AppleThe Apple StoreiPhoneiPod+iTunes.MacQuickTimeApple SupportMac OS X
Guided SearchDownloadsManualsSpecificationsDiscussionsTrainingProducts


Navigation Link: IntroductionNavigation Link: Making the Move to iTunesNavigation Link: Importing Music from CDsNavigation Link: Getting to Know the iTunes Music StoreNavigation Link: Using the iTunes Music StoreNavigation Link: Finding Specific SongsNavigation Link: Purchasing MusicNavigation Link: Browsing and Searching Your iTunes LibraryNavigation Link: Using Playlists to Organize Your MusicNavigation Link: Creating Smart PlaylistsNavigation Link: Listening to Internet RadioNavigation Link: Importing Music to Your iPodNavigation Link: Other Ways to Use Your iPodNavigation Link: Burning Your Music to a CDNavigation Link: Sharing Your Music on Your Local NetworkNavigation Link: Understanding Your Digital Music RightsNavigation Link: Learn More About iTunes Apple Online Learning
page title
topics previous next

Sharing Your Music on Your Local Network
 
movie buttonpractice button
Have you ever dreamed of having your own radio show? With iTunes, you’re halfway there. You can give anyone on your local network access to your personal music library. You can share your entire library, or really “play DJ” by creating and sharing special playlists.
 
Other computers running iTunes on your local network will automatically seek out your computer and connect to your shared music library. Your shared music is streamed to the other computers, not downloaded, so others can listen only as long as you’re connected to the network and have iTunes open. They can’t copy your music to their library.

 
Tips  Step by Step

Restrict access to your shared music
To restrict access, you can require other users on your local network to enter a password to listen to your music. To do so, click the Sharing in iTunes Preferences. Then select the “Require password” option, and type a password. When you’re ready, click OK. You can use the radio buttons below the “Share my music” checkbox to share your entire library or just certain playlists.


Authorize other computers to play your purchased music
You can play your iTunes Music Store tracks on up to five different computers. To authorize a computer to play your purchased music, in the Shared Music list, select the computer to which the purchased music was originally downloaded. Select a purchased song, click the Play button, and then enter the Apple ID and password for the account that purchased the song. The second computer is now authorized to play all music purchased with that account.


Host a “bring your own music” party
Why not get all your friends together for a party? Ask them to bring their laptops, and as long as they can connect to your home network, their shared libraries and playlists will appear in your iTunes window. Keep switching from one great playlist to another! You could even connect your computer to your stereo or some great speakers and really add some excitement.


If items appear dimmed in the list of shared music
To share music on your local network, every user on the network must be using iTunes 4.5 or later. Computers using older versions will appear dimmed. Likewise, if you are using an older version of iTunes, any computers using iTunes 4.5 or later will appear dimmed.

Share your music with others on your local network by following these steps:

  1. Open iTunes Preferences. (On a Mac, choose Preferences from the iTunes, menu and on a PC, choose Preferences from the Edit menu.)
  2. In the window that appears, click the Sharing icon, and then select “Share my music.”
  3. Go to another computer on your local network.
  4. In the Source list, click the triangle to the left of the Shared Music icon to reveal all the shared libraries on the local network.
  5. Select your shared library to see your shared music in the iTunes window.
  6. Select one of your songs, and then click the Play button to listen.

If you don’t see any shared music files or can’t access another user’s shared music
Check to make sure that iTunes is open on the other computers on your local network. Sharing music libraries also requires iTunes version 4.0.1 or later on the Mac and iTunes version 4.1 or later on the PC.


Home > Support > iTunes for Windows > iTunes Tutorial

tracking