Apple doesn’t always get everything right when they rethink apps and organization in its operating systems. That’s what updates are for. Remember how the new Music app in macOS 10.15 Catalina omitted the column browser long available in iTunes? It was a favorite of many users. Apple listened and restored it in 10.15.2.
But an obvious missing element from iTunes that should have migrated to the TV app hasn’t yet returned. Every week or two, Mac 911 receives an email from a reader asking why they can’t search on personal videos in the TV app.
You can browse these videos, which are found in TV’s Home Videos tab. This tab appears if you have any movies you imported in the past into iTunes or freshly into TV that aren’t for sale via the Apple store, which might include ripped versions of DVDs you own or purchased or free video downloads from third parties.
One possibility is that few people have their own video content in iTunes and now TV, but relied on their own folder organization system, or only have movies within Photos, captured from cameras and mobile devices.
Whatever the case, you’re on your own if you have a lot of entries. You might consider reorganizing and using other software, like Plex, which allows you to index folders you point the software at and then access across a network or even remotely.
By the way, if you’re missing personal videos after upgrading to Catalina, take a look in your Home folder in Music > iTunes Music > Home Movies. While this should have made the transition to being indexed by the TV app, some people report that the folder’s contents were orphaned.
This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by Macworld reader Michael.
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Author: Glenn Fleishman, Senior Contributor
Glenn Fleishman’s most recent books include Take Control of iOS and iPadOS Privacy and Security, Take Control of Calendar and Reminders, and Take Control of Securing Your Mac. In his spare time, he writes about printing and type history. He’s a senior contributor to Macworld, where he writes Mac 911.