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Can I access my iMac based iTunes library from my iPad over my home wifi? I know I can sync them up but the library is too big.

Edit; just to clear(er), the movies, podcasts etc which are stored on the iMac, I want to watch them on my iPad without syncing. I know I can create playlist to sync a subset of my library, but that is not what I want.

What I'm thinking about is using my iPad as a kind of portable apple TV.

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  • Possible dupe of superuser.com/questions/145889/…
    – stuartd
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 14:11
  • Not a dupe. This user probably wants the sound on his iPad also, which is not possible using home sharing alone.
    – Daniel Beck ♦
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 14:20
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    A different solution to the "library too large to sync" problem is to create a smart playlist with criteria like "artist is not XXX" or "genre is not YYY" and set up your iPad so that it only syncs that playlist.
    – Doug Harris
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 15:58

2 Answers 2

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I just tried it on my iPhone, but it should be similar for iPad.

Download the Remote application from the iTunes/App Store.

Open it and enable Home Sharing, enter your Apple ID credentials. Open iTunes on your Mac, select Advanced » Turn On Home Sharing. Enter your Apple ID credentials there.

Now your iOS device can access your Mac's library and you can remotely control iTunes from your iOS device by using Remote. You can play the audio via the computer's speakers, or via any connected AirTunes speaker. Which the iPad is sadly not.

Get Airfoil by Rogue Amoeba and the free companion app Airfoil Speakers Touch from the App Store.

Open Airfoil Speakers Touch to make your iOS device into a remote speaker for Airfoil. Start Airfoil on your Mac and select System Audio as the content to stream, and the destination NameOfYouriPad.

Switch back to Remote on your iOS device to control iTunes. As long as Airfoil Speakers Touch is running in the background, all audio from your computer is streamed to your iOS device.

If you want to stream video, get Air Video.

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  • Airfoil is btw available for Windows, so these steps should also apply to Windows based iTunes libraries.
    – Daniel Beck ♦
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 14:32
  • I was hoping for a native apple solution, without going third-party. I just expected the apple devices to communicate better. However AirVideo look like exactly what I need, so I will try it out. Thx.
    – Ken
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 17:28
  • @Ken Doesn't exist (yet). There's a reason this application is popular.
    – Daniel Beck ♦
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 17:43
  • I tried AirVideo, works great!
    – Ken
    Commented Jan 14, 2011 at 12:54
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Currently, you should be able to connect your iTunes to your iPad with Home Sharing, via the iPod/Music app on the iPad itself.

No 3rd party app is needed.

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  • Please explain how that works... I thought you could only access music on the cloud (i.e. purchases from the iTunes store.)
    – lemontwist
    Commented Mar 3, 2013 at 23:55
  • The music should be needed inside your library. I'm pretty sure you need to turn on 'Home Sharing', both on iTunes, and your iDevice.
    – Paul
    Commented Mar 27, 2013 at 17:52

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