How to Put MP3s in Your iTunes Music Library

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Simple ways to add your own MP3s to iTunes on Mac or Windows
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There are several ways you can add your MP3s and other music files to your iTunes music library. You can drag and drop music into the iTunes window or browse for files and folders on your computer. You can also rip music off of your CDs directly into iTunes. This wikiHow article teaches you how to add MP3s to your iTunes library.

Quick Steps

  1. Open iTunes .
  2. Click File in the menu bar at the top.
  3. Click Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library .
  4. Select the file(s) or folder(s) you want to add.
  5. Click Open or Select Folder .
  6. Locate your music under the Library tab.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using iTunes

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  1. You can find iTunes in your Start menu. It has a white icon with two music notes.
    • If your iTunes isn’t working the way it should or it has been a long time since you’ve opened the program, you may need to update it.
    • If you don't have iTunes installed, you can install it from the Microsoft Store.
    • iTunes is only available on Windows an macOS 13 (High Sierra) and earlier. If you are using a newer version of macOS, you'll need to use Apple Music instead.
  2. If you don't see the menu bar, press the Alt key to make it appear.
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  3. If you just want to add a couple of files, click Add File to Library . If you want to add an entire folder full of music, click Add Folder to Library .
  4. Use the file browser to navigate to the files or folders you want to add to your library. Click the files you want to add.
    • When you add a folder, all of the music in any subfolders will be added as well.
    • If you want to add multiple files or folders, hold Ctrl and click the files you wan tot add.
  5. These items will be added to your iTunes music library. [1]
  6. This will display the music that is in your iTunes library, including the music that you just added.
    • You can also click the "Playlists" tab and select the "Recently added" playlist to view all of your new music.
  7. You can also add your music files to iTunes by dragging and dropping files and folders into the iTunes window. To do so, open iTunes and navigate to the files or folders you want to add in File Explorer. Drag and drop the files or folders into the iTunes window.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using Apple Music on Mac

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  1. 1
    Open the Music app. The Music app comes pre-installed on macOS. It has a pink icon with an image of music notes. Click the Music icon in the Dock or in the Applications folder
  2. 2
    Click File . It's in the menu bar at the top.
  3. 3
    Click Add to Library or Import . This will open a file browser.
  4. 4
    Select your music files or folders. You can select individual music files or folders containing music files. Click the files or folders to select them.
    • If you want to select more than one file or folder, hold Command and click the files or folders you want to add.
  5. 5
    Click Open . This adds the files to your library.
    • By default, when you add MP3s to your library, they will be copied to the Music folder. You can still find the original file in it's original location.
  6. 6
    Add files by dragging and dropping them. Alternatively, you can drag and drop individual files or folders from Finder into the Music app window to add files to your Library. [2]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Ripping CDs in iTunes

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  1. You can rip the music from your audio CDs directly into iTunes, allowing you to create a digital copy of your entire physical music collection.
  2. Insert the CD into your computer's disc drive. Virtually any disc drive will work, as long as it can read CDs.
    • If you don't see the CD information pop up, click the CD icon in the upper-right corner.
  3. 3
    Click Yes to starting importing your music. When a CD is inserted, you will be asked if you want to import the music to your iTunes library. Click Yes to confirm.
  4. iTunes will automatically look up the information for the CD you insert, but sometimes multiple entries will come up for the same disc. If you're prompted to, select the entry that best matches the disc you inserted.
    • If you are not connected to the internet, iTunes will not be able to retrieve the information for your CD and you will have to fill it out manually.
    • If you inserted a disc that was burned elsewhere, iTunes may not be able to retrieve the information for it and you'll have to fill it out manually.
  5. 5
    Uncheck any songs you don't want to import. You will see a checkmark next to all the songs on the CD by default. If there are any songs you don't want to import, click the checbox next to them to uncheck them.
  6. If you haven't disabled this setting, you'll be prompted to import the disc once it's been detected. Click "OK" to begin ripping the audio files to your computer.
  7. If you didn't get asked to import the disc after it was detected, click the disc button at the top of the iTunes window and then click the "Import CD" button. Click "OK" in the window that appears. [3]
    • If you specifically want MP3 files, select "MP3 Encoder" from the "Import Using" menu. The default AAC format will result in smaller, higher-quality files than MP3 that are completely compatible with iTunes.
  8. 8
    Click the Library tab to view your library. It's at the top of the screen. This is where you can view all your music.
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      Tips

      • iTunes does not support any MP3 players beyond iOS devices. If you want to add your iTunes music to another MP3 player, you'll need to add the files directly by following the instructions for your specific player. See Download Music to MP3 Players for more details.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/itunes/itns3081/windows
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/music/mus3081/mac
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/itunes/itns2935/windows

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open iTunes.
      2. Go to File > Add to Library .
      3. Select files or folders to add.
      4. Click Open .

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