iTunes 是一个非常棒的媒体管理应用程序(management app)，它为您提供了许多功能来组织存储在您计算机上的媒体内容。该应用程序中的一项功能可让您与本地网络上的朋友共享媒体库。
这意味着您不再需要将媒体文件从计算机中取出，将它们放入便携式驱动器中，然后将其提供给您的朋友，让他们欣赏内容。通过 iTunes 本地媒体共享，所有这些麻烦都被消除了，您只需单击几个按钮即可共享您的 iTunes资料库。(Library)
iTunes资料库共享到底是什么？(What Exactly Is iTunes Library Sharing?)
你问的很好。iTunes 库共享是您可以在Windows PC 和 Mac 机器(Windows PC and Mac machines)上的 iTunes 应用程序中找到的一个选项（尽管Mac上的 iTunes很快将随着MacOS Catalina逐步淘汰）。此功能允许您与与您在同一网络上的其他用户共享您在应用程序中拥有的现有内容。
基本上，您在应用程序中启用一个选项，该选项可以打开媒体共享，并允许其他使用 iTunes 应用程序的用户访问您的音乐和视频文件(music and video files)。这应该适用于有线和无线网络，并且不需要任何物理设备来启动和运行它。
有什么限制吗？(Are There Any Restrictions?)
您从 iTunes 或任何其他类似服务购买的音乐(Music)通常带有法律限制。但是，由于其工作方式，共享 iTunes 资料库是共享内容的合法方式。
- 您从中共享内容的计算机和接收内容的计算机都应位于同一本地网络上。如果不是，您将看不到任何共享内容。
- 两台计算机都应安装 iTunes 应用程序。如果您还没有它，请为您的Windows PC或Mac获取它。(Mac)
- 接收计算机无法导入或复制内容，只能流式传输。
如何从您的计算机共享 iTunes 库(How To Share an iTunes Library From Your Computer)
设置该功能非常容易，因为您只需将两台机器连接到同一个本地网络，在应用程序中启用一个选项，您就可以开始了。
以下步骤在Windows 机器(Windows machine)上执行。Mac 机器(Mac machine)的步骤应该类似，这样您就不会遇到任何问题。
在您的计算机上使用您喜欢的方式启动iTunes应用程序。
当应用程序启动时，单击顶部的Edit选项，然后选择(Edit)Preferences。它将打开 iTunes 设置菜单。
默认情况下，您应该在“常规”选项卡中。(General)在此屏幕上，您会在“库名称”(Library Name)字段旁边找到您的库的名称。您可以根据需要编辑此名称，因为这将出现在接收计算机上(receiving computer)。
更改或保留库名称后，单击顶部显示“共享”的选项卡。(Sharing)在这里，您可以获得多个共享 iTunes 资料库的选项。选中在我的本地网络上共享我的图书馆(Share my library on my local network )
的框，您将激活它下面的两个选项。这是这两个选项中的每一个的作用。共享(Share entire library)整个媒体库——顾名思义，此选项可让您在本地网络上共享整个媒体库。仅当您对在另一台计算机上可用的所有 iTunes 内容感到满意时才选择此选项。分享选定的播放列表(Share selected playlists)
– 此选项允许您仅在网络上共享选定的特定播放列表。您可以在提供的列表中手动选择要共享的播放列表。
需要密码(Require password)- 这让您可以为内容共享(content sharing)添加一层安全保护。您可以在此处指定接收计算机(receiving computer)需要输入的密码，然后才能访问您的内容。是否要使用此选项取决于您。
最后，单击确定(OK)以保存更改。
您的 iTunes 媒体库已在本地网络上成功共享。现在是时候让您网络上的其他计算机访问您的文件了。
访问 iTunes 共享内容(Accessing iTunes Shared Content)
在同一网络上的另一台计算机上流式传输您从您的计算机共享的内容只需要 iTunes 应用程序。
获取最新版本的应用程序，打开它，您将在左侧边栏中看到共享库。如果默认情况下侧边栏(sidebar isn)不可见，请单击顶部的“查看”菜单并选择(View)“显示侧边栏”(Show Sidebar)。
如何禁用 iTunes 库共享(How To Disable iTunes Library Sharing)
如果您想随时关闭媒体共享，您可以在 iTunes 应用程序中执行此操作。
- 启动iTunes应用程序，单击Edit，然后选择Preferences。
- 打开共享(Sharing)选项卡并取消勾选在我的本地网络上共享我的图书馆(Share my library on my local network )选项。
如何解决连接相关问题(How To Fix Connection Related Issues)
有时由于防火墙限制，接收计算机可能无法在第一时间访问您的库。但是，您可以更改防火墙设置中的选项，以便 iTunes 可以接收来自其他计算机的传入连接。
如果您使用的是Windows 计算机(Windows machine)，请按照以下步骤允许 iTunes 进行传入和传出连接，即使启用了防火墙。
按Windows键并搜索并单击控制面板(Control Panel)以启动面板。
确保您以大图标或小图标模式查看面板。然后找到并单击显示Windows Defender 防火墙(Windows Defender Firewall)的选项以打开您的防火墙设置。
在以下屏幕上，单击左侧栏中的通过 Windows Defender Wireless 允许应用程序或功能。(Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Wireless)
从列表中选择iTunes，选中它旁边的两个框，然后单击底部的确定按钮。(OK)
现在允许 iTunes 在您的防火墙中建立连接，并且接收计算机(receiving computer)可以毫无问题地访问您的共享 iTunes 资料库。
How To Share An iTunes Library On Your Local Network
iTunes iѕ а really great media managemеnt app that provides you with a number of features to organize the media content stored on your computеr. One of the features in the app lets you share your media libraries with your friends on your local netwоrk.
