In iTunes, what's the difference between Delete and Remove Download?

This is the best explanation I could find, and it covers why some songs won't delete:

iTunes 12 for Mac: Delete songs, playlists, or other items

I just tested this out (using iTunes version 12.3.2.35 on both Windows & Mac OS). Unfortunately, I cannot comment on iTunes Match Subscriptions because I do not subscribe.

There is a difference between "purchased content" (i.e. media that originated from iTunes and is therefore available for re-download) vs. media that I've obtained outside of iTunes which I've manually added to iTunes: the "Remove Download" option only exists with purchased content.

If you wish to test this out for yourself, I suggest that you choose to "Show iCloud Music/Movie/TV Show Purchases" from the View menu. [If this option is already activated, the menu option will be to "Hide iCloud ___ Purchases". (The ____ means either Music, Movie, or TV Show.)] Also, be sure to have the "iCloud Download" column showing in your Songs list, Movies list or TV Show list. The iCloud Download column is sortable just like Name, Artist, Album, Genre, etc. If you want to distinguish between (a) content purchased from iTunes, and (b) your own content not purchased from iTunes, you may show the "Purchase Date" column in the Song/Movie/TV Show list — a purchase date will show in the column if applicable. Check out the Help files to read more... About iCloud Music Library icons and status - Apple Support

Remove Download:

This menu option exists only with purchased content. Choosing this removed the file from my hard disk drive (HDD) immediately without moving the file to the Trash/Recycle Bin. (If you have chosen to "Show iCloud Purchases", the track will remain visibly listed and a cloud icon will appear in the iCloud Download column.)

Delete:

• If you're deleting a song that you've obtained from iTunes, the first dialog that appears asks you to confirm that you wish to "Delete Song" with an optional check-box to "Also hide this song" (more on what "hide" means later). The description mentions that "this song can still be played" meaning that you can still play the full song if you're connected to the internet and it will stream the entire song for you.
• A second dialog box (or this will be only dialog box if you are deleting a song that isn't from iTunes) prompts to "Move to Recycle Bin/Trash" or "Keep File". Choosing "Move to Recycle Bin/Trash" does just that (but a note in the dialog box mentions that "Only files in the iTunes Media folder will be moved to the Recycle Bin"); choosing "Keep File" results in the file remaining where its located on the HDD while disassociating (i.e. removing) the song/track from iTunes—if you wish to have the song play/appear in iTunes once again, browse/navigate to the file in the HDD/Windows Explorer/Finder and open it with iTunes.
• The dialog boxes are only slightly different for Movies and TV Shows.

After choosing to either Remove Download or Delete, and if the track is available as an iCloud Download (because it originated from iTunes), it still appears in my playlist with the iCloud Download icon visible (because in the View menu, I have chosen to show iCloud purchases).

Hide:

• If you attempt to "Delete" an iCloud-Downloadable track again that you've already deleted (or already does not exist locally on your HDD) — this time you're actually choosing to "Hide" it from your list of purchases. A dialog box says, "Are you sure you want to hide this song?" Hidden content can be unhidden and shown in your lists again (and downloaded again if you wish); you need to access your "Account Info" to unhide content.
• More about hidden content here: Hide and unhide purchases in iTunes or iBooks on your Mac or PC - Apple Support

Hi,

I suggest that you use the delete option so that this box appears:

Then select "Remove Download" to remove from cloud or "Delete Item" to delete completely. In both options the original file should be move to trash - you no longer have option to move to trash when you use iTunes match or Apple music.

Using menu > edit > "Remove Download" seems to give inconsistent results. In some cases the track completely disappears i.e doesn't go into trash. In other instances the original file remain in original folder (like keep option).

Has anyone else seen this behaviour?

Jim

HI,

Remove download = delete from library but keep in cloud. The file should be moves to trash but on some occasions if have noticed that the file has remained in its original location. Are your files still in their original location Or have completely disappeared.

Delete = delete from cloud and library and moved to trash.

Jim

I have been playing around with this all day and cannot figure out how this is working. I am doing "remove download" and sometimes the file goes to the trash, sometimes it stays put, and sometimes it completely vanishes. So, yes, I am experiencing the same weird behavior as you. How it should work is that "remove download" moves the file to the trash, but the song remains in your iTunes library, whereas "delete" moves the song to the trash and removes it from your iTunes library.

I can't make sense of this either. Used to be easy. Now I'm seeing my own cd rips vanish from my pc hard drive every time I try to remove them from the cloud. Sometimes they go to the recycle bin, sometimes just gone. The remove but "keep file" option will still sometimes randomly pop up, but rare. Very frustrating. The message that the files will be removed from my devices appears no matter which option I choose, but apparently my pc is now considered a device too, although computers are not mentioned in the warning. Frustrating to the point that I gotta figure I'm just doing something wrong. No Apple Music sub either.

Hi,

It is frustrating. It emphasises the need to keep separate back up.

I Suggest that if you wish to delete tracks from the cloud but keep them on your hard drive, create a second library that shows what you have in the cloud. If you delete from this library, the iCloud status in your original library will show as "removed".

JIm

Just experienced this. A favorite recording at 320KBS was deleted from my hard drive. It was replaced with a 256KB/s "cloud" version. Thankfully I had a backup, but it is too easy to delete original rips. Very dangerous and I don't like it!

Paul

Out of curiosity... do your files actually go to the 'trash' when you select 'remove download'? I have been doing this to clear up space on my HDD but not once have i seen the files end up in the 'trash'. They are however missing from the local itunes media folder. I'm trying to figure out what's going on here. Are the files being deleted/overwritten? Or are they secretly hiding somewhere in an unknown Apple file structure???

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed post. With iTunes Match, you have the option to delete or remove download. The only pop up is as I posted earlier. You can either remove download or delete.

If you delete a purchased track, you don't get the option to hide. You need to go to purchases and hide or redownload as required.

Jim

If you "remove downloads" that are in your iTunes media folder, they will go to the trash. If they are located elsewhere, they will stay where they are.

Hi,

Not strictly true.Sometimes I have selected remove download and the tracks have not gone into trash. Other times they do!

JIm