If you have accidentally deleted songs from your iTunes library that you still want to listen to, don’t worry! There are a few different ways you can retrieve and redownload those missing tracks back into your iTunes library again.
Check the iTunes Trash
The first place to check is the iTunes Trash. If you have deleted songs recently, they may still be sitting in the Trash waiting to be permanently removed. Here’s how to check the iTunes Trash:
- Open iTunes and go to the iTunes menu at the top left.
- Select “Preferences”.
- Click on the “Advanced” tab.
- Check the box that says “Show iTunes Trash”.
- Click “OK”.
This will enable the iTunes Trash. To access it, simply click on the Trash icon in the upper right corner of iTunes. If the songs you deleted are still there, you can right-click and select “Restore” to move them back into your library.
Restore from a Backup
If the songs are not in the Trash, your next option is to restore them from an iTunes backup. iTunes can back up your library contents including your music files, so restoring from a backup is a great way to retrieve deleted songs.
To restore from a backup:
- Open iTunes Preferences and go to the Advanced tab.
- Select the “Back Up to Disk” option and choose a location.
- Click “OK” to backup now or setup auto backups.
- To restore, go to File > Library > Restore from Backup.
- Select the desired backup and click Restore.
This will overwrite your current library with the backed up one. So any songs deleted since the backup will reappear after restoring.
Redownload Purchased Songs
If you bought the deleted songs from the iTunes Store, you can easily redownload them by going to your Purchase History:
- Go to Account > View My Account.
- Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
- Click on Purchase History.
- Find the purchased songs you want to redownload.
- Click on the Download icon next to each song to download again.
The songs will automatically reappear in your iTunes library once the downloads finish.
Sync with Another Device
If you have another device such as an iPhone or iPad synced with the same iTunes library, you may be able to retrieve the deleted tracks by syncing:
- Connect the other device to your computer.
- Open iTunes and select the device.
- Go to the Music tab and turn on Sync Music.
- Check “Selected playlists, artists, albums and genres”.
- Make sure all your music is selected to sync.
- Click Apply to sync the missing songs back to iTunes.
This will add any songs on the device back into your library on the computer, including any tracks you may have deleted.
Use Data Recovery Software
If the above methods don’t work, your last resort is to use dedicated data recovery software to scan your computer and retrieve the deleted files. Some programs that can recover iTunes music include:
| Software | Platform |
|---|---|
| Disk Drill | Mac & Windows |
| iMyFone TunesMate | Mac & Windows |
| Fonelab | Mac & Windows |
Follow these general steps to use recovery software:
- Download and install the program onto your computer.
- Scan your computer’s hard drive for deleted iTunes files.
- Preview and select the songs you want to recover.
- Restore the music files back to iTunes or another location.
Going through your trash, backups, purchase history, devices, and recovery software gives you the best chance at retrieving any music you may have accidentally deleted from your iTunes library. Be sure to back up regularly in the future to prevent this problem from happening again.
Conclusion
Recovering deleted songs from iTunes is usually possible as long as you act quickly and use the right methods. First make sure the Trash is empty and check for any backups that contain the missing songs. Purchased songs can always be redownloaded thanks to iTunes purchase history. Syncing another device that contains the music can also help restore it. And finally, data recovery software provides a last resort option to scan and retrieve the files. Following these steps, you should be able to get back any tracks that may have been accidentally erased from your iTunes music collection.