Resetting Play Count in iTunes: A Step-by-Step Guide

Have you ever found yourself wondering how to reset the play count in iTunes? Whether you want to start fresh or simply keep track of your actual listening habits, resetting the play count can be a useful tool. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of resetting the play count in iTunes, so you can take control of your music library.

Step 1: Open iTunes

First, open iTunes on your computer. Make sure you have the latest version installed to ensure a smooth process.

Step 2: Select a Song

Next, select the song or songs that you want to reset the play count for. You can either click on a single song or use the shift key to select multiple songs at once.

Step 3: Go to the “File” Menu

Once you have selected the desired songs, go to the “File” menu at the top left corner of the iTunes window. From there, click on the “Get Info” option.

Step 4: Reset the Play Count

In the “Get Info” window, navigate to the “Options” tab. Here, you will find the play count information for the selected songs. To reset the play count, simply click on the “Reset” button next to the play count field.

Step 5: Confirm the Reset

A confirmation window will appear asking if you are sure you want to reset the play count. Click on the “Reset” button to confirm and complete the process.

In conclusion, resetting the play count in iTunes is a straightforward process that can help you better manage your music library. Whether you want a fresh start or a more accurate depiction of your listening habits, follow these simple steps to reset the play count and take control of your iTunes experience.

Please note that resetting the play count will erase all previous play history for the selected songs. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you have selected the correct songs before confirming the reset.

Table of Contents

What is a play count in iTunes?

The play count in iTunes refers to the number of times a song or a video has been played on the iTunes media player. iTunes keeps track of the play count for each individual media file in its library, allowing users to see which songs or videos they have listened to or watched the most.

The play count is a convenient feature for users who want to keep track of their listening or viewing habits. It can help users discover their favorite songs, create playlists based on play counts, or even organize their library by sorting media files according to their play counts. Additionally, the play count can be used to gauge the popularity of songs or videos among iTunes users.

iTunes updates the play count automatically each time a media file is played, including both manual plays and plays that occur during shuffle mode. The play count can be accessed and viewed in the iTunes library, and users can also choose to add a play count column to the library view for easy reference.

Step 1: Accessing your iTunes Library

To reset the play count in iTunes, you will need to access your iTunes library. Follow the steps below to access your iTunes library:

Open the iTunes application on your computer. It can usually be found in the Applications folder on Mac or the Program Files folder on Windows.
If prompted, sign in with your Apple ID and password.
In the top left corner of the iTunes window, click on “Library” to switch to the Library view. If you are already in the Library view, you can skip this step.
In the sidebar on the left side of the iTunes window, click on “Music” to view your music library. If you don’t see the sidebar, click on “View” in the top menu and select “Show Sidebar.”

Once you have accessed your iTunes library, you can proceed to the next step to reset the play count.

Opening the iTunes application

To reset the play count in iTunes, you will need to open the iTunes application on your computer. Here are the steps to do so:

Locate the iTunes icon on your computer’s desktop or in your applications folder. It is represented by a musical note on a white background.
Double-click on the iTunes icon to launch the application.
If prompted, enter your Apple ID and password to sign in to your iTunes account.
Once the application is open, you will see the iTunes interface, which includes various tabs and options.
Ensure that you are signed in to the iTunes Store by clicking on the “Account” tab at the top of the iTunes window and selecting “Sign In.” Enter your Apple ID and password if prompted.

You are now ready to proceed with resetting the play count in iTunes. The following steps will guide you through the process.

Step 2: Selecting the songs you want to reset

Once you have opened the iTunes application, follow these steps to select the songs you want to reset the play count for:

Click on the “Music” option located at the top left corner of the iTunes window. This will display your music library.
Use the sidebar on the left side of the iTunes window to navigate through your music library and select the playlist or album that contains the songs you want to reset the play count for. Click on the desired playlist or album.
A list of songs within the selected playlist or album will be displayed in the main iTunes window. Scroll through the list to locate the specific songs you want to reset the play count for.
To select multiple consecutive songs, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click on the first and last song in the desired range.
To select multiple non-consecutive songs, hold down the Command (⌘) key on a Mac or the Control (Ctrl) key on a Windows computer and click on each individual song.

Once you have selected the songs you want to reset the play count for, you can proceed to the next step, which will guide you through the process of resetting the play count in iTunes.

Choosing the songs from your library

When resetting the play count in iTunes, it’s important to choose the songs you want to reset carefully. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to choose the songs from your library:

Open iTunes on your computer and go to the “Library” tab.
Click on “Songs” in the left sidebar to view all the songs in your library.
Scroll through the list and identify the songs for which you want to reset the play count.
You can use different criteria to choose the songs, such as the last played date, the number of times played, or simply your personal preference.
If you want to select multiple songs at once, hold down the “Ctrl” key (Windows) or the “Command” key (Mac) and click on each song you want to reset the play count for.
Alternatively, you can select a range of consecutive songs by clicking on the first song, holding down the “Shift” key, and then clicking on the last song in the range.
Once you have selected all the songs you want to reset the play count for, right-click on any of the selected songs and choose “Get Info” from the context menu.
In the “Get Info” window that appears, go to the “Options” tab.
Under the “Media Kind” section, select “Music” if it’s not already selected.
Under the “Remember playback position” section, uncheck the “Remember playback position” checkbox.
Click the “OK” button to apply the changes and close the “Get Info” window.

Once you have chosen the songs and reset the play count, the next time you play them, iTunes will start counting from zero again. This can be useful if you want to track the number of times you have played a particular set of songs or if you simply want to start fresh with your play counts.

