Can I retrieve deleted music from my iPhone?

Answered by Randy McIntyre

It is possible to retrieve deleted music from your iPhone. Apple provides a feature called “Purchased” that allows you to redownload items you have previously purchased from the App Store, Book Store, Apple TV app, and iTunes Store without having to repurchase them.

To access your purchased items, follow these steps:

1. Open the App Store, Apple Books, Apple TV app, or iTunes Store on your iPhone.
2. Look for the “Purchased” or “Downloads” section, which may be located at the bottom of the screen or under your account settings.
3. Tap on the “Purchased” or “Downloads” section to view a list of your previously purchased items.

In this section, you should be able to see a list of all the music you have purchased or downloaded in the past. Simply locate the music you want to retrieve and tap on the download or cloud icon next to it. This will initiate the download process, and the music will be restored to your iPhone.

If you are part of a Family Sharing group, you can also download items purchased by other family members. This can be useful if someone in your family has purchased music that you want to retrieve. In the “Purchased” or “Downloads” section, you may see a tab or option to view and download items purchased by other family members. By selecting this option, you can access and redownload their purchased music.

It’s important to note that this method only applies to music that you have previously purchased or downloaded through the Apple ecosystem. If the music was not obtained through the App Store, Book Store, Apple TV app, or iTunes Store, this method may not work.

In some cases, if you have enabled iCloud Music Library or iTunes Match, your deleted music may still be available in your iCloud Music Library. These services allow you to access your music library across multiple devices and provide a backup of your music. By signing in to your iCloud account on your iPhone and enabling iCloud Music Library or iTunes Match, you may be able to retrieve your deleted music.

If you have not enabled these services or your deleted music is not available in your iCloud Music Library, you may need to consider alternative methods for retrieving your music. One option is to restore your iPhone from a previous iTunes or iCloud backup that contains the deleted music. However, keep in mind that this will revert your iPhone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, meaning any data added since the backup will be lost.

Another option is to use third-party data recovery software specifically designed for iOS devices. These software tools can help you recover deleted music from your iPhone by scanning your device’s storage and retrieving any recoverable data. However, be cautious when using third-party software and ensure that you choose a reputable and trusted tool to protect your data and privacy.

While it is possible to retrieve deleted music from your iPhone, the success of the retrieval depends on several factors such as whether the music was previously purchased or downloaded through the Apple ecosystem, whether you have enabled iCloud Music Library or iTunes Match, and whether you have a backup available. It’s always a good practice to regularly back up your iPhone to avoid data loss and ensure that you can easily restore your music or any other important data.