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I have music that i have paid for and downloaded through ITunes. Now I have songs grayed out with message "item not available in your region". I can see if it was something I imported (ie burned a CD), but this is something I purchased through Apple, and now can no longer listen to. What seems to be going on?
iPad Pro, iOS 12
Hi sharonwrightnp,
This kind of thing can sometimes happen when initially enabling iCloud Music Library. If the actual files for the songs in question were not resident on the root device (i.e., the computer running iTunes), then when the content is merged, it's possible that previous purchases--which happen under one kind of licensing for digital sales--may pick up the "credentials" of the songs as if they were added to the library as part of the Apple Music subscription. Streaming is a whole different license than digital purchases and sometimes songs can be purchased in a specific region but not streamed.
The best way to deal with this will be to try these steps:
1) Turn off iCloud Music Library on all devices. In fact, if you can pull this off, it's even better to shut everything except the computer running iTunes down for the time it takes this process to complete.
2) Once it's just the computer in the equation and iCloud Music Library is off, make sure the content you're having issues with is available and--this part is crucial--actually downloaded to the computer.
3) Use the Update Genius function in iTunes at File > Library > Update Genius.
4) Re-enable iCloud Music Library just on the computer and then use the function at File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library.
5) Wait for that process to complete before enabling iCloud Music Library on any of your other devices.
This process has a good track record for fixing these kinds of issues but it's not a 100% fix in all cases. There are two other paths to take here if these steps prove ineffective for your particular case. The first would be to consider using iTunes Match in conjunction with your Apple Music membership. This is what I do, as do many people I know with very large iTunes Libraries where the music came for CDs. You'll find more info about iTunes Match here:
Subscribe to iTunes Match - Apple Support
The other path if the above steps do not resolve the issue would be to get in touch with Apple Support where the issue can be appropriately escalated.
Contact Support
Cheers.
Hi sharonwrightnp,
This kind of thing can sometimes happen when initially enabling iCloud Music Library. If the actual files for the songs in question were not resident on the root device (i.e., the computer running iTunes), then when the content is merged, it's possible that previous purchases--which happen under one kind of licensing for digital sales--may pick up the "credentials" of the songs as if they were added to the library as part of the Apple Music subscription. Streaming is a whole different license than digital purchases and sometimes songs can be purchased in a specific region but not streamed.
The best way to deal with this will be to try these steps:
1) Turn off iCloud Music Library on all devices. In fact, if you can pull this off, it's even better to shut everything except the computer running iTunes down for the time it takes this process to complete.
2) Once it's just the computer in the equation and iCloud Music Library is off, make sure the content you're having issues with is available and--this part is crucial--actually downloaded to the computer.
3) Use the Update Genius function in iTunes at File > Library > Update Genius.
4) Re-enable iCloud Music Library just on the computer and then use the function at File > Library > Update iCloud Music Library.
5) Wait for that process to complete before enabling iCloud Music Library on any of your other devices.
This process has a good track record for fixing these kinds of issues but it's not a 100% fix in all cases. There are two other paths to take here if these steps prove ineffective for your particular case. The first would be to consider using iTunes Match in conjunction with your Apple Music membership. This is what I do, as do many people I know with very large iTunes Libraries where the music came for CDs. You'll find more info about iTunes Match here:
Subscribe to iTunes Match - Apple Support
The other path if the above steps do not resolve the issue would be to get in touch with Apple Support where the issue can be appropriately escalated.
Contact Support
Cheers.
My purchased music is both fully backed up and fully available on my MAC but is simply not available on any other device. Your holier than thou response was far from helpful. The question remains, why are purchases not showing up as available and why with a region notification when I am in same region I purchased them (and fully fine on the MAC desktop).
Did that with support person and still did not fix. Further, the music I bought is still on the Apple Store/Apple Music so clearly IS available in my region and is still on my MAC....the issue is it will simply not go to my phone. I have had it escalated but have heard nothing now for three days.
Why? I feel I should either get my purchases reimbursed or simply, and my preference, let me have access to what I purchased.
The reality is that artists often change the availability of their content without notice or explanation.
It is your responsibility to back up your music library so that this is not an issue.
See >>> https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html The terms would be the same for Canada.
Hello sharonwrightnp and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
I see you're having some issues accessing some previously purchased content in your current region. If the iTunes Store region has been changed, it's possible that some previously purchased content may not be available once the location has been changed.
Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support
In the note at the top of that article, you'll see that the way to avoid this is to make sure that all previously purchased content is downloaded directly to every device on which you may want to play it before the region is changed.
Cheers.
I have not changed my region at all. I work and live in Canada and some of my previously purchased music seems shut out to me by this message "This content is not currently available in your country or region". If this was an Apple Music item (which we subscribe) I can see some terms ending and it making some sense BUT I bought this outright through Apple and now some of those purchases are shut out to me. Why? I feel I should either get my purchases reimbursed or simply, and my preference, let me have access to what I purchased.
If I had purchased a CD outright, the content is mine, in it's original form, for eternity. I do not see how digital content should have separate rules. I purchased the music, fair and square. My content is backed up but I use the cloud to access it.
Thank you for your very helpful response.
apple music "item not available in your region"