Step 3: Resetting the play count

Once you have created a backup of your iTunes library and have prepared your device for the reset, you can now proceed to reset the play count. Follow the steps below:

Open iTunes on your computer and connect your device.
Select your device from the list of available devices in iTunes.
Navigate to the “Music” tab of your device’s settings.
Scroll down to find the “Sync Music” section and uncheck the box next to it. This will prevent iTunes from syncing any new music to your device during the reset process.
Click on the “Apply” or “Sync” button to confirm the changes and begin the syncing process.
Once the syncing process is complete, go back to the “Music” tab and check the box next to “Sync Music” again to enable syncing.
Click on the “Apply” or “Sync” button once more to confirm the changes and start syncing your music library back to your device.
Wait for the sync to finish, and then disconnect your device from your computer.

By following these steps, you have successfully reset the play count for your iTunes library. The play count for all songs on your device will now be set to zero, allowing you to enjoy a fresh start in tracking your listening habits.

Using the “Reset Play Count” option

Resetting the play count of a track in iTunes can be done using the “Reset Play Count” option. This feature allows you to start fresh with the play count of a track, as if you have never played it before. Here’s how to use this option:

Launch iTunes on your computer and navigate to your library.
Select the track or tracks you want to reset the play count for.
Right-click on the selected track(s) and choose “Get Info” from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press the “Command” key and click on the track(s) to access the context menu.
In the pop-up window, navigate to the “Options” tab.
Under the “Play Count” section, you will see a checkbox labeled “Remember playback position” along with the current play count of the selected track(s).
To reset the play count, uncheck the “Remember playback position” checkbox.
Click on the “OK” button to save the changes and close the window.

Once you have completed these steps, the play count of the selected track(s) will be reset to zero. When you play the track(s) again, iTunes will start counting the playbacks from scratch.

Note that this option only resets the play count and not the last played date or any other track information. If you want to reset other track information as well, you may need to use other methods or tools provided by iTunes or third-party software.

Step 4: Confirming the reset

Before proceeding with the reset, it’s important to double-check and confirm that you want to reset the play count for your selected songs in iTunes. Follow these steps to confirm the reset:

Click on the “Confirm” button or option.
A pop-up window will appear, asking for your confirmation.
Review the information displayed to ensure it matches your intention to reset the play count.
If everything is correct, click on the “Confirm” or “Yes” button.
Your play count will be reset for the selected songs in iTunes.

It’s important to note that this action cannot be undone, so make sure you are certain about resetting the play count before proceeding.

Verifying the changes in play count

Once you have successfully reset the play count for your tracks in iTunes, it is important to verify that the changes have been applied correctly. Here are a few steps you can follow to ensure that the play count has been reset:

Open iTunes on your computer.
Navigate to your music library.
Select a track that you have reset the play count for.
Right-click on the selected track and choose “Get Info” from the context menu.
In the “Summary” tab, you should see the play count displayed.
Verify that the play count for the track has been reset to zero or the desired value.
Repeat these steps for other tracks that you have reset the play count for.

Alternatively, you can create a smart playlist in iTunes to display all the tracks with a play count of zero or a specific number. This will allow you to easily track which tracks have had their play count reset.

Example of a Smart Playlist:
Playlist Name	Criteria
Reset Play Count	Play Count is 0

By following these steps, you can ensure that the play count for your tracks in iTunes has been successfully reset and verify the changes that you have made.

Step 5: Syncing your changes with other devices

After resetting the play count in iTunes, you may want to sync your changes with other devices to ensure that the updated play counts reflect across all your devices. Here is how you can sync your changes:

Connect your device(s), such as iPhone, iPad, or iPod, to your computer using the respective USB cables.
Launch iTunes on your computer if it doesn’t open automatically.
Click on the device icon located at the top-left corner of the iTunes window.
Go to the “Summary” tab, which can be found in the left sidebar.
Scroll down to the “Options” section and check the box next to “Sync with this [device] over Wi-Fi” if you want to sync without using a cable in the future.
Click on the “Apply” button in the bottom-right corner of the iTunes window to start the syncing process.
Wait for the syncing process to complete. This may take a few minutes, depending on the amount of data being synced.
Once the syncing process is finished, disconnect your device(s) from the computer.

Now, your changes, including the reset play counts, should be synced with your other devices. You can check the play counts on your devices to confirm that they have been updated.

Note: If you have multiple devices, you need to repeat the above steps for each device to sync the changes individually.

FAQ:

Can I reset the play count for a specific song in iTunes?

Yes, you can reset the play count for a specific song in iTunes. This can be done by right-clicking on the song, selecting “Reset Play Count” from the options menu, and confirming the reset.

Is it possible to reset the play count for multiple songs at once in iTunes?

No, iTunes does not have a built-in feature to reset the play count for multiple songs at once. You will need to reset the play count for each song individually.

Why would someone want to reset the play count in iTunes?

There are a few reasons why someone might want to reset the play count in iTunes. One reason is if they want to start tracking the play count of a song from scratch. Another reason is if the play count for a song is inaccurate, and they want to reset it to the correct value. Additionally, some users may want to reset the play count for all songs to clear their listening history.

Can I reset the play count for a playlist in iTunes?

No, iTunes does not have a built-in feature to reset the play count for a playlist. However, you can create a smart playlist based on the play count criteria and then reset the play count for the individual songs within that playlist.

What happens to the play count information after it is reset in iTunes?

When you reset the play count for a song in iTunes, the previous play count information is deleted and the play count is reset to zero. This means that the play count will start counting from zero again.

Is there a way to backup the play count information before resetting it in iTunes?

No, iTunes does not provide a built-in way to backup the play count information. If you want to keep the play count information for future reference, you will need to manually record the play count data before resetting it.

Resetting Play Count in iTunes: Step-by-Step Guide