How to: Fix iTunes Library file error (-48)
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find iTunes to be an essential part of your working day. Whether I’m listening to my favourite podcasts or concentrating with the help of some soothing music, iTunes stays running all through the day. Which is why I started to become pretty worried when a recurring error started to appear recently. Each time I start iTunes, I receive an error warning stating that “The iTunes Library file cannot be saved. An unknown error occurred (-48)“.
It took me a bit of time to work out how to fix this problem, so I thought I’d pass on what I found. This error basically stems from iTunes not being able to write its Library file to your iTunes folder. To fix it, simply find your iTunes folder (located in My Documents > My Music, in my case), right click the folder’s icon and choose ‘Properties‘. From here, click ‘Advanced‘ and make sure that Fast indexing is switched off for the folder. Also, make sure that in the main properties dialog box, ‘Read only‘ is completely unchecked.
This worked for me, but let me know if you’re having further problems with error (-48).
Posted at 1:03 pm on May 16th
I have been experiencing the same issue for the past week or two on a Windows XP Pro machine. I tried the suggested fix and it appears to have worked! Thank you.
Posted at 12:21 pm on May 22nd
I have been trying to fix this same problem for an incredibly incredibly long time and this worked!! Thank you so much!
Posted at 12:22 pm on May 22nd
I have been trying to figure this out and have tried a million things for an incredibly incredibly incredibly long time and this actually worked. Thank you SO much!
Posted at 12:44 pm on May 22nd
Ami - so good you thanked me twice!! Glad it worked for you
Posted at 3:54 am on Jun 18th
Wow, I’ve been having this same problem and could not for the life of me find a suggestion on Apple’s site. Thank you!!
Posted at 12:11 pm on Jun 24th
Thank you!:D
Posted at 11:23 pm on Jul 13th
This worked the first time I tried it. However, my computer keeps checking the Read-Only box everytime I close the “Properties” window. Any suggestions as to keeping Read-Only unchecked?
Posted at 2:33 pm on Jul 16th
Yep, this also appears to have worked for me after a long, long search.
Thanks to the OP.
Posted at 3:00 pm on Jul 31st
Your advise didn’t help but I deleted all the temp files in my iTunes folder and that solved the problem
Posted at 6:23 am on Aug 3rd
Thanks for posting this! You saved me a long night of tearing my hair out while I tried to figure out what was wrong.
Posted at 2:47 am on Aug 6th
it didnt help for me, i think i’ll delete all the temp files and see what happens! =]
Any other ideas?
Posted at 2:12 am on Aug 7th
This worked for me, using windows XP and an iPod classic. If I thought you would accept a marriage proposal, I would ask you, for you sir are my newfound true love.
Posted at 7:04 am on Aug 7th
Graham, I’m thrilled and flattered. But I already have a lady wife.
Glad the trick worked for you!
Posted at 5:21 pm on Aug 19th
its not working for me, there’s no advanced option in the properties.. also when i uncheck read only, press apply and ok, it just checks it again by itself. any ideas?
Posted at 6:15 pm on Aug 30th
its not working for me, there’s no advanced option in the properties.. also when i uncheck read only, press apply and ok, it just checks it again by itself. any ideas?
Posted at 9:28 pm on Sep 17th
The (-48) error message on iTunes 8 only comes up when I plug my iPod in.
It will not let me look at anything in my iPod or even see how much memory I have left in it.
Also when I try to put songs in my iPod it tells me that, but the songs still show up and play on my iPod.
It is annoying thought because I bought the game Phase for my iPod and you have to drag the songs to that folder too!
so now I can’t play any of my new songs on there.
Can you help me?
Posted at 3:54 am on Oct 3rd
omg!! Im still getting the error 48 message whenever i plugin my ipod and whenever i TRY to drag new songs over to my ipod!! PLEASE HELP!!! im getting really mad!! MY IPOD IS MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted at 1:40 am on Nov 1st
Hi…umm ive tried this but my itunes keeep on sayin Selinas ipod cant be sync and theres an unknow error happening PLEASE help ill go on my knees if i have 2 but i need myy ipod its my life i cant live without it!
Posted at 8:35 pm on Nov 17th
hey i have a problem
i cant put songs in my 80GB ipod :S
it says (the ipod ***** cannot be synced .the required disk cannot be found
wat i do ???
Posted at 9:57 am on Dec 7th
I have been experiencing this and am grateful for the advice, its given me a clue as to what is going on but unfortunately doesn’t help solve it since on top of the error message all my music folders after c (Cameo!) have vanished. The music is all still there - i can access through iTunes - but I cannot access the iTunes folder since it comes after c and have no idea how to access it. I’ve tried everything and the only thing I can think of now is to reformat the whole system. Bah.
Posted at 11:16 pm on Jan 11th
For some reason I cant get to advance when i go to properties. And songs get deleted when I close itunes.
Posted at 2:38 am on Jan 15th
Work for me too. Thanks!
Posted at 5:22 pm on Feb 9th
i cant download itune 8.02 on my laptop
Posted at 8:08 pm on Feb 22nd
it didnt work 4 me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:[
other ideas!?
Posted at 6:39 pm on Mar 20th
I didn’t work the first time I tried it but it did the second. Thank you so much!
Posted at 8:48 am on Mar 23rd
everytime i download itunes it wont let me open it after i download it.it just says error has occurred sorry for the inconvienence do u want to send an error report. what should i do
Posted at 9:58 am on Apr 18th
I’ve been experiencing the same thing for 1 month and i’ve tried lots of things and failed. but this time, it’s really working. thank you so muuuuchhh !!!!
Posted at 2:57 am on May 8th
thanks bro this helped. =D
Posted at 12:25 pm on Jun 3rd
Omg, I love you!! Thank you sooo much!! My computer says thanks too ’cause I was about to explode it and stuff… hehe. Thanks again!
Posted at 7:24 pm on Jun 26th
i didnt used this but i figured out a different way, i set my ipod into disk mode and plugged it in2 my computer 4 an 1hr and half then told my computer to check 4 errors and error 48 didnt show up agian so theres 2 ways of doing this.
Posted at 8:41 pm on Jul 5th
I did the step but, I get another error saying…
“error occurred applying attributes to the file: c:/documents and settings…/itunes library.itl access denied.”
what do i do?
Posted at 7:35 pm on Jul 23rd
Thank you so much for this assistance. I had tried other measures but without success. I found it woeked if I made the changes with my ipod connected.
Posted at 6:58 am on Sep 1st
none of these tips are working for me plus my library is now reverting back to how it was months ago and new items are gone and old deleted items are visable again…this needs sorting quickly by apple…anymore hints peeps please
Posted at 1:09 pm on Sep 24th
I really really hope this works I’m trying it now, but have been struggling with a mucked up ipod for nine days. it’s killing me!! anyway … i’ll see how it gets on.
Posted at 1:47 pm on Sep 24th
Great now it’s come up with error 1303. Grr itunes is irritating me.
Posted at 11:25 am on Sep 27th
It worked for me! Thanks!
Posted at 5:09 pm on Oct 23rd
doesnt seem to work in win 7. The folder reverts back to read only when you close the dialogue