Converting Pre 2009 Purchases to Remove DRM Protection

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Level 1

8 points

Converting Pre 2009 Purchases to Remove DRM Protection

I have 100s of songs that I purchased with DRM protection which makes it a pain to transfer to SD cards, other platforms, etc.

I have spent years trying to figure this out and the only options available are 3rd party software with a purchase cost.

Anyone have a way to get these songs coded without the DRM protection? Some have mentioned an apple service but I am not sure if the songs revert back to the old satus once the subscription ends.

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Dec 30, 2019 5:32 PM

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Answer 1

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Jimzgoldfinch

Level 7

28,237 points

Dec 31, 2019 5:42 AM in response to ouzo12

Hi,

You do not need to go to the store to upgrade your music

If the song is shown in your library, you need to select the song and from the pop up box select remove download. You will see the track with the download arrow. You can now download the track and get the upgraded version.

You will need to do this manually for all tracks.

Read this Can we still upgrade iTunes Match quality? - Apple Community

Jim

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Answer 2

Dec 31, 2019 3:55 AM in response to ouzo12

Hi,

You can subscribe to iTunes Match Subscribe to iTunes Match – Apple Support.

Your iTunes library will be scanned to determine whether the tracks can be matched or not. There are few things that will happen.

Firstly the bulk of the tracks will show an iCloud status of “Purchased”. You will need to select the tracks then remove download. If the tracks are upgrade, they will become 256 Kbps purchased AAC tracks - now download the upgraded version.

Some tracks will become “Matched” - remove download then download the 256 Kbps matched AAC file.

There is likely to be a small number of tracks that cannot be upgraded and will remain 128 Kbps protected files. Your only option would be to burn them to CD then reimport.

Jim

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Answer 3

ouzo12 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 31, 2019 5:11 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Thank you for your response.

As a test, I deleted a protected song with an iCloud status of Match. When i go to the Store and then purchases, the album and song are grayed out and it wont allow me to do anything. What worries me is that for a song like America's Ventura Highway, I go in delete and then apple says there is no non DRM option and i just lost the song.

Also, this would mean i have to manually do this for every song, correct? I have hundreds of these songs.

Does apple provide a step by step process for knuckleheads like myself?

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Answer 4

ouzo12 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 31, 2019 5:48 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Jim, a million thank yous... I've spent years trying to get this done.

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Converting Pre 2009 Purchases to Remove DRM Protection

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