iMac Music app cannot read old iTunes Library .itl file

Besides the extension, copy the whole iTunes folder (the .itl plus iTunes Media) into the Music folder on the iMac first and Option-open it from there, not straight off the HDD. If Music still says it can't be read, look for iTunes Music Library.xml in the same backup: once the media is copied over, find-and-replace the Windows path prefix in that XML (file://localhost/C:/Users/...) with the new Mac location, then File > Library > Import Playlist on it brings the tracks and your playlists in.

Katalog https://musickatalog.com/ also runs alongside Music and reads a copied folder straight from the file tags, though it won't rebuild the old playlists either (I built it).

"iMac Music app cannot read old iTunes Library .itl file: I am trying to migrate over an old iTunes Library from a Windows backup on a HDD to Music on my iMac (Ventura 13.7.8). Doing the Option+Click on Music app to try to open the .itl file as a new library is not working, saying the file cannot be read and asking me to choose a different file. I would like to keep my old playlists and not lose any of my old iTunes data in doing the move, is there any workaround to import my old iTunes into Music?"

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Add the .itl Extension:

I do not have a Windows PC, nor VM in front of me, but try adding the .itl extension, as it can get removed.