WHen macOS Catalina comes out this fall, iTunes will be replaces with Music, Podcasts and TV apps. This leaves many people wondering what will happen to their iTunes puchases, media and how they will sync their iOS devices. The transition should be seemless for all, with many just experiencing the equivalent to an app name change from iTunes to Music. Syncing will move to the Finder. Changes to some aspects, like ringtone syncing, is unclear.
Related Subjects: Catalina (5 videos), iTunes (73 videos)
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Comments: 37 Responses to “What Will Happen To My Media When iTunes Is Gone?”
Ian
3 years ago
Hi Gary,
Great video, as always. I use iTunes Match because it suits me and is cheaper than Apple Music. I can download all of my ripped and purchased music, and stream any of my ripped and purchased music. Do you know if iTunes Match will be supported in the future?
Ian: Apple hasn’t mentioned iTunes Match, but the information on it remains unchanged at the Apple site and so I see no reason why it would be going away.
Stephen bamforth
3 years ago
If you have an ‘old’ iMac will you be able to upgrade to Catalena to use the new Apps?
Thanks.
Felipe: They may seem “pointless” to you, but each new version of macOS brings lots of new features that are very useful to others — and maybe you too if you take a look. Plus, they are free updates provided by Apple, so I’m not sure why the animosity.
Peter Whitford
3 years ago
I pay an annual fee to Apple for ITunes Match. Will they still have ITunes Match?
Kigara: I doubt it. I haven’t heard that it is in the new Music app. But all iTunes did is to give you a list and a way to stream the standard format. The Internet radio stations are independent of that. So you can still go to their websites or stream their streams via other apps, including web browsers in most cases.
Steve Taylor
3 years ago
I have a lot of notes and other written material on the CMD-I boxes for my songs. I also have a lot of playlists, some of them long. Is there a danger of losing data and longer playlists during the transition from ITunes to Music?
Jean-Claude
3 years ago
iTunes was confusing. This makes a lot more sense to me.
Christian Nelson
3 years ago
Finally, a coherent explanation of what’s going on with iTunes. You always come up with great explanations, Gary…thank you so much.
Steve: All of that shouldn’t go anywhere. Your library is the same, just the app you are using to view it is new.
David Christensen
3 years ago
This up date makes so much more sense. My wife and I chose to buy movies from iTunes over other competing movie stores. We figured apple would be around longer and as changes came whatever we have already purchased would continue to be available. It is a gamble paying for access to a movie since I really don’t own a copy just the right to view the movie. Thank you for explaining this I like the tv app on iPad Pro now can’t wait for this update
So, I don’t think that any of my Mac’s are going to be upgradeable to Catalina, what happens to the existing iTunes from legacy OS’s? Will they continue to function as is?
Scott: Yes, they will continue to work as-is for a long while. One day I’m sure the iTunes Store will stop working in them, but as Apple is still supporting very old versions of iTunes right now in that respect, I think that is a decade off.
Martin Kimeldorf
3 years ago
I stopped updating the iOS at Sierra on my 12-year-old iMac which works perfectly fine as it is. I have iCloud installed on my devices but have been advised by Apple to use itunes for syncing through for iOS updates. So now I’m a little confuse because I can’t use the new iOS. Can I still use the old iTunes to update a new iOS?
Also I have many vacation video slide shows that go back a number of years what will happen to them if I don’t go to Catalina?
Martin: Are you asking about syncing your newer iPhone to your Mac which is running an older version of macOS? If so, nothing should change. You would still sync via iTunes since your Mac won’t be using any of these new features. I assume at some point your Mac will be so old it won’t be able to communicate with the latest iOS devices, but probably not yet.
I don’t understand your last question. If you are not updating to Catalina, then why would there be a change on your Mac?
Lali Raj
3 years ago
Thanks Gary, when I read these questions and answers above; I already have my answers. As long my Mac operating system is usable (even though mine won’t be able to upgradeable to Catalina, ), I will be able to use the already existing iTunes. That makes it reasonable. Once again thanks.
Lali
Mike
3 years ago
I live where it is only possible to get slow internet at my home. This means upgrading my iMac would require physically moving it to location with faster internet connectivity. Much easier for my iOS devices. I can upgrade to the newer iOS as soon as it becomes available. However, I assume that my iMac, with High Sierra, would not be able to sync with iOS devices once they are upgraded.
Mike: I don’t think that will be the case. Has it been the case for you in the past?
