If you are having trouble finding music you previously purchased on iTunes, there are a few potential reasons and solutions.
Your music library is not properly synced
The most common reason you can’t find your iTunes music is because your library has not properly synced across devices. When you purchase music on iTunes, it is saved in your iTunes library locally on your computer. For that music to appear on your iPhone, iPod, or other devices, your iTunes library needs to sync.
To sync your iTunes library and access your music everywhere, connect your device to your computer and open iTunes. Go to the summary page for your device and make sure “Sync Music” is checked. Then click “Apply.” This will transfer all of the music purchased in your iTunes library to your device.
If you have “Sync Music” checked but still can’t find your music, click the dropdown next to “Music” and select “Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres.” Choose exactly which music you want to transfer to your device.
Another option is using iCloud Music Library. With this enabled in your iTunes and Apple Music settings, any music you purchase through iTunes is automatically available across devices logged into your Apple ID through the internet. Just make sure you are connected to WiFi for streaming.
You have lost access to your iTunes account
If your iTunes music library is synced properly but your purchased music is still missing, it could be an issue with your account access. Go to iTunes and try to redownload any missing music. If you get an error saying you are not authorized or cannot download the content, your iTunes account may have been compromised.
To regain access, go to Appleid.apple.com to reset your password. Make sure you use a new, strong password. If you have further difficulty accessing your account, contact Apple support to recover your account so you can download your purchased music again.
Your music files have been deleted or lost
Purchased iTunes music is stored locally until you sync to a device or use iCloud Music Library. If these local music files get deleted or lost somehow, it will seem like your music is gone. But as long as you have access to your iTunes account, you can redownload.
On a Mac, your iTunes media folder is usually located in Music/iTunes. On Windows, it is in My Music/iTunes. Check to see if your files are still there. If not, they may have been accidentally deleted or lost if your hard drive failed.
As long as you remember the music you purchased, you can go to your iTunes account Purchase History and download the music again. Just log into iTunes, go to Account > Purchase History and find the missing music. Click the iCloud icon next to each item to redownload.
The music is not available in your iTunes region
iTunes music availability varies by region. It is possible the music you are searching for is not currently available in the iTunes store for your country.
For example, certain record labels may have distribution rights that restrict a song or album from being sold in specific countries. Or in some cases, an artist or record label has chosen to restrict sales of their music in certain regions.
If you think this might be the case, try changing your iTunes store country. The easiest way is to create an iTunes account in another region. You can switch between accounts to browse each country’s music library.
Use a VPN service to mask your location and access regional stores as well. Keep in mind that purchasing music from a different region’s store may still not allow playback in your country due to licensing.
The music has been removed from iTunes
On rare occasions, certain music may no longer be available on iTunes if it has been pulled by the artist or record label. There can be a few reasons for this:
- Licensing issues – If a label’s distribution rights expire, music may get removed
- Artist request – Artists can decide to pull their work from sale on iTunes
- Legal issues – Music that becomes subject to a lawsuit or other legal action may be taken down
When music is removed from iTunes, there is usually little notice given to purchasers. In most cases, if you have already downloaded the music to your personal library, you can continue to listen to your copy.
However, if you need to redownload a purchase that is no longer available, you will need to find alternative means of acquiring the music. This may require obtaining a digital copy directly from the artist or purchasing a used physical copy you can rip.
There are download restrictions
Occasionally there are technical restrictions that prevent downloading previously purchased content on iTunes.
If you are trying to redownload music you purchased a long time ago, it is possible the download format is no longer supported. iTunes used to sell music downloads in L.A.M.E. encoded format at 128kbps which is now obsolete.
There are also restrictions on how many times you can download. iTunes only allows a limited number of downloads per purchase. This is intended to discourage widespread unauthorized sharing.
If you have exceeded the download limit, you will have to repurchase the music. The limit depends on the type of file, but is usually around 5 downloads.
The metadata is incorrect or missing
If you can see the music files in your iTunes library but the information like song title, artist, album etc does not match or is missing, the metadata has likely become corrupted.
This typically happens if you edit ID3 tags manually without properly resaving the file. It can also occur if you transfer music between devices using software other than iTunes.
To fix the metadata, first locate the file on your computer and try editing the ID3 tags using a program like MP3tag. You may need to completely remove old tags and re-enter the data.
If editing the local file does not work, you will need to redownload the song or album from iTunes to get the proper metadata again.
Conclusion
Not being able to find your previously purchased iTunes music can be incredibly frustrating. But in most cases, the issue can be resolved by properly syncing devices, regaining account access, redownloading missing music, changing store country, or correcting metadata issues.
As long as you continue to have access to the Apple ID used to purchase the music, you should be able to recover your iTunes library after troubleshooting any potential problems. Don’t hesitate to contact Apple support if you continue having issues accessing your purchased music content.
| Reason | Solution |
|---|---|
| Library not synced | Sync devices in iTunes |
| Lost account access | Reset password and recover account |
| Music files deleted | Redownload purchases from account history |
| Unavailable in region | Change store country or use VPN |
| Content removed | Obtain alternate copy if possible |
| Download limits reached | Repurchase if available |
| Corrupted metadata | Edit ID3 tags or redownload |