How to Move Apple iTunes To Another Hard Drive

When you install Apple’s iTunes software on your computer, the installation program creates a new directory on your hard drive for the purposes of storing media files. All movies, television shows, songs, podcasts and applications are then stored within this directory. While this default directory may be fine for some, those people who already have directories for this type of content will likely be unsatisfied with iTunes’ selection. You can change the default storage location on your computer for Apple’s iTunes software to any folder on any drive you’d like by adjusting just a few key properties of the program’s operating settings.

Step 1

Load iTunes (if Apple’s media management software is not already loaded on your computer). Even though iTunes is storing files on your hard drive, which is accessible at any time through Windows Explorer, you still have to change the default storage directory using the iTunes program itself. Moving the directory through Windows Explorer will move the files themselves to your desired location, but the iTunes program will develop errors.

Step 2

Open the “General Preferences” window in iTunes by selecting its icon from the “Edit” menu at the top of the screen. Note that the button that loads the “General Preferences” window is just labeled “Preferences” in the aforementioned menu.

Step 3

Click the button labeled “Advanced,” located at the far right of the “General Preferences” window. The first section of the “Advanced” window is labeled “iTunes Media Folder Location.” The directory listed in the grey box on screen is the current directory that iTunes users to save all of your media content.

Step 4

Click the grey button labeled “Change.” A new dialog box, similar to the box that opens whenever you save a new file from within any other program on your computer, will open on screen. Use the dialog box to specify your desired storage location for all of your iTunes media files. Note that you can also right-click inside a directory and select the “New Folder” option should the need arise. Click the grey button labeled “Select Folder” when you’re finished.

Step 5

Click “OK.” Two things will now happen. The first is that iTunes will now move all of your media content from the directory it was previously using to the directory you have now specified. You don’t have to make this change on your own. The second thing to happen will be that iTunes will now use your specified directory for all file storage purposes in the future.

You can return to the “Advanced Preferences” menu at any time and click the “Reset” button to return the iTunes storage options, including the actual storage directory, to their previous default settings.