How to recreate or set up a new iTunes library but keep access to my purchases

[Plexberry]

Hi there - sorry if this is not in the right part of the forum!



the external drive my iTunes library was saved to has died.



Devices using iTunes were: 2 iphones (mine and my partners) and an ipad. We all shared the same account



If I plug in our phones into Mac and copy everything from phone into itunes... perhaps with AnyTrans, will this work okay? And what do I do about the other two devices?

And can I still access and continue to use the same apple account inc app store etc



Thanks



Chris

[MightyGem]

If you have music on your iPhones/iPad, DO NOT sync with a copy of iTunes that does not have any music. You will clear your devices of their music.

I don't know how AnyTrans works but ideally you need to move any music onto your Mac, import it into iTunes and then sync your devices to put the music back on them.

Starting up iTunes on your Mac should automatically create a new Library if there isn't one. You then just need to login with your Apple ID to access your account.

Regarding your external drive, are you sure that it's the drive and not the enclosure/power supply that has failed. Could you put the actual drive into a new enclosure?

[Plexberry]

To be honest, I'm not worried about the music.

I'm thinking more of the Apps - and it seems, as you confirm above, that if I start a new iTunes library on my computer, then connect it to my iTunes Account then I can still have access to all my apps that I've purchased.

It's not the power supply, but could be the enclosure... I shall take a further look when I get chance. If the above is true though it would be a quicker, useful way to go :-)

[MightyGem]

Depending on which versions of MacOS and iTunes that you have your Apps aren't in iTunes anymore, but are managed and downloaded direct to iPhones and iPads. I think iTunes v12.7.0.166 was when this started.

[pm-r]

that if I start a new iTunes library on my computer, then connect it to my iTunes Account then I can still have access to all my apps that I've purchased.

If any of your "purchased" (free or otherwise) are no longer on any of Apple's servers for whatever the reason, then they will NOT be available and have gone poof!!!

That's another reason why using iMazing.app and maybe others are so recommended. It can preserve apps and iOS in a backup for any later transfer.





- Patrick
======

[MacInWin]

+1 for iMazing. It has basically replaced iTunes for me. I don't use iTunes for music, so when it dropped app support, it basically became useless to me. iMazing is Amazing.

[Plexberry]

Thanks @pmm-r and MacInWin - I've never heard of it, I shall check it out :-)

[ferrarr]

Purchases are linked to your Apple ID, not iTunes libraries. So you can create another iTunes library, and put your same Apple ID into that library.