Syncing the same iTunes library among multiple computers

I have two computers, a Windows 7 laptop and a new iMac. iTunes on both computers are signed into the same Apple ID. I currently have my iTunes library on my laptop, but I would like to also have the exact same library on my iMac. For instance, if I download a new podcast to my laptop, it should be placed on my iMac as well. When I delete the podcast, it should be deleted on the iMac too. When song metadata is updated on my laptop (play count, lyrics, etc), I want it updated on the iMac automatically.
I have not had much experience with Home Sharing, but would that do all of this automatically? I know I could manually transfer songs from one computer to the other using Home Sharing, but what about updated metadata or deleting files?
iCloud has made this situation more interesting. I know iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Match will keep music files in sync among various devices (including metadata?), but what about podcasts or movies or files not purchased via iTunes? I know there are plenty of details that are yet to be released concerning iCloud, but do you think it will solve this problem entirely, or will manual labor be required to obtain the exact same library among multiple computers?
I have considered only using my iMac to maintain my library, since it is always on and I could use Home Sharing to listen to music on my laptop since they are on the same Wifi network. However, I feel it would be best to keep the same library on two computers for when I take my laptop on vacation away from my home network.
What would you suggest for this situation?
Thanks!

sorry about the slight irrelevence of this post on this thread....i saw this much older post you had in my explorations and it is almost to a "T" my issue currently and i was wondering if you ever came to a conclusion or had any tips or resolution paths i could explore. your original message:
     I have 2 computers I'd like to set up Home Sharing on. One is Windows XP and the other is Windows 7.
     I set it all up but then the libraries never show up. Nothing happens.
     The computers are on the same network and I can successfully share files and a printer. Both computers are      authorized using the same account. Both are signed into that account.
     I don't know why it's not working. Can you please help?
          Thanks!!
is EXACTLY my problem with the only variable being that both of my computers run 7. furthermore, you went on to say you were experiencing issues with the "remote" app. that was the initial objective for me in my system that got me here with a deeper problem with home share. i want to home share my itunes library and control it from my iPod touch 4g. is that such an unreasonable request?!?!? lol. i'm incredibly frustrated and was hoping that since you had such specifically similar circumstances....have you found a solution? PLEASE HELP!!! thank you so much for your time.

Similar Messages

Can I sync the same iTunes library on both my iMac and my MacBook Pro?

Can I sync the same iTunes library on both my iMac and my MacBook Pro? I've been connecting my iPhone to each and it's causing problems for me with them being different, despite my purchases always being under the same Apple ID.

The easy way to do this is to keep the library on an external drive which you can plug into either computer. Of course this isn't always the desirable solution. You can try routinely copying the library from computer to computer though this gets tiresome.
Of possible relevance:
Using iPhone, iPad, or iPod with multiple computers - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1202 - You can manage your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with multiple computers as long as you have set the device to "Manually manage music." - e.g. adding music from a second computer to an i-device.

Same iTunes Library on Multiple Computers

I was wondering whether someone could help me out a little here. I have 3 computers at home. A MacBook Pro, a Windows Vista Laptop and a Windows Vista desktop PC. Both my Wife and I have iPods (mine an iPhone and hers an 8Gb 2nd Generation Nano).
What I want to be able to do is access my iTunes music collection (the music files are currently stored on the MacBook) through any computer in the house (I have wireless through Time Capsule). This I am told is easy through iTunes sharing, however this does not allow you to connect your iPod to any machine and update it, as sharing does allow this.
Is there a way of storing the iTunes library and files on one machine, like a central server and then you can play music from any computer (perhaps using iTunes on that machine) and you can also plugin your iPod/iPhone into any machine in order to update it?
Looking forward to hearing peoples suggestions on this one.
Thanks.

Hello
Try this website:
http://theappleblog.com/2008/10/13/one-itunes-library-on-multiple-computers/
I have been using this solution with my Library and Music situated on a NAS for awhile now with great success.
Hope this helps.
Kevin

Sharing itunes library among multiple computers?

Hey all,
We are a Mac family. We have an iMac and a Powerbook, and I recently bought an iBook for my wife. We'd love to be able to share our iTunes library among the computers. Is there an easy way to set this up? Any help would be greatly appreciated......
I'm betting this has been talked about elsewhere but wasn't sure if there was a simple solution I'm missing.
Thanks in advance.....
jon

It depends on what you mean exactly. If you want to simply be able to play stuff out of each other's libraries, you can turn on Sharing in the iTunes preferences. Any computers on the same network with iTunes open and with sharing turned on, will see each other's libraries (they show up in the left side column like a playlist sort of). But this method of sharing only allows you to play their stuff. You will not be able to add the songs to your own library, add the songs to your own playlist, or burn a CD of songs from their library.
If your question was how to have a SINGLE central library serving all the computers, I don't think it can be done, at least not easily.
Patrick

Can I have the same iTunes library on two computers?

