Apple Music not recognizing music library on external drive

So another Apple Music question. I have a large iTunes database stored on an external drive. I ripped every one of my 400+ music cd's into itunes. I moved the library to an external because of its size. Over 300gb and glose to 50k songs. I do not need to download anything. Apple music does not give me the option (yes it is pointed to the external for the music folder) the player doesn't list the source files on the drive in their folders and wants to copy them to my MAcBook, where there is no room with a 256gb drive. Itunes was great except for some glitchyness because of the size of the library. How do I get Apple Music to stop trying me to buy and download songs ansd how to do I get it to see the main library and give me access to the rest instead of what I have just double clicked on in the library itself to play. GRRRRR. I thought this would be a breeze on the MacBook, but it works properly on my windows laptop with iTunes.

Posted on Nov 1, 2026 5:24 AM

1 reply

sooperfresh

Level 2 (377 points)

Nov 4, 2026 4:15 PM in response to harrymetalhead

Quit Music, then hold Option while you open it, click Choose Library and pick the iTunes folder on the external drive (the one holding iTunes Library.itl). Music converts that library and points at the files where they already sit, so nothing gets copied to the MacBook and your playlists and play counts come along. Also turn off Music > Settings > Files > "Copy files to Media folder when adding to library" so anything you add later stays on the drive too.

Katalog *** also runs alongside the Music app and reads a library that size straight off the drive (I made it).

[Edited by Moderator]