Is it safe to delete iTunes media that is no longer available in the iTunes Store?

Question

Is it safe to delete iTunes media that is no longer available in the iTunes Store?

There is a support document that states it is OK to delete content locally so long as the content is available in the cloud depending on your geographic location. As I'm in the US all media types are available. From the document:

You can delete items that you bought from the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, or Mac App Store from your iOS device, Mac, or PC. Because Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation) plays content from the cloud, you don't need to delete items from your Apple TV.

Before you delete an item, make sure you can download it again. If you can't or need to pay to download it again, back up the item before you delete it.

What I am still not clear on is if it is also safe to delete content that is no longer available in the iTunes store? Will it still be available for previous purchases?

I prefer the quality and off-line availability of iTunes media over Google Play but I've had issues recovering deleted media in iTunes in the past and so have less anxiety about the security of my purchases on Google Play versus iTunes. Can someone confirm if items no longer available for sale in iTunes are or are not still available via the cloud?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), 21.5 i5 2.7 8GB RAM 1TB HD GT640M

Posted on Mar 10, 2015 3:35 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,365 points

Mar 10, 2015 3:45 PM in response to Geeks on Hugs

If it is not available on the iTunes store, then it is very likely that you will not be able to download again.

I would not rely on iCloud at all for backup, as nothing is guaranteed to be available for redownload.

Store everything on your computer and always backup your computer.

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Answer 2

Mar 10, 2015 4:14 PM in response to roaminggnome

Thanks for the reply although I'm not too happy to hear it. What's awesome about the cloud is no longer having to keep up with any physical media. The promise of that is realized with everything else (my work, music, books) besides movies and TV.

I wonder how Google Play will handle movies/tv that becomes unavailable? Google Play does allow you to download media in some circumstances (on Android and iOS) but is generally intended for streaming. Maybe relying on a physical copy as I do with iTunes should make me more comfortable with it and not less.

I will come back to mark your reply as the solution as it becomes clear there is not a contrary position. Thank you.

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