What that means is you no longer need to get your media files out of your computer, put them in a portable drive, and give it to your friends for them to enjoy the content. With iTunes local media sharing, all of that hassle is eliminated and you can share your an iTunes Library with the click of a few buttons.
What Exactly Is iTunes Library Sharing?
It’s good that you asked. iTunes library sharing is an option you’ll find in the iTunes app on both Windows PC and Mac machines (although iTunes on Mac will shortly be phased out with MacOS Catalina). This feature allows you to share the existing content you have in the app with other users that are on the same network as you.
Basically, you enable an option in the app that turns on media sharing and lets other users using the iTunes app to get access to your music and video files. This should work for both wired and wireless networks and there isn’t any physical equipment you need to get it up and running.
Are There Any Restrictions?
Music that you buy from iTunes, or any other similar service for that matter, usually carries legal restrictions. However, sharing an iTunes library is a legal way to share your content because of the way it works.
- Both the computer you’re sharing the content from and the computer receiving the content should be on the same local network. If they aren’t, you won’t see any shared content.
- Both computers should have the iTunes app installed. Get it for your Windows PC or Mac if you don’t already have it.
- The receiving computer can’t import or copy the content and they can only stream it.
How To Share an iTunes Library From Your Computer
It’s extremely easy to set the feature up as all it requires you to do is connect both your machines to the same local network, enable an option in the app, and you’re good to go.
The following steps are performed on a Windows machine. Steps for a Mac machine should be similar so you won’t have any issues.
Launch the iTunes app using your preferred way on your computer.
When the app launches, click on the option that says Edit at the top and select Preferences. It’ll open the iTunes settings menu.
You should be in the General tab by default. On this screen, you’ll find the name of your library next to the Library Name field. You can edit this name if you want as this is what’s going to appear on the receiving computer.
Once you’ve changed or left the library name as is, click on the tab that says Sharing at the top. This is where you get multiple options to share your iTunes library.
Checkmark the box that says Share my library on my local network and you’ll activate the two options beneath it. Here’s what each of those two options does.
Share entire library – as the name implies, this option lets you share your entire media library on your local network. Only choose this if you’re comfortable with all of your iTunes content being available on another computer.
Share selected playlists – this option lets you only share the chosen and specific playlists on your network. You can manually select the playlists you want to share in the provided list.
Require password – this lets you add a layer of security to your content sharing. You can specify a password here that the receiving computer will need to enter before they can access your content. It’s up to you if you’d like to use this option.
Finally, click on OK to save the changes.
Your iTunes media library has been successfully shared on your local network. It’s now the time for the other computers on your network to access your files.
Accessing iTunes Shared Content
Streaming the content you’ve shared from your computer on another computer on the same network only requires the iTunes app.
Grab the latest version of the app, open it, and you’ll see the shared library in the left sidebar. If the sidebar isn’t visible by default, click on the View menu at the top and select Show Sidebar.
How To Disable iTunes Library Sharing
If you’d like to turn off media sharing at any point of time, you can do so from within the iTunes app.
- Launch the iTunes app, click on Edit, and select Preferences.
- Open the Sharing tab and untick the Share my library on my local network option.
How To Fix Connection Related Issues
Sometimes due to firewall restrictions, the receiving computer might not be able to access your library in the first go. However, you can change an option in your firewall settings so that iTunes can receive incoming connections from other computers.
If you’re on a Windows machine, follow the following steps to allow iTunes to make incoming and outgoing connections even when the firewall is enabled.
Press the Windows key and search for and click on Control Panel to launch the panel.
Ensure you’re viewing the panel in either large or small icons mode. Then find and click on the option that says Windows Defender Firewall to open your firewall settings.
On the following screen, click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Wireless in the left sidebar.
Select iTunes from the list, checkmark both the boxes next to it, and then click on the OK button at the bottom.
iTunes is now allowed to make connections in your firewall and the receiving computer will have no issues getting access to your shared iTunes library.