I have an iMac and a Macbook Pro with two different iTunes libraries. I want to have the same library on both computers with playlist and all, so that if I do anything on the iMac, the macbook will sync. Anybody who can tell me if this is possible and how to do it? I also have a timecapsule if that matters?

Hello henrik100,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Home Sharing in iTunes is designed to let you easily share your iTunes media libraries between up to five computers in your household.
For more information, take a look at:
iTunes: Setting up Home Sharing on your computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4620
Understanding Home Sharing
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3819
Have a nice day,
Mario

Can I have the same iTunes library on 2 computers?

I have iTunes on my desktop PC, but now I want to use it on my laptop.
I've downloaded iTunes on the laptop, but when I log in to my account, none of my music appears.
I have my library backed up on my desktop hard drive, so do I have to import all of that music onto my laptop?
I guess I assumed that my account could go with me where ever I signed in.

How to Copy and Move your Music Files from One Computer to Another
This is the conceptual framework with related and important links. Apply and adapt it to your specific situation and equipment resources.
The safest, quickest, and most optimal method to move your Library to a new computer is to actually clone the entire ‘iTunes’ folder (directory) structure, rather than just copying just the song files. By copying the entire ‘iTunes’ folder and all sub-folders, you capture not only the music files, but the all-important ‘iTunes Library.itl’ database file (usually located in the ‘iTunes’ folder), which contains all the data about your songs (Playlists, Ratings, Play Counts, Last Played, Date Added, etc). See: What are the iTunes Library files?
Install iTunes on the new computer. Then go back to your old computer and move (copy) the "iTunes" folder which usually resides inside your "…\My Documents\My Music" folder from the old computer to the exact same place (both Drive Letter and complete Path) on the new computer. When you open iTunes on the new computer it will look and behave exactly the same way it did on the old, Play Counts, Ratings, Comments and all!
NOTE: It is usually safer moving files between computers with the same version of iTunes!!
Here's a list of methods to copy and move your music files from one computer to another:
1) Use an External Hard Drive (ExHD) to move the complete files and Folder structures from one computer to another (my preferred option). You can clone’ the entire ‘iTunes’ folder structure in one very easy step. Also great to have available for complete backups of your Library. External hard drives now run less than $100 for 200-250GBs of storage. See This Link
2) Directly connect the two computers....
- 2a) Connect them through a Router &/or Network
- 2b) Directly connect using an Ethernet cable: Straight for using at least one Mac; or Crossover for PC/PC Instructions here.
- 2c) Connect them via a USB-to-USB Network Bridge. Example here. There are various types out there (use Google).
....Then copy the files from one computer to the other.
3) Use the iPod as a transfer device, as this extensive Apple link explains. It will be a bit easier if your iPod has a larger capacity than your music collection, otherwise you will need to perform multiple copy/move transfers. This well written process also works fine while using any other data transfer medium (ExHD, Flash Drive, DVD, CD, Zipp, Jazz, etc.).
4) Burn several DVDs (at 4.7GBs each) with your music data files and folder structure, and load them onto the new computer. Re-writable DVDs are more cost effective (if your DVD drive can manage these types).
5) Burn 6x more on CDs (at 700MB each) than in #4 above and load the files and folders on the new computer. Re-writable CDs are more cost effective (if your CD drive can manage these types).
6) Use a larger USB Flash drive (1GB - 4GB) to move the files and folders. Best if the flash drive is larger than your Library, otherwise you will need multiple copy/move transfers.
These are links to various additional instructions on performing the transfer (read them all, but some listed steps may not be required depending on your specific situation):
Switch from PC to Mac Using the iPod
hudgie: Migrating iTunes for Windows to a new PC
How to copy music between authorized computers

How can I get my itunes library on multiple computers at the same time. I have 3 and an iphone 4S

So I have my itunes library on a laptop and synced with my iphone 4S. I have a new laptop and a tower and I use all three computers. Is there a simple way to have all three computers sync the same itunes library, and the phone?

No.
Iphone will sync with one and only one computer a a time. Syncing to another will erase the current content from the iphone and replace with content from the new computer.

My iphone / mac no longer recognize they are the same Itunes library. When I try to sync my phone now, it wants to erase everything and replace it with the computers itunes library. I have purchased items on the phone I don't want to erase

My iphone / mac no longer recognize they are the same Itunes library. When I try to sync my phone now, it wants to erase everything and replace it with the computers itunes library. I have purchased items on the phone I don't want to erase them from the phone. The phone backs up fine, but won't sync.

File>Devices>Transfer Purchases from "iPhone" and then sync.

How do I sync multiple iPods to the same iTunes Library?

How can I sync multiple iPods to the same iTunes Library?

