I bought iTunes Match. How can I get the DRM-free versions of songs I've already downloaded on my PC?

Never delete tracks from Windows Exlorer to delete them from iTunes. Always delete the tracks from iTunes instead. That is why you had that problem. There was no reason at all for you to re-purchase the track. All you had to do was delete the "track" from iTunes then download the track from the cloud.

To determine what tracks are "matched" (and able to be upgraded) and what tracks are "uploaded" (and are not eligible for upgrading) you must enable the iCloud Status column.

1. Switch to Song view.

2. Pull down View > View Option.

3. Select "iCloud Staus" in the window and close the window.

You will see a new column in the iTunes browser. It will tell you if the tracks are "matched" or "uploaded." Matched tracks can be deleted form the iTunes library and the 256 Kbps AAC files from the the iTunes Store can be downloaded. Uploaded tacks are the same tracks as are presently in your iTunes library and will not be upgraded. If your primary purpose for purchasing iTunes Match is to "upgrade" all your DRM protected tracks you will most likely be disappointed.

A few things to things to keep in mind here - Apple's advice is ambiguous but it appears that already downloaded music which is protected needs to be deleted first, then you can download again with Match: see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1711 - section below:

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Can I upgrade my previously purchased music to iTunes Plus?

Yes. If you subscribe to iTunes Match, you can download your previously purchased music again in the iTunes Plus format. To do so:

1. You need to delete the original DRM song from your library first. Doing this enables you to download the song again in the iTunes Plus format from iTunes in the Cloud.
2. Click the Purchased tab in the iTunes Store.
3. Click Music.
4. Locate the artist of the song you want to upgrade.
5. Click the iCloud Download icon next to the song you want to upgrade.

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Elersehwere in the article it seems to say that this is automatic - hence the advice seems ambiguous.

Secondly, some labels haven't and won't release their music in unprotected format - not much to be done about this!

Hope this help - I'm about to try tthis for a very large library....

Hi,

These instructions are not strictly correct. Not all purchased tracks are available for upgrade.

Firstly, after match process is complete, you can delete DRM file and move to trash. Do not select delete(hide) in cloud. The track now show cloud with download arrow and if the track has been upgraded the bit rate will have changed from 128 to 256 kpbs. You can now download upgraded version without going into the store. PS if tracks has been completely removed from library, you then need to go into purchases.

Problem arises if the bit rate has not changed. This means that upgrade is not available. When I try to download them as protected files, I get errors and then I need to go back into store and redownload them. I have a couple of hundred tracks like this, most are no longer available, some are in remastered format.

Not all protected music is available for download. They do not appear in my purchase history. May have been bought using an earlier Apple ID. Anyway, these tracks were matched and I downloaded matched version.

I even have one album where iCloud status is Purchased but files are matched AAC.

Jim

Hi,

What is the bit rate for the protected AAC? If it is 256 there may have been an error in download. If so, delete and redownload.

Jim

Not surprised to hear this at all. It was much easier with the old approach to upgrading - albeit more expensive.

I have 665 tracks of which I would like to upgrade around 160 in order to use on idjay (which being a 3rd party app isn't able to support drm tracks). I suspect I'll get some from this method and the rest will be new downloads.

Will update when matching is finished and I can see how the land lies!

One possible time-saver to add here, you can also delete an entire album and then download afresh rather than do it track by track.

Select the album in album view and delete it in usual fashion (again, don't select 'hide in icloud option'). Then find the album again and click on the icloud icon in top right corner of album artwork. A quick check in Song view will confirm it is now 'purchased' and 256 rather than 128 KB per second bit rate.

So far for me process has been pretty good. Converting a 49.2 GB itunes library has taken from thursday to Sunday - not helped by the occasional 'you have been automatically signed out of icloud for secuirty reasons' type message - which in one case happened in the middle of the night and lost 6-7 hours of upload time.

So far no tracks have been a problem to re-download but with 665 to go I'm sure it will happen.