For a long time I've kept a collection of MP3 files and other audio formats on a NAS device, organizing selected titles in iTunes but keeping the files off my system. Now, I'd like to copy them to my local system.
Dragging all the files to my "Music" folder is the obvious choice, but it made me wonder, what exactly is the difference between dumping a bunch of files into a sub-folder under "Music" versus just putting them in some random location within my home directory?
Are they indexed differently? Do apps see them differently? Or are loose (i.e. moving them around doesn't break anything) files in "Music" treated like files I have anywhere else?
Best Answer
You can put the 'root' of the iTunes Media directory, "iTunes Music", where you like - though personally I prefer to keep all the actual database files in their original location & just move the song files themselves.
This is quite possibly the setup you currently have.
To move it anywhere else, the simplest way is to change the directory in iTunes prefs > Advanced to the new desired location.
Also check 'keep organised' & 'copy files to media folder'
It's been a long time since I did this, so the next step may be automatic or manual - test to see.
Auto - when you OK that dialog iTunes will ask you if it can consolidate to the new locations; say yes.
Manual - if it doesn't ask, then from File menu > Library > Consolidate files to have it do the same manually.
This will copy all the song files it is currently keeping track of into the new location - & will then always use that location whenever you add new music.
Note that in my example above
iTunes_Remoteis the top level directory; inside it iTunes will then make the required folders for Audiobooks, Movies, Music, etc, as needed.