The Easy Way to Automatically Update Your iTunes Library

Anyone will attest to the fact that there is a list of simple features missing from the formidable iTunes. Its inability to automatically upload new music to your library has been at the top of my personal list. It wasn’t until recently that I became aware that this feature has been available since iTunes 9! (we are now on version 10).

I figure that if I, a self-proclaimed tech-a-holic, had no idea that automatic uploading from a watched folder in iTunes was possible, there must be other people out there who are just as clueless as I once was. And so I wrote this quick guide.

Previously, when you downloaded that totally rad new album via BitTorrent you would have to drag and drop it into iTunes. Boring! This outdated method of updating your music library is atrocious, and every other media player in this big, wide world is capable of auto-updating.

Well, there is actually a folder located inside your iTunes Media folder labeledAutomatically Add to iTunes.

OSX: ~ / Music / iTunes / iTunes Media / Automatically Add to iTunes /

Windows: C:\Users\Your Username\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Automatically Add to iTunes\).

This aforementioned folder is watched by iTunes and any new music that’s added to this folder is automatically added to your iTunes library. It’s like magic! I quivered with glee when I first saw it happen, and I am not embarrassed to say that.

So, from now on, you could directly add your music to this folder. Give it a shot! Let us know what you think in the comments below.