When you start the Zune Music + Video software for the first time, it automatically adds the music, videos, pictures, and podcasts on your computer to its collection, as long as they are in a supported format.
If you're using Windows Vista or Windows XP, Zune starts by monitoring the Windows system folders for Music, Videos, and Pictures, and adds items from those folders to your collection. Any changes within monitored folders are reflected in your collection. But Zune can monitor any folders you want, regardless of the folders that Windows uses.
If you're using Windows 7, the software adds items from the Windows 7 libraries for Music, Videos, Pictures, and Podcasts. Then, Zune monitors these libraries for changes and updates your media collection accordingly. For example, if you add a folder to the Windows 7 Music library, Zune automatically adds the media in that folder to your Zune collection.
To add or remove monitored folders (Windows Vista, Windows XP)
In the Zune Music + Video software, click Settings, Software, Collection.
Next to the type of media for which you want to add a folder to monitor, click Add Folder, find the folder you want to monitor, and then click OK.
If you have a folder that contains mixed media types, you must add that folder to each media type. For example, let's say you download pictures and videos from your digital camera to the same folder. You need to add that folder to both Pictures and to Videos.
To stop monitoring a folder, click Remove next to the folder. Zune will remove the items in that folder from your collection, but will not delete them from your computer.
To change the default folder where Zune will save media items (such as music you rip from CD), under Zune folders, click Change Folder next to the media type, find the folder, and then click OK.
Note
We do not recommend selecting an external drive (such as a USB drive) as the location for your Zune folders. If you do, you might experience issues and errors if the drive becomes unavailable or if antivirus software is running.
To choose media folders to monitor (Windows 7)
In the Zune Music + Video software, click Settings, Software, Collection.
Next to the type of media for which you want to add a folder to monitor, click Manage.
Find the folder you want to monitor, and then click OK.
If you have a folder that contains mixed media types, you must add that folder to each media type. For example, let's say you download pictures and videos from your digital camera to the same folder. You need to add that folder to both Pictures and to Videos.
Note
We do not recommend selecting an external drive (such as a USB drive) as the default save location for any of your Windows 7 libraries. If you do, you might experience issues and errors if the drive becomes unavailable or if antivirus software is running.
Managing folders separately from Windows 7 libraries
If you're using Windows 7, Zune monitors the Windows 7 libraries by default — meaning, for example, that anything in the Windows 7 Music library also appears in your Zune music collection. However, you can break the link between Zune and the Windows 7 libraries and specify exactly which folders you want Zune to monitor. For example, let's say your Windows 7 Music library contains a folder of audio files that you don't want to include in your Zune media collection, if you choose to have Zune manage your media without automatically reflecting everything in the Windows 7 libraries, you can choose exactly which music folders to monitor (and which to ignore).
Note
If you are using Windows XP or Windows Vista, Zune already manages your folders separately.
To manage Zune's monitored folders separately from Windows 7 libraries
In the Zune Music + Video software, go to Settings, Software, Collection, and then click Manage Separately.
To go back to having your monitored folders match the Windows 7 libraries, go to Settings, Software, Collection, and then click Align Folders.
