how do i access the music i bought on itunes disappeared
If your iTunes purchases “disappeared,” the usual fix is to check your purchase history, make sure you’re signed in with the same Apple Account, and then redownload the music from Purchased or Hidden Purchases. Apple says you can also use the iTunes Store app on iPhone or iPad, or the Music app on newer devices, to find and redownload missing items.
Try these steps
- Open Purchased in the iTunes Store or Music app and look under Music. Apple’s current guidance says to choose Not on This iPhone/iPad to find items not currently on your device.
- Check that you’re signed in with the same Apple Account you used to buy the music, because signing into a different account can make purchases seem missing.
- Look for Hidden Purchases and unhide anything you want back. Apple notes hidden items won’t appear until you unhide them.
- If you’re on a computer, open iTunes and go to Account > Purchased, then download the items again from there.
- If the song was removed from the store or bought in a different country’s store, it may not be redownloadable and you may need a backup copy instead.
Common cause
A lot of “missing” music is actually still tied to your account, but it’s either hidden, not downloaded on the current device, or linked to a different Apple Account than the one you’re signed into now.
On iPhone or iPad
Apple’s current steps are: open iTunes Store , tap Purchased , tap Music , then choose Not on This iPhone/iPad and tap the download icon next to the song. If you use Family Sharing, you may also need to select the family member’s purchases first.
On a computer
If you still use iTunes on a PC or older Mac, go to Account > Purchased, choose Music , and download the missing songs or albums again. A MacWorld guide also notes that switching the view to All instead of Not in My Library can reveal items you already downloaded.
When it still doesn’t show
If the music still won’t appear, confirm the Apple Account, region/store, and hidden-purchases status first. If all of that checks out, the purchase may no longer be available for redownload, which is why an old backup can matter.
Would you like the exact steps for iPhone, Mac, or Windows PC?