Cannot upgrade songs to iTunes Plus (DRM free)

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Level 1

68 points

Cannot upgrade songs to iTunes Plus (DRM free)

I have around 500 songs purchased on iTunes which are in m4p protected format & I want to convert them to mp3 unprotected format.

My iPod battery has died & I don't wish to buy another as I would prefer a simple device just for playing music without the problems.

I tried to convert them using (File > Create New Version) but iTunes says “Protected files cannot be converted”

I contacted apple support & they told me to do the above, which doesnt work. They then told me to follow the instructions on this page About iTunes Plus - Apple Support which tells you how to upgrade a song from DRM to iTunes Plus by deleting & re-downloading it. However, this also doesnt work as iTunes downloads the same protected m4p file again.

I realise I can burn a CD to remove the DRM, but with 519 songs this is going to take maybe 50 CDs & a week of my time.

It was also suggested that I "could try to upgrade to iTunes match", but i am reluctant to do so in case it doesn't work, they don't really seem to be sure if it will.

What can I do?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Feb 12, 2016 4:16 PM

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Answer 1

ed2345

Level 9

62,486 points

Feb 12, 2016 6:28 PM in response to Riquez

Riquez,

The instructions in that document only work if you have subscribed to iTunes Match.

Match costs $24.99/year. After you upgrade as many tracks as are eligible, you can cancel before it renews.

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Answer 2

Feb 12, 2016 7:11 PM in response to Riquez

I have iTunes Match, and I upgraded (almost) all of my old Protected AAC 128 kbps song files to "iTunes Plus" DRM-free AAC 256 kbps song files. I say "almost" because a few of my old purchased songs did not match; iTunes Store no longer sells them. AND, I have also upgraded several times as many MP3 and AAC songs files from ripped music CDs (and other sources) that were encoded at 128 kbps (or less than 256 kbps), because many of them also matched. iTunes Match saved me the countless hours it would have taken to re-rip all of my old music CDs at 256 kbps AAC. $25 (per year) is a great deal. I still subscribe, because I like being able to access the same iCloud Music Library from my other Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch.

My iPod battery has died...

If that's the only thing wrong with your iPod, it's an easy repair (for most iPod models), even if Apple no longer does it. You can probably find an independent repair shop in your area with Apple expertise by doing an Internet search. If you are technically inclined, the battery part is available from online sources like Amazon and eBay, and this web page has repair guides

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iPod

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Answer 3

Riquez Author

Level 1

68 points

Feb 12, 2016 7:30 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Thanks Kenichi, it looks like i'll have to pay the $32 (my itunes account is UK so it costs more unfortunately)

My iPod battery has died...

If that's the only thing wrong with your iPod...

Physically yes, but I have grown tired of the whole eco-system of iTunes & iPod. Nothing works well anymore, is time consuming to sync & playing music seems to be a footnote in the device's functions - so I bought a SanDisk Clip for $35 & it's now easy to play & browse music again.

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