iTunes is a great program for managing audio files, but things get complicated when you want to use it to manage video files. iTunes only supports a few formats, so chances are you need to convert your files before you can import them into your library. In iTunes 12 and later, the added videos will be placed in the "Home Video" section of the Movies library.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Convert Video Files
Step 1. Check the format of the video file you want to import
Remember that iTunes only supports "MP4" ("M4V") and "MOV" video formats, so it does not support popular ones including "AVI", "MKV" and "WMV". If your video files are not in the correct format, you will not be able to import them into the iTunes library. Before proceeding, you need to check the video format of those files. If it is a format not supported by iTunes, please follow the steps in this section to perform the conversion. Conversely, if your files are already in "MP4", "M4V" or "MOV" format, you can go directly to the next section.
- Windows: select the video file in question with the right mouse button, then choose "Properties" from the context menu that appeared. Check the contents of the "File Type" field located in the "General" tab.
- Mac: select the file of your interest by holding down the "Ctrl" key, then choose the "Get Info" option from the context menu that appears. Check the contents of the "Type" field in the "General" section of the "About [filename]" window that appeared.
Step 2. Download and install Adapter
It is a free software, distributed by Macroplant, for converting video files. It is able to quickly convert your video files to iTunes compatible format. Adapter is available for both Windows and Mac systems. As long as you just download the program from the official website macroplant.com/adapter/ you won't have to worry about computer threats, such as adware, viruses or malware.
During the installation process make sure you select the "Download and install FFmpeg" checkbox. It is a necessary component for the conversion. FFmpeg is open-source software and is adware-free
Step 3. Drag your video files into the Adapter window
You can do this by dragging all the files in question at the same time or one at a time. Alternatively, you can press the "Browse" button located inside the program window to browse the contents of the hard drive in search of the files to import and convert.
Step 4. Access the "Output" menu located at the bottom of the window
This menu allows you to choose the new format to convert the selected files to.
Step 5. Choose the "Video" item, then select the "General" option and finally choose "Custom MP4"
This will set the Adapter to convert your files to "MP4" format, one of the few compatible with iTunes.
If you are importing these videos into iTunes and then syncing them to your iOS device, select the default conversion format for iPhone, iPad or iPod available in the "Apple" section of the "Output" menu
Step 6. Press the gear button to view additional settings
The appeared menu allows you to change some settings before starting the conversion process.
- At the top of the menu you can change the destination folder where the file produced by the conversion will be saved.
- The "Quality" menu in the "Resolution" section allows you to set the quality of the image taken by the video at the end of the conversion. The default setting is "Medium", resulting in a smaller file size with little loss of quality. If you want to keep the original video quality level, you have to choose the "Very High (Lossless)" value.
Step 7. To start the conversion process, press the "Convert" button
This may take some time to complete, especially if the video in question is very long and the computer you are using is an older model.
Step 8. Locate the final converted file
By default, the converted items will be saved in the same folder where the original files reside. Locate your new video files so you can easily import them into your iTunes library.
Part 2 of 2: Import the movies to iTunes
Step 1. Launch iTunes
If the video you want to import is in the correct format, you can easily add it to your iTunes library. Make sure the program is updated with the latest version available to ensure you have the best possible experience.
Step 2. Import the video file into the iTunes library
The process differs slightly between Windows and Mac systems:
- Windows: Press the alt key = "Image" to display the menu bar. Access the "File" menu, then select "Add to Library" or "Add Folder to Library". Browse the contents of your computer to locate the file or folder that contains the items to import.
- Mac: access the "iTunes" menu, then select the "Add to library" item. Browse the contents of your computer to locate the file or folder to import.
Step 3. Go to the "Movies" section of iTunes
You can do this by pressing the relevant button at the top of the program window. Don't be alarmed if your new video files don't appear in this section. They have been grouped into a special category of the "Movies" section.
Step 4. Go to the "Home Video" tab
You can find this entry at the top of the program window.
Step 5. Locate the newly imported videos
The files in question will be displayed in the "Home Video" section. If not, it means they are not in a compatible format for importing into iTunes. Check carefully the video format of the files in question to verify that it is among those compatible with iTunes listed in the previous section of the article.
Step 6. Move your video files from the "Home Video" section to the "Movies" or "TV Shows" section
You can organize your video files within the appropriate category so that they are easily discoverable in the future:
- Select the video in question with the right mouse button, located in the "Home Video" section, then choose "Get information" from the context menu that appeared.
- Go to the "Options" tab, then use the "Media Type" menu to change how the item is sorted in your iTunes library.
