How to rebuild iTunes library

The iTunes Library store some information about your iTunes library, such as a list of the songs which are available to use in iTunes, but it does not store the actual song files.

ITunes Library, which is a database with all the playlists you have created and the songs available in your library. This file also contains some song specific data. This file is used only by the iTunes application. In case that you accidentally delete this file you will lose all the information you created but iTunes will create a new and empty copy of the file. The .xml file also contains some of the same information that is stored in the file iTunes Library. The purpose of this file is to make your playlists and music available to other applications. In case that you accidentally delete the file, a new copy will be created by the iTunes app.

If you lost your file iTunes Library or if it became damaged you can use the .xml file in order to rebuild iTunes library file. However, after re-creating your library, any mobile devices that sync with iTunes will completely resync because they will see your iTunes library as a new library. The sync will take longer and may reset some options.

Rebuild iTunes library

To rebuild iTunes library file you need to perform the following steps:

1. Quit the iTunes application.
2. Locate the iTunes folder that contains the two files, iTunes Library.xml and iTunes Library file.
3. Open the iTunes folder and drag the “iTunes Music Library.xml” or “iTunes Library.xml” to the Desktop.
4. Drag to the Trash the following file from the iTunes folder: “iTunes Library.itl” in Microsoft Windows and “iTunes Library.itl” or “iTunes Library” in OS X.
5. Now open the iTunes application again but at this point do not add any content into it yet.
6. Go to File and choose Library and then choose Import Playlist.
7. Now go on the Desktop, to the .xml which you saved there. Windows users click Open and Mac users click Choose on the file. If after following these steps your songs list in iTunes is empty you do not need to worry because your songs are still on the computer and you can easily add them back. iTunes will add all of your songs back to the Podcasts in the Source list and into the iTunes Library if you choose File from the iTunes menu and then choose to add back to Library your iTunes Media folder.