How to Change iTunes to Music: What the Transition Means and How to Navigate It

Apple officially retired the iTunes application on Mac with the release of macOS Catalina in 2019, replacing it with three separate apps: Music, Podcasts, and TV. If you're still seeing iTunes on your system — or trying to figure out how to access your library through the new Music app — understanding what changed and why can save you a lot of confusion.

What Actually Happened to iTunes

iTunes wasn't deleted so much as it was split apart. Apple acknowledged that iTunes had grown into an unwieldy all-in-one tool, handling music, video, podcasts, device syncing, and app purchases all under one roof. The solution was to unbundle those functions:

• 🎵 Music app — handles your audio library, Apple Music streaming, and music purchases
• Podcasts app — manages podcast subscriptions and episode downloads
• TV app — covers movies, TV shows, and video content

Your existing iTunes library didn't disappear. The Music app on Mac reads from the same underlying library files that iTunes used. The transition is largely seamless for most users, but the path to get there depends on your operating system and device.

How to Access the Music App on Mac (macOS Catalina and Later)

If your Mac is running macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer, iTunes is no longer available. The Music app is pre-installed and should appear in your Applications folder and Dock.

To open it:

1. Click the Music app icon (it looks like a red icon with a musical note) in your Dock
2. Or open Finder → Applications → Music

When you first launch Music, it will point to your existing iTunes Library file. Your playlists, purchased songs, and imported tracks should all be accessible without any manual migration.

What If You're Still on macOS Mojave or Earlier?

If you haven't updated macOS, your system still runs iTunes. You can continue using it, but Apple no longer updates iTunes on Mac. To access the Music app, you'd need to upgrade macOS to Catalina or later — which comes with its own set of compatibility considerations depending on your hardware.

iTunes on Windows: A Different Story

On Windows, iTunes still exists as the primary music management application. Apple has not retired iTunes for Windows. You can download it from the Microsoft Store or directly from Apple's website.

However, if you want a more modern experience on Windows, Apple has begun rolling out standalone Music, TV, and Devices apps for Windows 11. Availability depends on your version of Windows and whether you've received the update through the Microsoft Store.

If you're on Windows 10, iTunes remains the standard tool for managing your Apple music library and syncing iOS devices.

Migrating Your iTunes Library to the Music App

For most Mac users upgrading from an older macOS, the library transition is automatic. But there are situations where it requires a manual step:

• If your library is stored on an external drive, you'll need to point the Music app to that location via Music → Preferences → Files → Music Media folder location
• If you have an older .itl library file, the Music app should still recognize and import it on first launch
• If you managed multiple iTunes libraries, you can hold the Option key while opening the Music app to choose which library to load

The underlying library format is compatible — Apple designed Music specifically to inherit everything iTunes stored.

Syncing Devices After the Switch 🔄

One function that moved out of both iTunes and Music is device syncing. On Mac (Catalina and later), when you plug in an iPhone or iPad, it now appears directly in Finder's sidebar rather than inside a media app. You manage backups, updates, and sync settings from there.

This is a notable workflow change for users who were accustomed to iTunes for device management. The functionality is identical — the location is different.

The Variables That Affect Your Specific Situation

How straightforward this transition feels depends on several factors unique to your setup:

• Operating system — Mac vs. Windows, and which version of each, determines whether iTunes even exists on your machine
• Library size and organization — Large libraries with custom folder structures or external drives may need manual path adjustments
• Apple Music subscription — Streaming subscribers interact with the Music app differently than users managing a purely local library
• Windows version — Windows 11 users may have access to the newer standalone apps; Windows 10 users are still on iTunes
• Device syncing habits — Users who relied heavily on iTunes for iPhone/iPad syncing will notice the workflow has moved into Finder on Mac

There's no universal "follow these five steps" answer here, because the right path forward — whether that's updating macOS, switching to the Music app, staying on iTunes for Windows, or adjusting library paths — depends entirely on which combination of these factors applies to you.