Why Is Purchased Music Not Showing in the iPhone Music App?

If purchased music is not showing in the Music app on your iPhone, the usual cause is that the iPhone is signed in to a different Apple Account than the one that bought the songs, or the songs were bought but never downloaded to this iPhone. Check the account first, then open the iTunes Store app, tap Purchased, tap Music, and download the songs again. Redownloading does not charge you a second time.

If you subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match, also turn on Sync Library in the Music settings so the same library appears on every device. The rest of this guide walks through each check in order, starting with the ones that change nothing on your iPhone.

What this guide covers

These steps follow Apple’s current support articles for the Music app and the iTunes Store app on iPhone. Apple now uses the name Apple Account for what older guides call an Apple ID. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS versions, so where a label has changed, both versions are noted.

It helps to know which kind of music is missing, because the fix is different:

• iTunes Store purchases are songs and albums you paid for individually. They are tied to the Apple Account that bought them and can be downloaded again.
• Apple Music catalog songs are songs you added to your library with an Apple Music subscription. They need an active subscription, and Sync Library keeps them matched across devices.
• Synced music is music copied from a computer with a cable or over Wi-Fi, such as songs imported from CDs. It lives on the computer first.

Before you start, connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi or cellular data and know the email address or phone number of the Apple Account you used for the purchase. A receipt email from Apple shows which account that was.

Step 1: Check which Apple Account is signed in

Apple says that if you are signed in to a different Apple Account, you cannot download your purchased music or use Sync Library. This is the most common reason purchases seem to vanish, especially after setting up a new iPhone or sharing a device with a family member.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your name at the top of the screen.
3. Tap Media & Purchases. The account shown here is the one used for iTunes Store purchases.
4. Compare it with the account on your purchase receipt.

You can also check inside the Music app: open Music, tap the account button (your photo or initials) at the top, then scroll down and tap Account Settings.

The account under Media & Purchases can be different from the one used for iCloud, so check this screen even if the name at the top of Settings looks right.

Warning: if the wrong account is signed in, you will need to sign out of Media & Purchases and sign in with the correct one. Apple notes that when you switch accounts, purchases associated with the account you sign out of are removed from the device. Nothing is deleted from the account itself, but you will have to download that content again later.

Step 2: Redownload the purchased music

A purchase stays on your account even when the file is not on your iPhone. Apple’s Redownload music from the iTunes Store on your iPhone or iPad article gives these steps:

1. Open the iTunes Store app. This is a separate app from Music.
2. Tap Purchased. On some iOS versions you tap More at the bottom of the screen first.
3. Tap Music. If you use Family Sharing, you can tap a family member to see music they bought.
4. Select Not on This iPhone, then tap the artist.
5. Tap the Download button (a cloud with an arrow) next to the song or album.

When the download finishes, open the Music app and tap Library. The song should now be listed and play without an internet connection. For a longer walkthrough of this screen, see how to find past music purchases on your iPhone.

If the download button is missing or grayed out, Apple says to check whether the song or album is already in the Music app. It may be there under a slightly different artist or album name.

Step 3: Look for hidden purchases

A hidden purchase is one you chose not to show. Apple says hidden items do not appear in your library on any device that uses your Apple Account, unless the item was already downloaded to that device. The purchase record is not erased, so the song can be brought back.

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Media & Purchases.
3. Tap Hidden Purchases. You may be asked to sign in.
4. Find the music and tap Unhide next to the song.
5. Go back to the iTunes Store app and download it as described in Step 2.

On a Mac or Windows PC, the same list is in the Apple Music app under your account settings, in a section called Hidden Purchases. Apple describes both routes in Hide and unhide music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and books.

Step 4: Turn on Sync Library (subscribers only)

Sync Library is the setting that keeps one music library matched across every device signed in to your Apple Account. Apple says it requires an Apple Music subscription, and that it also works with an iTunes Match subscription. If you have neither, the switch does not appear, and you can skip this step.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Music. If Music is not in the main list, tap Apps first, then Music.
3. Turn on Sync Library.
4. Leave the iPhone connected to the internet while the library updates. Apple notes that larger libraries can take more time.
5. Repeat this on your other devices so they all show the same music.

Apple lists the requirements in Use Sync Library with your Apple Music subscription. If the switch is missing even though you subscribe, Apple says the device may not be signed in to the Music app with the same Apple Account as the subscription. Go back to Step 1.

Once Sync Library is on, songs in your library can be streamed or saved to the iPhone. Our guide on listening to Apple Music offline explains how to download them.

