When a song gets removed from the Apple Music library, does it stay as a download?

Hi--I am thinking of switching to Apple Music. One challenge with streaming services is that songs sometimes get deleted from the service's library. If you download a song from Apple Music to the cloud, does it remain in the cloud even if the song gets deleted from the Apple Music library?

Windows, Windows 6

Posted on Jun 28, 2023 8:53 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 28, 2023 9:02 AM

  1. You cannot download songs to the cloud. You upload items to the cloud, and songs can be uploaded from a computer to the iCloud Music Library to access from other devices. Songs are uploaded to the iCloud Music Library when they cannot be matched to a track in the Apple Music subscription service catalog.
  2. You download songs to a device or computer and can play them while you are subscribed to the service. If the song is removed by the artists from the Apple Music service, it will not longer play on your devices.
  3. Songs that are matched to one on the Apple Music subscription service catalog from a computer, will remain there while the song is available. If the matched track is removed from the catalog, it will show a "no longer available" message in the Music App on all devices except the source computer which will retain your original track, unless you delete it yourself.

click here ➜ If songs are missing from your music library after you turn on Sync Library - Apple Support


1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 28, 2023 9:02 AM in response to tuneboy22

  1. You cannot download songs to the cloud. You upload items to the cloud, and songs can be uploaded from a computer to the iCloud Music Library to access from other devices. Songs are uploaded to the iCloud Music Library when they cannot be matched to a track in the Apple Music subscription service catalog.
  2. You download songs to a device or computer and can play them while you are subscribed to the service. If the song is removed by the artists from the Apple Music service, it will not longer play on your devices.
  3. Songs that are matched to one on the Apple Music subscription service catalog from a computer, will remain there while the song is available. If the matched track is removed from the catalog, it will show a "no longer available" message in the Music App on all devices except the source computer which will retain your original track, unless you delete it yourself.

click here ➜ If songs are missing from your music library after you turn on Sync Library - Apple Support


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When a song gets removed from the Apple Music library, does it stay as a download?

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