Mike
3 years ago
I didn’t want to stray from your topic which was geared toward Catelena and changes to how iTunes works. Namely, my older iMac OS and newer iOS iPad software (iOS 13). Had no issues in the past, but that was before changes to iTunes. I’ll still upgrade to the latest OS I can whenever possible.
Itasara
3 years ago
In the early years of iTunes, it was easy to use and understand. Now i find in difficult to use and I am not looking forward to changes. I wish Apple would stop making changes and think about simplification.
Helen
3 years ago
I have a couple of iPods I use to listen to audio books. Will I be able to down load and change what I have on them? Thanks for your help.
Itasara: That’s exactly what this is. Simplification. They are addressing exactly your concerns with this change.
Cameron
3 years ago
So just to be clear, am I understanding you correctly that we can still import ripped music into the new Music app AFTER we’ve transferred our library, or will we only be able to get new Music from iTunes/Apple Music going forward? I ask because the Music app in iOS doesn’t allow this. I like a lot of obscure music that isn’t always available in the store.
Cameron: A few people are asking that and I’m not sure why. Apple was the company that pretty much legitimized that in 2001 with iTunes: “Rip. Mix. Burn.” Remember? The Music app on iOS doesn’t have it because there is no way to connect a CD player to an iPhone or iPad, so how would you use it? But, of course, on the Mac in the Music app in Catalina there is the same “rip” ability as there has always been.
Lindy
3 years ago
You answered: “Felipe: They may seem “pointless” to you, but each new version of macOS brings lots of new features that are very useful to others…. Plus, they are free updates provided by Apple, so I’m not sure why the animosity. ”
I will tell you why I am sick of them. Every time I update my whole system goes wonkers and have to spend hours learning how to do things I was doing for years.The update may be free but my apps ARE NOT. Ive lost access to so many I’ve lost count..
Lisa
3 years ago
I have multiple iTunes libraries. They all just have playlists consisting of music or language instruction downloaded from CDs. Will I still be able to maintain separate libraries or will all of them be combined in Music? Thanks. I maintain separate libraries so that my Spanish or German or Italian instruction playlists don’t bloat my music playlists.
Lisa: I don’t see updating to Catalina somehow merging your libraries — it wouldn’t know what to merge. So that won’t happen. But as to how to switch between multiple iTunes libraries, we’ll have to wait and see how that is going to work in the Music app.
Dirk
2 years ago
iTunes match does not work anymore with Catalina/Music… Any hints to get it work again?
Dirk: It should. Perhaps logging in and out again. I have iTunes Match but it is difficult to tell if it is working because I also have Apple Music. Perhaps contact Apple? Though you may not be able to get help because it is a beta.
Hi Gary,
Great video, as always. I use iTunes Match because it suits me and is cheaper than Apple Music. I can download all of my ripped and purchased music, and stream any of my ripped and purchased music. Do you know if iTunes Match will be supported in the future?
Thanks.
Ian: Apple hasn’t mentioned iTunes Match, but the information on it remains unchanged at the Apple site and so I see no reason why it would be going away.
If you have an ‘old’ iMac will you be able to upgrade to Catalena to use the new Apps?
Thanks.
Gary, Thanks for the reply. Hope you’re right 👍
Stephan: Depends how old. See https://macmost.com/what-do-you-need-to-run-catalina-ios-13-watchos-6-and-tvos-13.html
I’m sick of these largely pointless updates. Having ultimately decided to instal High Sierra, that’s it for me.
Is Internet Radio being preserved in this transition?
Felipe: They may seem “pointless” to you, but each new version of macOS brings lots of new features that are very useful to others — and maybe you too if you take a look. Plus, they are free updates provided by Apple, so I’m not sure why the animosity.
I pay an annual fee to Apple for ITunes Match. Will they still have ITunes Match?
Peter: I see no reason why it would be going away.
Kigara: I doubt it. I haven’t heard that it is in the new Music app. But all iTunes did is to give you a list and a way to stream the standard format. The Internet radio stations are independent of that. So you can still go to their websites or stream their streams via other apps, including web browsers in most cases.
I have a lot of notes and other written material on the CMD-I boxes for my songs. I also have a lot of playlists, some of them long. Is there a danger of losing data and longer playlists during the transition from ITunes to Music?
iTunes was confusing. This makes a lot more sense to me.
Finally, a coherent explanation of what’s going on with iTunes. You always come up with great explanations, Gary…thank you so much.
Steve: All of that shouldn’t go anywhere. Your library is the same, just the app you are using to view it is new.
