a new computer running Vista. She's set up a user account for herself as well as one for each of my two nephews. We've successfully moved over her iTunes music folder from her laptop and can now access it and listen through her account.
However, we'd like to set it up so that my two nephews can also listen to the music from their user accounts. My oldest nephew also has a shuffle that would sync to it.
I've found a link to information about sharing, but I still need to clarify a few things.
Here's the link:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93195
On this page, it describes how "to share your music with other accounts on the computer" and also how "to listen to another account's music files".
Exactly how are these two things different? I'm pretty sure that I probably want the first of the two, but I'm not positive.
And once we successfully set this up, would we have to sync the shuffle via my sister's main account or could it be synced from any of them?

Let's answer your second question first ...
And once we successfully set this up, would we have to sync the shuffle via my sister's main account or could it be synced from any of them?
Any of them.
... and your first question second.
Exactly how are these two things different?
The first part - sharing your music with other accounts - makes the music available to the other users on the computer.
It is then up to the other users to decide whether or not they want to make use of the available music, hence the second part - listening to another account's music files - which, as the article says, must be repeated "for each account that is listening to shared music."

Sharing an iTunes library with another user

My wife and I both got iPad2's recently. I would like to add some of my photos from iphoto and some of my music from iTunes to her iPad.
I have one iTunes account. I have built it over the years and it recognizes my iPhone and my iPad.
Can she sync content (photos, music, movies) from my iTunes account on to her iPad?
I am really confused about how iTunes deals with multiple users on the same iTunes library.
Hopefully this is enough information for someone to give me an iTunes 101 lesson on multiple users (with different Apple ID's) and sharing of one iTunes library, and syncing photos, movies, etc.... with each user's devices.
Both my wife and I are in the cloud, but we really haven't done anything for her to access content in the cloud. I am fully set up for the cloud with my iMac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV2.
Appreciate any help offered or references to help me understand the link between one iTunes library and multiple users.

how to share music between different accounts on a single computer

How do I share my Itunes Library with another user on my computer

The other user on my computer would like access to my I tunes Library. How do I make it public on my computer so when she logs on to her user page and turns on I tunes she can access my Itunes library?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203

Sharing one iTunes Library with Fast User Switching

Last year, I started using one MacBook Pro for Office use and Personal Home use, by creating two user accounts on it, and enabling Fast User Switching. I did this when I gave up using two separate desktops macs.
Now I have two rather similar music libraries, taking up too much hard drive space. Once I enabled Music Sharing in my Office iTunes Library, I realized that I could gain access to that Office Music Library when I am on my Personal Home User account. Since my Library on my Office account is the most complete, can I eliminate the iTunes Library on my Personal Home User account, to save hard drive space?
If so, how should I do this?
MBPro17, Pbk17 G4 1.67, Pbk G4 12 1.5, iMac G4, various G4&G5's Mac OS X (10.4.8) Airport Extreme & Express

Glen
Since my Library on my Office account is the most
complete, can I eliminate the iTunes Library on my
Personal Home User account, to save hard drive
space?
Yes.
If so, how should I do this?
Move the iTunes folder in Home/Music on the Personal
Home User Account to the desktop.
Launch iTunes. Unable to locate a library file, it
will create a new one, empty one in a new iTunes
folder at Home/Music.
Connect to your shared library as usual. If
everything is working as expected, trash the iTunes
folder on your desktop.
Regards
TD
My iTunes was created under an admin. user profile that I would like to delete. I created a second profile also with admin privlages but I want to delete the first because I messed up the shortname on the profile. So, if I delete this first profile, will I lose all of my music? Will I lose access to the music?

Sharing my iTunes library with other computers on the network

Hi Everybody,
I have an external hard disk with about 125 gigs of music on it, and I've spent a year going through it and categorizing it, and rating the songs. The hard disk is plugged into my Aiport Extreme, and communicates with my iMac just fine. My plan was to use my old windows laptop w/ iTunes, plug it into my stereo in the other room and have it pull music off the hd through the Airport, so I could have a jukebox for my stereo.
I have the windows machine communicating with the Airport and hd, so I have access to the music. I thought I might be able to get the library information if I Exported the Library to the external hd, but it did't work. Next I Exported my playlist from the Mac's iTunes, and Imported it on to the pc's. This shows my playlists, but they are all empty and there is no My Rating information.
What I would love it to do would be to have mirror playlist information on each computer, and any changes in the playlist would automatically get updated on the other computer's iTunes. for this I would think you would need your Library information at the source of the music, so on the external hard disk, and it would be shared by each computer. It'd be great if all the album covers did this too. I really don't want to have to go through all that music again on the pc, and would probably just use my iPod with my stereo if this is not possible. Any suggestions?
Forgive me if this has been written about already. Seems like someone else would have run into this too, but I couldn't find any searching through the discussions.
Thanks, -Victor

Chris CA wrote:
Move the entire _iTunes folder_ located in *My Documents/My Music*/ to a Shared directory. Make sure to set this folder for read/write permissions for all users.
I set my permissions as follows OS 10.4.X:
first under the original owners login, change all permissions to read & write, then change 'group' to wheel. Then change the owner from the user to system (I applied to all within ~ may not be necessary).
Start iTunes holding the Shift key and select *Choose existing library* then pick the iTunes library file you moved into the Shared directory.
In iTunes 7.5, you'll need to hold the Option key and then pick the /Users/Shared/iTunes/iTunes Music
Quit iTunes and log out of your user and let her log in.
Start iTunes holding the Shift key and select *Choose existing library* then pick the iTunes library file you moved into the Shared directory.
Now she needs to File -> *Add folder to library* and pick *My Documents*/My Music*/*iTunes*/iTunes music*.
This will add all her music to the common library.
Once this is complete, she can delete *My Documents*/My Music*/*iTunes.
Do this for all users. Any changes made by one will be seen by all.

