Forum Discussion

Luxix's avatar
Luxix
Brass Contributor
May 31, 2026

How can I download music from iTunes to my computer?

Have a decent iTunes library built up over the years with a mix of purchased songs and albums, but recently realized that a lot of them aren't actually stored locally on the computer. They seem to ex...
Lucianvz's avatar
Lucianvz
Copper Contributor
Jun 01, 2026

This method uses your computer's command line (Terminal on Mac or Command Prompt on Windows) to locate your downloaded files. While it does not perform the download itself, it solves the core problem preventing your iTunes music download to computer: identifying which files are missing.

Before you can download missing files, you must know exactly what is already on your computer. This method scans your hard drive to create a definitive list of your downloaded music.

On Mac (Using Terminal)

1. Open Terminal (found in /Applications /Utilities/).

2. Type or paste the following command:

bash

grep -rl [] ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes\ Media/Music

3. Press Enter.

On Windows (Using Command Prompt)

1. Open Command Prompt (search for cmd in the Start Menu).

2. You will need to adjust the command for Windows. Try this:

cmd

findstr /s /m "[]" "C:\Users\YourUsername\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music\* .m4a"

3. Press Enter.

These command-line methods are completely free and built into your operating system. They won't perform the download for you, but they will give you the exact information needed to complete your iTunes music download to computer without clicking the cloud button a thousand times.