Can I get my old Apple Music library back?

Answered by Tom Adger

You can definitely get your old Apple Music library back if you have previously purchased music from the iTunes Store or if you have subscribed to iTunes Match. Let me explain how you can do that.

If you have purchased music from the iTunes Store, you can easily redownload your past music purchases on your Apple device or a PC with iTunes for Windows. This means that even if you don’t have an active Apple Music subscription, you can still access and enjoy your purchased music whenever you want.

To redownload your past music purchases, simply follow these steps:

1. On your Apple device or PC with iTunes for Windows, open the iTunes Store app or iTunes program.

2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password that you used to purchase the music.

3. Once you are signed in, navigate to the “Purchased” section in the iTunes Store. On an iPhone or iPad, this can be found by tapping on your profile picture in the top right corner and then selecting “Purchased.” On a Mac or PC, you can find it by clicking on “Account” in the menu bar and then choosing “Purchased.”

4. In the “Purchased” section, you will see a list of all the music you have previously purchased from the iTunes Store. You can browse through the list or use the search bar to find specific songs or albums.

5. When you find the music you want to redownload, simply click on the download button (cloud icon with an arrow pointing downward) next to the song or album. The music will then be downloaded to your device or iTunes library, ready for you to enjoy.

It’s important to note that the availability of your past music purchases may vary depending on various factors such as the country or region you are in, the availability of the music in the iTunes Store, and any changes in licensing agreements. However, in most cases, you should be able to redownload the majority of your past music purchases.

In addition to redownloading purchased music, another option to access your old Apple Music library is to subscribe to iTunes Match. iTunes Match is a service offered by Apple that allows you to access your entire music library, including music you may have ripped from CDs or obtained from other sources, on any Apple device or a PC with iTunes for Windows.

When you subscribe to iTunes Match, your entire music library is matched with high-quality versions of the same songs available in the iTunes Store. This means that even if you have music files with lower quality or different file formats, iTunes Match will replace them with high-quality AAC files that can be streamed or downloaded to your devices.

To subscribe to iTunes Match and access your old music library, follow these steps:

1. On your Apple device or PC with iTunes for Windows, open the iTunes Store app or iTunes program.

2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.

3. Once you are signed in, navigate to the “iTunes Match” section in the iTunes Store. On an iPhone or iPad, this can be found by tapping on your profile picture in the top right corner and then selecting “iTunes Match.” On a Mac or PC, you can find it by clicking on “Account” in the menu bar and then choosing “iTunes Match.”

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to subscribe to iTunes Match. The subscription fee may vary depending on your region.

5. After subscribing, iTunes will begin scanning your music library and matching your songs with the ones available in the iTunes Store. This process may take some time depending on the size of your library.

6. Once the matching process is complete, you will be able to access your entire music library on any Apple device or a PC with iTunes for Windows. You can stream the songs or download them for offline listening.

One of the great advantages of iTunes Match is that it allows you to access your music library on multiple devices without having to physically transfer or sync the music files. This means that you can have your old Apple Music library available on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other supported devices, all seamlessly synced through iCloud.

Whether you have purchased music from the iTunes Store or you subscribe to iTunes Match, you can easily get your old Apple Music library back and enjoy your favorite songs and albums on any Apple device or a PC with iTunes for Windows. The process may vary slightly depending on your specific situation, but the steps I’ve outlined should help you retrieve your music and have it accessible whenever you want.