Sharing Itunes Library with multiple users on same computer

Several people in my house share the same laptop and we all have our own user id. I am the administrator. How do I set up itunes so that all of the music, the entire library, is accessible to all user id's when each person is logged in? I thought I had it figured out but whenever I download new music the others don't see it, only what was already there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Give this ago, This is what I am trying at the moment and is a bit experimental, I haven't Tested it yet with iPhone/iPad/iPods sync yet. (will do this soon and will report back)
1. BACK UP!!! (just in case) Copy your itunes folder normally found under (user - "username" - Music folder) to a usb drive or just copy it into the music folder. (in fact do a full system back up I'm guessing you haven't done it in a while)
2. Create the new user account if not already done so. (I am setting up my other users as a new users with no existing iTunes content.)
3. Move the itunes folder under (user - "username" - Music folder) into (user - shared)
4. Change the read/write access to the (user - shared - iTunes folder) Right click on the folder - +Get Info+ - Under Permissions allow all the users Read & Write, Click the cog and select apply to enclosed items.
5. Make an alias of the "iTunes folder" and move it back to your original itunes folder location +(user - "username" - Music folder)+
6. Remove alias from the name.
7. Start itunes check to make sure every thing is ok, play a few tracks.
Under iTunes preferences - Advance
make sure the itunes media folder location is (user - "shared" - iTunes - iTunes Media)
I also have Keep iTune media folder organized checked
& Copy files to iTunes Media folder checked. (When music, vids, or update Apps for my iPhone/iPod, it should now show up in the other user's account)
8. Close out of itunes User done.
9. Log into user 2's and go to (user - shared) folder Check to make sure this user has read & write permissions. Make an alias of the "iTunes folder" and move it to user 2's music folder +(user - "username" - Music folder)+
10. Start itunes check to make sure every thing is ok, play a few tracks.
Under iTunes preferences - Advance
make sure the itunes media folder location is (user - "shared" - iTunes - iTunes Media)
Make sure Keep iTune media folder organized & Copy files to iTunes Media folder are checked.
Log this user into the iTunes store if need (it shouldn't effect the the other users)
11. YOUR DONE, Unless you have more users, then just repeat steps 8, 9 ,10 (and 11 if needed)
Just note that only 1 user can access the Shared iTunes account at a time so close iTunes if you not using it.
Each user should be running off the same iTunes library now. Once you are happy with the set up and nothing has happened to your music then delete the back ups in step 1.
Hope this helps, Let me know how you get on?
I will let you know how I get on with 2 iPhones and 2 iTunes store accounts under each User syncing.
AND I cant see why this shouldn't work for iPhoto.
Message was edited by: Gmor

How do I share my iTunes Library with other "users" on my iMac?

I have a new iMac that I restored my iTunes Library onto however, the library only appears in the account of the user that performed the restore. How can I share this library with all the users on this new iMac?

I followed the instructions to the detail, I've also used other sites and they all result in the same message when I try to select my library by holding down option and opening itunes: "The iTunes library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have written permission for this file."
I do have it located on a second internal hard drive on my mac that is completely empty. And under permissions it says everyone can "read and write". Is there something i"m missing or is it not possible to have it located on an internal drive?

How do I share my iTunes library with other users on my iMac computer?

I have a relatively new iMac. All users have iTunes but the iTunes library is empty on users other than me. How do I allow my library to be shared but retain privacy on other applications and files?

try if this support article helps.

Sharing ITunes Library with 3 users on same computer

I am having a hard time figuring out how to share the I-tunes library amongst different users on the same computer. I purchase the songs on one userid but my kids each have a separate login and would like to be able to listen to songs with whomever is logged in. I'm sure this is easy - I just can't figure it out today

See if this helps: iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer

Can I share my iTunes library with other user accounts on my computer?

My kids have their own user accounts on my laptop. Can I share my iTunes music with them? If so, how? If not, can they import their own music from cd's without opening a store account? Anything else I need to know? I appreciate any help you can give!

Click here and follow the instructions.
(51864)

Share iTunes library with multiple users of same computer

I have a new Vista Ultimate 32 computer and copied my existing iTunes library to the administrator acct in Vista. Now I want the family to use the user accts rather than the admin acct when on the computer. How can I get iTunes in a user acct to default to the library that exists in the admin acct?
I don't want to share w/other computers and I don't have a network. This is a single stand alone computer w/multiple accts.
I am stumped so any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
PC Windows Vista

THANK YOU! I've been trying to find info on how to do this through the 'help' option. GRRRRR!
So simple, but not at all intuitive.
Thanks again for your help!

Sharing my iTunes Library with other Users on my computer?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for