To add music in iTunes, open iTunes, choose File > Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library, pick your songs, then confirm they appear in Library.
When you first install iTunes, the empty library can feel a bit bare. Once you learn how to add tracks, albums, and playlists, the program turns into a simple place to keep every song you own in one spot.
The steps in this guide are written for iTunes on Windows, which still handles music and device management on many PCs. On modern Macs, similar tools live in the Music app instead of iTunes, but the basic ideas match closely.
Main Ways To Add Music To iTunes
iTunes can bring music in from files on your computer, audio CDs, downloads tied to your Apple ID, shared libraries on your network, and cloud services such as Apple Music or iTunes Match. The table below lays out the main choices.
| Method | Source | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Add File To Library | Single audio files on your computer | Importing one song or a small group of tracks |
| Add Folder To Library | Folders of albums or mixes | Bringing in a whole collection at once |
| Drag And Drop | Files or folders dragged into iTunes | Fast imports when iTunes is already open |
| Rip Audio CD | Music CDs in your computer drive | Digitizing albums you still own on disc |
| iTunes Store Purchases | Downloads tied to your Apple ID | Pulling past purchases into a new library |
| Home Sharing | Another computer on your network | Copying tracks from a second household library |
| Apple Music Or iTunes Match | Cloud copy of your collection | Keeping the same songs on several devices |
How To Add Music In iTunes Step By Step
If you want a direct answer to how to add music in itunes, start with the File menu. The same tools work whether you only have a few MP3s or a large archive on an external drive.
Adding A Single File To The Library
Open iTunes on your PC and make sure the menu bar is visible across the top of the window. If you cannot see it, press Ctrl+B to show it, then choose File > Add File to Library.
In the file browser that appears, move to the folder that holds your song, click the track you want, and press Open. iTunes copies or references that file based on your settings and places it in the Music section of your library.
Adding A Folder Of Music
For albums or bigger collections, repeat the steps above but choose File > Add Folder to Library. Browse to your music folder, select it, and choose Select Folder. iTunes walks through that folder and any subfolders and brings in every compatible audio file it finds.
This tool works well for old backups, ripped CD folders, and downloads from stores that sell MP3 or AAC files. A tidy folder structure before you import makes album groups clearer once the tracks land inside iTunes.
Using Drag And Drop
If you already have a Windows file window open, you can drag tracks straight into iTunes. Arrange the windows side by side, select one or more files, and drag them onto the main iTunes window. When the cursor shows a small plus sign, release the mouse button to start the import.
Preparing Your Music Files
A short round of file prep before you add songs saves a lot of cleanup later. iTunes reads the song title, artist, album, and track number from each file's metadata tags. If those tags are a mess, the library will look just as messy.
Apple publishes clear details on formats and bitrates that work best in iTunes in the how to add items guide. That page also explains how the program handles copies and references when new items join the library.
Choosing How iTunes Stores New Files
Open Edit > Preferences and switch to the tab that controls extra settings. Here you can choose whether iTunes copies new files into the iTunes Media folder or simply points to their current location.
If your PC has plenty of storage, copying gives you one central folder that is easy to back up. If your songs live on an external drive, you might prefer leaving the box unchecked so iTunes only references them.
Checking Audio Formats
iTunes handles common audio types such as MP3, AAC, AIFF, WAV, and Apple Lossless. If a song refuses to import, the file type might not be supported. In that case, convert the track to a friendly format with a trusted audio converter first, then add it again.
Adding Music From CDs And The iTunes Store
Many collections still start with physical discs. When you insert an audio CD, iTunes can fetch track names from the internet and then rip the disc into digital files that sit beside your other albums.
Importing A CD Into iTunes
Place the disc in your computer's drive and wait for iTunes to show a small popup asking whether you want to import the CD. If you choose yes, the app encodes each track using the format set in Edit > Preferences > General > Import Settings.
Bringing In Purchases From The iTunes Store
Any music you buy from the iTunes Store ties to your Apple ID. To pull that content into a fresh library, open the Account menu and sign in. Then choose Account > Purchased and switch to the Music tab.
From there you can download past purchases again. Downloads head straight to the library, so there is no need to run extra import steps. Apple explains this flow in more depth in the iTunes user guide for Windows.
Using Home Sharing And Cloud Features
If you have more than one computer at home, Home Sharing can move tracks between them without USB drives. When Home Sharing is on for both machines, each one can see the other's shared library and copy tracks across.
Turning On Home Sharing
On each PC, open iTunes, choose File > Home Sharing > Turn On Home Sharing, and sign in with the same Apple ID. Once linked, a shared library appears in the sidebar. You can then browse songs from the other machine and import the ones you like.
Adding Cloud Music With Apple Music Or iTunes Match
Subscribers to Apple Music or iTunes Match can also merge their cloud libraries. When Sync Library is active, songs you add on one device appear on others signed in with the same Apple ID. That includes tracks imported from CDs or files, not just streaming items.
Organizing Your iTunes Library After Adding Songs
Once the music sits in iTunes, the next step is making it easy to browse. Smart tagging, playlists, and artwork all help the library feel personal instead of random.
Fixing Song Details Inside iTunes
Right click a track and choose Song Info to adjust titles, artists, album names, track numbers, and genres. Small edits here have a big effect on how albums group and how searches behave. Try to keep naming consistent so your lists stay tidy.
Building Playlists
Playlists are simple lists of tracks that you arrange by hand. Click the plus button in the lower left corner and pick New Playlist, give it a short name, and drag songs onto it. You can make lists for moods, workouts, study time, or any other way you like to listen.
Common Problems When You Add Songs
| Problem | Likely Cause | Simple Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Song Does Not Appear After Import | File type not supported or file is corrupt | Convert to MP3 or AAC and add again |
| Track Has An Exclamation Mark | File was moved or deleted outside iTunes | Locate the file or reimport from the source |
| Albums Split Into Multiple Groups | Album or artist tags do not match | Edit tags so each song shares the same details |
| Duplicates Everywhere | Library imported from several folders or drives | Use the built in duplicate view and delete extras |
| Library Fills The Hard Drive | Copy files setting used with limited storage | Move the iTunes Media folder to a larger drive |
| New Songs Refuse To Import | Security software or permissions block access | Run iTunes as admin and try a small test file |
| Cloud Library Does Not Match Local Library | Sync Library turned off on one device | Enable Sync Library and leave devices online |
Syncing Music To iPhone Or iPad
Once songs live inside iTunes, you can move them to a phone or tablet. Connect your device with a cable, approve the connection on the screen, and wait for the device icon to appear near the top left of the iTunes window.
Click the icon, switch to the Music section, and choose whether to sync the entire library or only selected playlists and artists. Then click Apply or Sync. Apple outlines the full sync process on its sync content page.
Quick Checklist For Smooth Imports
Before you bring a large batch of songs into iTunes, run through a short checklist so the process stays smooth from start to finish.
Checklist Before You Add Music
- Update iTunes to the latest version available for your system.
- Clean your folders so album groups and file names make sense.
- Check that your drive has enough free space for the library.
- Test one album first, then scale up once the result looks right.
Once you are comfortable with how to add music in iTunes, adding albums becomes routine and your songs stay ready to play at home, at work, or anywhere you connect your library.