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stevenb's avatar

How can I have two iTunes libraries on my computer(windows), for my music and my wifes?

Asked by stevenb (3836points) May 2nd, 2008 from iPhone

My wife has an iPod and iPhone, I have an iPhone. Is there an easy way for me to have two separate iTunes setups on one PC. I have tried separate playlists but I have to uncheck all of the songs of hers I don’t want when I sync, then recheck them when she syncs. How can I do this and how do you switch back an forth? I know I could maybe find this other places, but I trust fellow flutherites better than strangers. Can you all help?

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11 Answers

wildflower's avatar

love the topics!
I think the best way around it would be 2 user accounts on the PC. At least on my macs, the iTunes library is at user level.

AstroChuck's avatar

If you have XP or Vista you can log onto different desktops, one iTunes library on each desktop. I have my library on mine, another on my wife’s, and a third on my daughter’s desktop.

kevbo's avatar

Look up “multiple libraries” in the iTunes help menu. On a mac you can create a new library by holding “shift” while opening iTunes. It’s probably the same or similar on PC. Then, export the music to the new library.

stevenb's avatar

@kevbo, so when I open each one I will just hold shift for mine and not hold it for hers?

glial's avatar

Actually, it is Alt/Option. It will make sense when you do it.

kevbo's avatar

iTunes will open to the library that was last used (I think). So hold Alt/opt when you open to choose which library.

stevenb's avatar

I will try when I get home. Right now I am in the middle of the Forrest in Idaho setting interior doors in a big new house for a pilot. Phone still works though!

richardhenry's avatar

If syncing specific music to specific devices is the only thing you’re after, then it would probably be better to have your iPod or iPhone sync with only a set playlist.

To get started, create three new playlists, one called “My iPhone”, and the others called “Her iPod” and “Her iPhone”. Then drag any music you would like to be copied to the specified device to the appropriate playlist.

Then plug in your iPhone, and open iTunes. Select your iPhone under the list of devices, then click on the ‘music’ tab at the top. Then select the radio button for only ‘selected playlists’, and then check the box for the playlist “My iPhone”. Then click on the ‘sync’ button in the bottom left of the screen.

Rinse and repeat for her iPod and iPhone, and the devices will only copy the music from their appropriate playlists. The other advantage is that you can then easily drag any music you want your wife to listen to (or vice-versa) onto this playlist, and it will be added onto the iPod/iPhone next time it syncs.

If you still feel you would rather have separate libraries (although this creates headaches when purchasing or adding music and so on), then I would strongly recommend that you simply create another user account on your computer through the control panel, as this at least makes things much easier and more logical. You don’t have to password protect accounts if you don’t want to.

Hope this helps!

stevenb's avatar

@richardhenry, wow. That’s what I get for playing with bikes and shooting guns as a kid and not using computers. Thank you for the awesome help!

Randy's avatar

richardhenery’s advice is best in my opinion. That’s how my roomate and I kept ours separate before I got my mac.

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