The same way you sync just one. If y want different media on each iPod then only select the items you want synced to each iPod
iTunes: Syncing media content to iOS devices and iPod
Try syncing using the manual method
Managing content manually on iPhone, iPad, and iPod
Also, I would go to iTunes>Preferences>Devices and check the box that says prevent iPods... for syncing automatically so that you can more easily check what you want syned

HT1535 I own an iPhone4, an iPod 3rd generation and an iPad 2. I use the same iTunes library but unfortunately synced iPad with a different computer before syncing to my own. Do I risk losing the films/apps I've downloaded onto my iPad if I sync with my i

I don't want to sync what is on my iPod to my iPad. (I have a 32gb iPod but only 16gb on iPad. The iPod I use mostly for music.) I can't seem to add the films I have downloaded onto iPad to iTunes. If I could do that, I could erase them from iPad to create more storage.
This is intensely confusing, sorry.

Question.....
"I own an iPhone4, an iPod 3rd generation and an iPad 2. I use the same iTunes library but unfortunately synced iPad with a different computer before syncing to my own. Do I risk losing the films/apps I've downloaded onto my iPad if I sync with my iPod?"
Answer.....
Yes you will lose the films that you downloaded to the iPad when you sync with your own iTunes unless you transfer the purchases into your own iTunes library. Were these movies that you purchased? If so, you might be able to download them again for free. Do you have multiple computers that you sync from or is this someone else's purchased content?
You can select whatever you want to sync to all of your devices in iTunes, you do not have to sync the same content to all device.
iTunes 11 for Windows: Set up syncing for iPod, iPhone, or iPad
iOS: Syncing with iTunes - Support - Apple

Syncing 2 iPhones on the same iTunes Library

Is it possible to sync to iPhones to the same iTunes library? So games etc get synced to both phones? BUT can both iPhones sync to the Music Library differently?

"Is it possible to sync to iPhones to the same iTunes library?"
Yes.
" So games etc get synced to both phones"
Yes.
"BUT can both iPhones sync to the Music Library differently?"
Yes.
Itunes recognizes each device, so you can set each to sync whatever you like.

Can i sync an iphone 4 and a ipad 2 with the same itunes library?

can i sync an iphone 4 and a ipad 2 with the same itunes library?

Open itunes. Plug in ipad. Select what you want to sync. Sync.
iPad 2 User Guide (For iOS 4.3 Software)

Can I stream and sync from the same itunes library to one AppleTV?

Can I stream and sync from the same itunes library to one AppleTV?

From what I can tell this is a bug.
A very Frustrating bug. When the take 2 update launched I was streaming movies via "shared movies" from my synched computer without any issues. However after a couple of recent iTunes updates all the "shared" menus stopped appearing and I can no longer stream anything from my main computer.
When I open up my macbook though everything streams fine, all the "shared" menus immediately appear.
Numerous restarts, factory resets and reinstalling the 2.0 software have done nothing to help this issue.
If anyone has any more light on the subject it'd be great to hear. Also I'm not sure which update broke it because I went about a month not using the apple tv.

Is it possible to sync AND stream from the same iTunes library?

Hi,
I am having trouble in setting up sync AND stream from the same iTunes library.
Config :
Mac OS - Latest update 5/6/09
iTunes - Latest update 5/6/09
Apple TV - Latest update 5/6/09
I am able to either sync OR Stream from my iTunes library but not sync AND stream from the same iTunes library
Let's say i want to sync :
Go to Apple TV > Settings > computer
Add Library (Not shared for Syncing)
Enter passcode in iTunes and select the items to sync
After sync is complete
You can see photo, music & video in My Photos, My Music & My Videos.
Let's say now my Apple TV is full
So like to stream some other content
Now
Go to Apple TV > Settings > computer
Add SHARED Library
Passcode is shown in apple TV but not able to Enter it in iTunes (click to set link is not there next to Apple TV item under devices)
To get that you have to right click the apple tv from the devices and select don't sync.
You will get a message saying that all content in apple TV will get deleted.
If you say yes then only the passcode screen for streaming is presented.
So i am not able to sync AND stream from the same iTunes library.
Any idea?

macanandapple wrote:
1. The checkbox for "show only synced content" should be unchecked
yes
2. No need to Add Shared Library
correct
3. After syncing is complete as per the steps said before, if i have to see a synced content i go to My Movies for streamed content i have to go to Shared Movies?
no... both synced and streamed content show up all together. there is no way to tell what content is synced or streamed when looking at it on the appletv. it is seemless as in there is no difference in how it is presented.
you also need to make sure you are using "custom sync" rather than "automatic sync", as you can't select the "show only synced content" box when using "automatic sync".

Can I sync 2 iPhones with the same iTune library?

I am currently using an iPhone 3GS and have no problems with it. I also have an iPod Classic synshed to the same iTunes library with no issues.
My question is: Can I also synch my old iPhone 3G so that my kids can use it to play some games, videos and music, synched from my library, with SIM card?

Try it and see what happens. I don't see why it wouldn't work.
If you DO have problems, put the phone in Airplane Mode. And see if that helps.

Syncing the same iTunes library among multiple computers

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for