This up date makes so much more sense. My wife and I chose to buy movies from iTunes over other competing movie stores. We figured apple would be around longer and as changes came whatever we have already purchased would continue to be available. It is a gamble paying for access to a movie since I really don’t own a copy just the right to view the movie. Thank you for explaining this I like the tv app on iPad Pro now can’t wait for this update
Why do I have to pay????
Boney: What do you mean? Pay for what?
So, I don’t think that any of my Mac’s are going to be upgradeable to Catalina, what happens to the existing iTunes from legacy OS’s? Will they continue to function as is?
Scott: Yes, they will continue to work as-is for a long while. One day I’m sure the iTunes Store will stop working in them, but as Apple is still supporting very old versions of iTunes right now in that respect, I think that is a decade off.
I stopped updating the iOS at Sierra on my 12-year-old iMac which works perfectly fine as it is. I have iCloud installed on my devices but have been advised by Apple to use itunes for syncing through for iOS updates. So now I’m a little confuse because I can’t use the new iOS. Can I still use the old iTunes to update a new iOS?
Also I have many vacation video slide shows that go back a number of years what will happen to them if I don’t go to Catalina?
Martin: Are you asking about syncing your newer iPhone to your Mac which is running an older version of macOS? If so, nothing should change. You would still sync via iTunes since your Mac won’t be using any of these new features. I assume at some point your Mac will be so old it won’t be able to communicate with the latest iOS devices, but probably not yet.
I don’t understand your last question. If you are not updating to Catalina, then why would there be a change on your Mac?
Thanks Gary, when I read these questions and answers above; I already have my answers. As long my Mac operating system is usable (even though mine won’t be able to upgradeable to Catalina, ), I will be able to use the already existing iTunes. That makes it reasonable. Once again thanks.
Lali
I live where it is only possible to get slow internet at my home. This means upgrading my iMac would require physically moving it to location with faster internet connectivity. Much easier for my iOS devices. I can upgrade to the newer iOS as soon as it becomes available. However, I assume that my iMac, with High Sierra, would not be able to sync with iOS devices once they are upgraded.
Mike: I don’t think that will be the case. Has it been the case for you in the past?
I didn’t want to stray from your topic which was geared toward Catelena and changes to how iTunes works. Namely, my older iMac OS and newer iOS iPad software (iOS 13). Had no issues in the past, but that was before changes to iTunes. I’ll still upgrade to the latest OS I can whenever possible.
In the early years of iTunes, it was easy to use and understand. Now i find in difficult to use and I am not looking forward to changes. I wish Apple would stop making changes and think about simplification.
I have a couple of iPods I use to listen to audio books. Will I be able to down load and change what I have on them? Thanks for your help.
Helen: You should be able to, yes.
Itasara: That’s exactly what this is. Simplification. They are addressing exactly your concerns with this change.
So just to be clear, am I understanding you correctly that we can still import ripped music into the new Music app AFTER we’ve transferred our library, or will we only be able to get new Music from iTunes/Apple Music going forward? I ask because the Music app in iOS doesn’t allow this. I like a lot of obscure music that isn’t always available in the store.
Cameron: A few people are asking that and I’m not sure why. Apple was the company that pretty much legitimized that in 2001 with iTunes: “Rip. Mix. Burn.” Remember? The Music app on iOS doesn’t have it because there is no way to connect a CD player to an iPhone or iPad, so how would you use it? But, of course, on the Mac in the Music app in Catalina there is the same “rip” ability as there has always been.
You answered: “Felipe: They may seem “pointless” to you, but each new version of macOS brings lots of new features that are very useful to others…. Plus, they are free updates provided by Apple, so I’m not sure why the animosity. ”
I will tell you why I am sick of them. Every time I update my whole system goes wonkers and have to spend hours learning how to do things I was doing for years.The update may be free but my apps ARE NOT. Ive lost access to so many I’ve lost count..
I have multiple iTunes libraries. They all just have playlists consisting of music or language instruction downloaded from CDs. Will I still be able to maintain separate libraries or will all of them be combined in Music? Thanks. I maintain separate libraries so that my Spanish or German or Italian instruction playlists don’t bloat my music playlists.
Lisa: I don’t see updating to Catalina somehow merging your libraries — it wouldn’t know what to merge. So that won’t happen. But as to how to switch between multiple iTunes libraries, we’ll have to wait and see how that is going to work in the Music app.
iTunes match does not work anymore with Catalina/Music… Any hints to get it work again?
Dirk: It should. Perhaps logging in and out again. I have iTunes Match but it is difficult to tell if it is working because I also have Apple Music. Perhaps contact Apple? Though you may not be able to get help because it is a beta.