Help? I bought some music tracks from the iTunes Store and tried to get them from my Purchases list, but they’ve disappeared. Where have my Apple music, films and TV Shows gone to and how do I get my missing iTunes media back?
Missing iTunes media is a problem some Apple fans notice. One minute, you’re happily downloading music, movies and TV Shows from the iTunes Store, and the next minute your music is gone. Don’t worry; you haven’t been ripped off. Apple allows you to re-download any music, movies or TV shows that you have purchased. This feature shows you how to recover any missing iTunes media files.
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How do I download previous iTunes purchases in OS X
First you should check your iTunes Purchased list to see what you can find. Here is how to discover your iTunes Purchases in OS X:
- Open iTunes.
- Click your name in the Menu bar.
- Choose Purchased from the menu.
In the top-right you should see four options: Music, Films, TV Programmes and Apps. Click one that relates to the media you are trying to find. Each item will appear with a small iCloud icon and a down-facing arrow. This indicates that the item is available for download. Click the iCloud icon to download the media file to iTunes in OS X.
I can’t see my previous iTunes purchases in OS X
If you’ve opened your Purchases window in OS X and you don’t see the media files you downloaded then the first thing to do is check you’re looking at all your purchases. A tab at the top enables you to view by:
- All.
- Not in My Library.
If the Not in My Library tab is selected, any tracks you have already downloaded will not be shown. Click All to check if they are listed.
I can’t see my previous iTunes purchases on my iPhone or iPad
Music you have purchases from iTunes Store should show up in your iPhone, and you can re-download it from the iTunes Store app. Here is how to view and download your previously purchased iTunes media in iOS:
- Open the iTunes Store app.
- Tap More.
- Tap Purchased
- Tap Music (or Films, or TV Programmes)
- Tap All.
This should display all of the music (or films or TV programmes) that you have purchased from iTunes. Tap any item to select it, then tap the iCloud download icon to re-download a copy to your iPhone or iPad.
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iTunes media missing? Check your login details
If your iTunes media is still missing underneath the All tab, make sure that are logged in using the correct account. Here is how to check your Store details:
- Mac. Open iTunes and choose Store > View Account. Ensure that the email you are using matches the one you purchased music from. If not choose Store > Sign Out and Store > Sign In. Enter the Apple ID you used to make the purchase and password.
- iOS. Open Settings > iTunes and App Store and check the Apple ID. If it does not match the one you used to make purchases, tap Apple ID > Sign Out. Then Apple ID and sign in using the correct account.
Music, films and TV shows still missing? Check iTunes Store location
You may not be able to download music if you purchased it in one iTunes Store (UK) and are now viewing another store (such as the iTunes US store). In iOS you should be signed in to the default store for your account when you sign in, so follow the sign out and sign in process outlined above.
In iTunes for OS X you can choose to view a different store. Open iTunes and choose iTunes Store. Now scroll down to the very bottom of the store page to reveal a flag. Click this flag icon to access the Choose your country or region page. Choose the store that you made your purchases in and click Account. This can be handy if you’ve moved to another country and are looking at the wrong store.
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Make sure your iTunes Media isn’t hidden
You can hide purchases from the iTunes Store, which is handy if you purchase embarrassing adult content or when Apple seeds U2 albums into your account. You might have hidden an item and forgotten that you did so, or maybe you accidentally hid your iTunes purchase by mistake. Either way it’ll be missing from your Purchased collection and it’s not obvious how to reveal hidden iTunes media purchases.
Here is how to reveal hidden music:
- Choose Store > View Account.
- Scroll down to Hidden Purchases and click Manage.
- Find an item that you have hidden and click Unhide.
It will now appear in your Purchased section. This Apple Support document has more information on Hiding and Unhiding purchases.