My ibooks disappeared from my account

Question

Level 1

9 points

My ibooks disappeared from my account

All the sudden, all but 3 books (with no logic behind the selection) disappeared from all my devices. They do not appear in "purchased" of the ibook store. Nothing.

iPhone 6, iOS 8.4.1

Posted on Aug 17, 2015 5:50 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 17, 2015 11:49 PM in response to Verito_Rap

They are still in your country's store, and you've checked to see if they are hidden from the cloud : Hide and unhide purchases in the iTunes Store - Apple Support ?

Reply

Answer 2

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 18, 2015 8:49 AM in response to Verito_Rap

The hidden purchases section (you are using a computer's iTunes ?) will only show if you have purchases hidden on that account. The books were bought on the account that you are logged into ? If the book are no longer available in the store (i.e. the rights-holder has removed them), or if you've moved countries since buying them, then they won't show in the Purchased tab for redownloading.

The contact options for iTunes Support (I'm just a fellow user) will show on : http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/contact/

Reply

Answer 3

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 21, 2015 7:52 AM in response to Verito_Rap

Did you do anything with them on friday e.g. updated the iOS version (8.4.1 came out on the thursday), synced to your computer ?

Whatever caused them to be removed you won't be able to potentially redownload US purchases (assuming that they remain in the store) until you return to the US (and have a US billing address on your account). Or sync them back from the backup copies of them via your computer's iTunes

Reply

Answer 4

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 20, 2015 1:52 PM in response to Verito_Rap

Was automatic downloads 'on' for books when you bought them ? That setting will only download (compatible) books purchased on other devices/computers after the setting is 'on', it doesn't download old purchases.

By 'see them in ibooks on my Mac' you mean that they are downloaded onto the bookshelf in it, or that they are available for redownloading from the store ? They are still in your country's store and you haven't moved countries since buying them ?

Reply

Answer 5

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 20, 2015 2:12 PM in response to Verito_Rap

As well as being tied to the account all content is also tied to the country that it was bought in. If they were bought in the US (you have to be in the US to use the US store, being in a country is part of the store's terms) then you won't be able to potentially redownload them unless you return to the US.

If you have them downloaded on your Mac then sync them to your iPad and/or iPhone

Reply

Answer 6

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 20, 2015 1:23 PM in response to King_Penguin

The books are in my account! I can see then in ibooks on my Mac. They are just not on my iphone or ipad. And I have automatic downloads for iBooks ON.

Reply

Answer 7

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 21, 2015 10:40 AM in response to Verito_Rap

It is not a shortcoming on my side, I'm a fellow user, these are user-to-user forums.

If they are still in the US store when you return there you can redownload them.

Reply

Answer 8

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 18, 2015 6:38 AM in response to King_Penguin

This didn't work for me. My iBook account does not have the option "manage hidden purchases". Is there a way we can start a live chat? I am on vacation without access to all the books I was planning to read. And I've already wasted too much time on the phone with Apple Support.

Reply

Answer 9

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 20, 2015 2:00 PM in response to King_Penguin

I moved the country of my account a long time ago (a year or so). The books did not disappear from my ipad or iphone when I changed countries (as Apple support promised me). I even restored all my information from the iCloud a couple of times and the books were always restored. The books disappeared from my ipad and iphone last Friday for no apparent reason. The books are offered in the UK store (new account) as well as in the US store (old account).

I have around 20 books downloaded on the bookshelf on my Mac. Only three of them appear in "purchased". These are the only three that appear on my ipad.

Reply

Answer 10

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 20, 2015 2:17 PM in response to King_Penguin

I will do that when I get back home (I have a family member checking this for me at home now). But your answer does not really explain why all the sudden, a year after I changed countries, bought new ipad, restored contents, etc, all the sudden the books disappeared. Why now? Why are books already downloaded on my ipad suddenly removed? Apple support promised me that books already downloaded would not disappear. They were right until now. Why?

Reply

Answer 11

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2015 7:04 AM in response to King_Penguin

I've always had the same account. I've just changed the country associated to the account. It was first registered in the US and I moved a year ago or so to the UK.

The books were downloaded on the ipad and iphone. All the content of both my ipad and iphone was backed up on iCloud. I've recently changed my ipad and all the books were restored to the new device without any problem. Suddenly, all but 3 books disappeared from the bookshelf of my ipad and iphone last Friday.

Reply

Answer 12

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2015 8:08 AM in response to King_Penguin

I don't know how to emphasize this enough: NOTHING HAPPENED LAST FRIDAY! The books disappeared for no apparent reason. I never sync to the computer. I only use iCloud. And I did not update the iOS until later.

I won't return to the US in the near future. I specifically asked about my purchased books to Apple support before changing the country of the account, and I was reassured that whatever was downloaded to my ipad would remain there. I was expecting Apple to fix this. And it is frustrating how lightly you say "whatever caused this, *you* won't be able to potentially download them" when this is clearly a shortcoming on your side.

Reply

Answer 13

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 20, 2015 11:59 PM in response to Verito_Rap

You said that you are now using a different account ? The books were downloaded on the iPad's bookshelf, not in the cloud ?

Reply

Answer 14

Verito_Rap Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2015 11:17 AM in response to King_Penguin

I see. I thought I was chatting with Apple Support. Thanks.

Reply