Backing Up Your Music FAQ
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Why do I need to back up my music library?
Be sure to make regular backups of your music files (in your iTunes Music folder) by copying them to an external hard disk or other media. Otherwise, if your hard disk becomes damaged or you lose any of the music you've purchased, you'll have to buy any purchased music again to rebuild your library.
How do I back up my purchased music to CD or DVD?
Are you new to backing up? If you've never backed up your music library before, back up your music now using our step-by-step instructions.
Did you know that you can configure iTunes to do incremental backups of your music using Smart Playlists? This article will show you how.
If you've spent a lot of time creating the perfect playlists, here are simple instructions to back those up, too.
Can I back up my music to my iPod?
Your iPod can store songs as a music player or as an external hard drive. If you have stored your songs on your iPod so you can listen to them, they cannot be copied back to your computer. If you have stored your songs on your iPod as data files, you can transfer them back to your computer. Check out our iPod FAQ for more information.
What other ways can I back up my music?
If you are a .Mac member, you can use .Mac's Backup software to help back up your music library. Or, read this article for more ways you can back up your purchased music.