The Itunes Library Itl File Is Locked Mac

Navigate to where the iTunes Library.itl file is located. MacOS – /Users/username/Music. The problem occurs whenever iTunes is forced to close unexpectedly. Upon attempting to reopen iTunes, I get the following error message: 'The iTunes Library.itl file is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have write permission for this file.' However, when I browse to the library.itl file and select 'get info', it does NOT show as locked. The extension name 'itl' means exactly iTunes library. However, prior to iTunes 10.4, The iTunes library has no such extension name in Mac. Since it's a database file, iTunes Library.itl is indispensable for iTunes. It stores information of your songs, playlists, and some song-related information.

>Android Transfer>Rebuild iTunes Library on Mac/Win

By Avery Pacheco, 13/09/2017, updated on 02/01/2020

'I had a problem with my iTunes library, and wanted to rebuild it. All the instructions I've seen tell me to use the iTunes Library.xml file to do this, but I don't have this file. How can I rebuild my library?'

People Also Read:

● How to Export Music and Videos to iTunes Library

● [Guide] Transfer Data from iPhone/iPad to Android for Mac/Win

Some people are in trouble with iTunes Library when using iTunes. Most of the time, the problem can be solved by rebuilding iTunes Library. But, the problem is how to do so. Please go on reading and see how to rebuild iTunes Library on the computer running Windows or MacOS.

Part 1: Why to Rebuild iTunes Library?

Above all, let's make out what is iTunes Library. Actually, iTunes Library includes two files: iTunes Library.itl file and iTunes Library.xml file.

Open Itunes Library File

  • The iTunes Library.itl file is a database of the songs in your library and the playlists that you've created.
  • The iTunes Library.xml file contains some, but not all, of the same information that's stored in the iTunes Library.itl file. The purpose of the iTunes Library.xml file is to make your music and playlists available to other applications on your computer.

By default, iTunes 12.2 and later doesn't create an iTunes Library.xml, so you now probably have iTunes Library.itl file only if using the latest version of iTunes. If the itl file is corrupted or the location has changed, it might result in the failure to use iTunes Library. At that time, you should rebuild the iTunes Library.

Part 2: How to Rebuild iTunes Library?

If you have no idea how to repair iTunes Library, you should try Android Transfer - TunesGo. This is an easy-to-use file manager for Mac/Win, able to transfer up-to-10 types of files between devices, phone and computer, along with free and handy tools like Rebuild iTunes Library, Phone to Phone Transfer, Convert to Gifs, Ringtone Makerand more. To try the Rebuild iTunes Library function, please take a look at the tutorial below.

Step 1. Ready with Android Transfer - TunesGo

Please download and install Android Transfer - TunesGo at first. You can start a free trial for the first time. Then, connect your iPhone to the computer with USB cable. When prompted whether to allow to access device data, please touch 'Allow'. After the iPhone is detected, you can check it out on the screen with device info.

Step 2. Rebuild iTunes Library

On the 'Home' page, there are four quick accesses, one of which is 'Rebuild iTunes Library'. Please give it a click. Then, click 'Start' to start scanning your media files like Music, Movies, and Playlists. After that, you can check out them with the size and the specific quantity. Then, go on with the 'Start' button.

Now, the software will start copying your files to iTunes Library. The process bar will tell you how it goes. After that, you'll be prompted that 'Copy Complete!' when it's all done.

Now, the problem should be addressed. Please go on and try again. If you're having any problems, don't be hesitated to tell me and let me help you out.

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Solution 1

This usually happens because, somehow the iTunes Library.itl file got set as read only. You can fix this by doing the following steps:

1. Open the My Documents folder.

2. Open the My Music folder.

3. Open the iTunes folder /adobe-reader-for-mac-108.html.

4. Right-click the iTunes Library.itl file and select Properties.

5. Uncheck Read-only.

6. If you have a Security tab, select it. Ensure that your account has Full Control permissions to the file. If you don’t have this tab, ignore this step.

7. Click OK.

Now you should be able to start iTunes without the error. If not, your music files may actually be set to where you don’t have proper permissions. Check it with these steps.

1. Navigate to the location where the music files are located. For Windows 7 users, it’s normally in the C:UsersusernameMusiciTunesiTunes Media folder.

2. Right-click the iTunes Media folder, then select Properties.

3. Ensure that the Hidden and Archive boxes aren’t checked. If you have a permissions tab, check to see that you have it set to “Full Control” and that nothing is set to “Deny”.

Solution 2

1. Back up/copy your “locked” iTunes (library files etc).

2. Move “iTunes Library”, “iTunes Library Extras.itdb”, “iTunes Library Genius.itdb” and “iTunes Music Library.xml” out of your “locked” iTunes folder to somewhere safe, you’ll need them again in a sec.

3. Now the only thing in the “locked” iTunes folder will be the “Album Artwork”, “iTunes Music” and “Previous iTunes Libraries” folders.

4. Create a new “blank” iTunes library, (hold option as you launch iTunes). Select “create library”. Make a new iTunes library elsewhere on your drive. Quit iTunes. You now have a blank iTunes with blank “iTunes Library”, “iTunes Library Extras.itdb”, “iTunes Library Genius.itdb” and “iTunes Music Library.xml” folders which you can put in a folder called “blank”. Keep this in your “Previous iTunes Libraries” folder for when this problem comes around again (which it will).

5. Copy all these blank iTunes files from the “blank” folder into your “locked” iTunes folder.

6. Start iTunes (option-launch to reselect your “locked” iTunes folder). It opens up empty. Quit iTunes.

7. Delete the new “blank” files from the “locked” iTunes folder.

8. Copy your old files from your back up folder, into your “locked” iTunes folder.

9. Start iTunes again. Everything should be back to normal!

Code Snippet

This is part of the code I used to automate this process.

strComputer = “.”

Set objWMIService = GetObject(“winmgmts:” & strComputer & “rootcimv2”)
Set objRegistry=GetObject(“winmgmts:” & strComputer & “rootdefault:StdRegProv”)
strKeyPath = “SOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList”
objRegistry.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, arrSubkeys
For Each objSubkey In arrSubkeys
on error resume next
strValueName = “ProfileImagePath”
strSubPath = strKeyPath & “” & objSubkey
objRegistry.GetExpandedStringValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strSubPath,strValueName,strValue
Const POPUP_TITLE = “User To SID Conversion”
Set objWMIService = GetObject(“winmgmts:” & strComputer & “rootcimv2”)
Set objAccount = objWMIService.Get(“Win32_SID.SID='” & objSubkey & “‘”)
strUser = objAccount.AccountName
‘strDomain = objAccount.ReferencedDomainName’returns referenced domain

‘DISPLAY PROFILE NAME & SID
objSubkey = trim(objSubkey)’trims whitespace
strUser = trim(strUser)’trims whitespace
‘msgbox “objSubkey: ” & objSubkey’returns SID
‘msgbox strUser’returns username

‘LOGIC TO DETERMINE IF REGISTRY ACCOUNT IS TO BE LOADED
if strUser = “SYSTEM” then strUser=””
if strUser = “LOCAL SERVICE” then strUser=””
if strUser = “NETWORK SERVICE” then strUser=””
‘if strUser = “ADMINISTRATOR” then strUser=””

Create Itunes Library Itl File

if strUser <> “” then
on error resume next

The Itunes Library Itl File Is Locked Mac Air

‘prevents the library.itl error from appearing
objShell.Run “%comspec% /c del /q ” & chr(34) & “C:users” & strUser & “MusiciTunesiTunes Library.itl” & chr(34),0,false

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