If a song is there but grayed out

A grayed-out song is in your library but cannot be played right now. Apple’s article If songs are missing or grayed out in your music library lists these causes:

• Wrong account: for an iTunes Store purchase, make sure you are using the Apple Account that bought it.
• Content restrictions: if music restrictions are set to Clean, explicit songs appear grayed out. Setting them to Explicit allows those songs. This is part of Screen Time; see what restrictions are on an iPhone, or Apple’s parental controls guide if a parent manages the device.
• No Longer Available: if you see this next to a song, it may have been removed from the Apple Music catalog. Search Apple Music for another version and add that one instead.
• Hidden: a hidden song might appear grayed out. Unhide it as shown in Step 3.
• Not available in your country or region: Apple suggests searching for the song. If it is available, delete the grayed-out version and add the song again.

If the music is still missing

Work through these in order. The first items are safe; the last two remove downloaded content, so read the warnings.

• Check the Library view. The Library tab in the Music app has a Downloaded view that lists only music stored on the iPhone. If you are looking there, purchases that have not been downloaded will not be listed. Go back to the main Library screen and look under Songs or Albums.
• Check the connection. Apple says all of your devices need to be connected to the internet for the library to update.
• Update iOS. Apple recommends updating your devices to the most recent software when several songs are unavailable. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• Update the library on your computer. If your music collection started on a Mac or PC, Apple says to update the Cloud Library there first. On a Mac, open the Apple Music app and choose File > Library > Update Cloud Library. In the Apple Music app for Windows, click Sidebar Actions at the top of the sidebar, then Library, then Update Cloud Library.
• Turn Sync Library off and on again. Warning: Apple states that turning Sync Library off removes all of your downloaded music from the device. You will need to download it again afterward, which uses data and time.
• Sign out of Media & Purchases and back in. Warning: Apple says this removes downloaded content from Apple services on the iPhone. Go to Settings, tap your name, tap Media & Purchases, and tap Sign Out. Then tap Media & Purchases again and tap Continue to sign back in.

Apple also reminds users that Apple Music is not a backup service. If your collection includes music you imported yourself, keep your own copy of those files on a computer or drive before changing sync settings.

Music synced from a computer

Songs you imported from CDs or bought elsewhere are not iTunes Store purchases, so they will not appear under Purchased. Without an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription, Apple’s guidance is to sync that music manually from the computer where it is stored. With a subscription and Sync Library turned on, the computer uploads or matches those songs so they appear on the iPhone.

If a song shows on the computer but not on the iPhone, Apple suggests checking its cloud status in the Apple Music app on the Mac or PC. A status of Waiting means the song has not synced yet, and an exclamation point means the original file could not be found on the computer.

If the missing song is your own MP3 rather than an iTunes Store purchase, follow our guide to downloading and transferring MP3 files to iPhone. It explains the difference between a download in Files and a song imported into the Music library, with Windows and Mac transfer steps.

How to confirm the fix worked

• Open Music, tap Library, and find the song under Songs or Albums.
• Tap the song. It should play and should not be grayed out.
• In the iTunes Store app, the song should no longer be listed under Not on This iPhone.

To undo any of this, you can remove a download you no longer want without losing the purchase. Our guide on how to delete songs on an iPhone explains the difference between removing a download and deleting a song from your library.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay again to download music I already bought?

No. Apple says digital media you buy can be downloaded again on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows PC, as long as you are signed in with the Apple Account that made the purchase.

Will I lose purchased music if I cancel Apple Music?

No. Apple states that if you cancel an Apple Music subscription, your iTunes purchases remain in your library on all devices. Music you added or downloaded from the Apple Music catalog is removed, along with playlists built from that catalog.

Why is there no Sync Library switch on my iPhone?

Sync Library only appears when you have an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription and the iPhone is signed in to the Music app with the same Apple Account as that subscription. Without a subscription, use the iTunes Store app to download purchases instead.

Can I see music a family member bought?

Yes, if you use Family Sharing with purchase sharing turned on. In the iTunes Store app, tap Purchased, tap Music, then tap the family member’s name. Apple notes that items a family member has hidden will not be shown.

Is Apple Music a backup of my songs?

No. Apple says Apple Music is not a backup service, so keep your own backup of any music files you imported or cannot buy again.

Can I see how many songs are on my iPhone?

Yes. See how to see how many songs you have on iPhone for the steps.

What to do next

Start with the account check in Step 1, then redownload from the iTunes Store app. Those two steps do not remove anything and resolve most cases. If a purchase does not appear under Purchased or Hidden Purchases on the correct account, contact Apple Support with your receipt. For more on the Music app, see how to listen to Apple Music on Apple TV or turn off the volume limit in Music.