Extract text from iTunes library databases (ITL)
To convert ITL databases to another format, you need Apple iTunes or other Database software.
To convert other file formats to the "iTunes Database" file type, you need software like Apple iTunes or a similar tool.
The .ITL file is a proprietary database format used by Apple iTunes to store your media library catalog. This binary file tracks the location of your music and video files, alongside user-generated metadata like playlists, play counts, and star ratings. The primary software used to open and manage these files is Apple iTunes (or the Apple Music app on modern macOS systems).
Because it is a closed, proprietary format, the .ITL file presents severe limitations. It locks your library metadata into the Apple ecosystem. You cannot open it in standard text editors or open-source database browsers. If the file corrupts, you lose your entire library organization. Standard online converters fail to process it because the internal binary structure changes significantly between different iTunes versions.
To use your library data in external DJ software like Serato or Rekordbox, you must normally export the library to an XML file. Converting the underlying data to CSV or TXT is also recommended for archiving your tracklists outside of Apple software.
This file format is exceptionally difficult to open or convert externally. Often, only the original Apple software can properly read or export the structured data. We can inspect the internal binary structure and show extracted text strings, which may help you recover lost song paths or metadata if your iTunes software crashes.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ITL file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted TXT, XML, ZIP, MP3, M4V, ITC and IPSW files.
If you want to convert ITL file to XML, MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS, ALAC or APE, you can use Apple iTunes or similar software from the "Media Library Database" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, RA, MP3, PCM or WAV files to ITL, try Apple iTunes or another comparable tool in the "Media Library Database" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ITL converter.