Itunes can't locate purchased songs

I'm trying to sync my library to my phone and I get an error message saying that it can not locate songs, including ones I purchased from Itunes.
I found the songs in my account, but I can't figure out a way to download them again.
The account thinks that the songs are already on this computer.
Suggestions?
Thanks.

Hello JKEdison,
There are a couple of methods that can potentially get your music back into place. One would be to remove the existing (missing) entries, then re-download the content from the iTunes Store. The second, and likely easiest, would be to remove the existing library altogether, import its contents to a new library, then download the remaining content from the iTunes Store.
Method 1:
Deleting files from the iTunes library and your computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3842
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
Method 2:
After quitting iTunes, browse to the location of your iTunes Library, and move it to the Desktop. Then follow the following article for steps on creating a new library. Once the new library is created drag the 'iTunes Media' (and 'iTunes Music' folder, if it exists) folder on top of the iTunes window (that should now be displaying a new, blank library). Once the import process is complete, remove the iTunes Library folder from the Desktop, and download remaining content from the iTunes Store.
iTunes: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589
Cheers,
Allen

Similar Messages

Itunes can't locate purchased songs even after re-downloaded from itunes

Hello,
I had lost some of my data and with the help of this forum I was able to find my purchase history and re-download 580 songs to my computer but when I go to itunes alot of the items I just downloaded are not located by itunes? Did I miss something? Please help.
Thank You.

I just bought an iMac and am having trouble getting my iTunes transferred over from my PC. Is there a faster way than transferring the songs to my external hard drive, then to the Mac? Also when I signed in as myself to iTunes on the Mac, I bought a couple of songs from iTunes and now it won't allow me to play them. It asks me to authorize the computer and then says it was successful. But then it goes through the same thing motions each time on the same song. I can't play them at all and I bought them on the Mac TODAY! I have only had one iTunes account, so that isn't the issue...any idea what I can do? Is this going to happen with all of my songs? Also it says I authorized 3 other computers to use my iTunes but I have no idea aside from my PC how that occured and how to undo it. Any help would be appreciated....

ITunes can't locate my songs so I can transfer to ipod/iphone...

Hi!
I can see list of songs in my iTunes but it has exclamation mark(!) in every song and can't play them. I can't sync them either to my ipod/iphone due to this.
I think it has something to do with displaced itunes folder, but i don't know how to fix that. Please help.
JC

You can try this, called DFU mode:
1. Close iTunes.
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer and then launch iTunes.
3. Turn your iPhone off (hold down the power button at the top of the iPhone).
4. Then, hold down the sleep/wake button and home button together for EXACTLY 10 SECONDS, then release the sleep/wake button.
5. Continue to hold down the Home button until a message appears in iTunes telling you an iPhone in recover mode has been detected. When you are in DFU mode your iPhone screen will be completely black. Remember that if you see the restore logo, iTunes logo, or any message on the iPhone screen, you are not in DFU mode but standard Recovery Mode.
6. Hit the OK message that should popup to restore your phone.
If that doesn't work, you'll have to go elsewhere for help.
Good luck.

ITunes can't locate the songs that I bought from the iTunes store on my new computer

I just got a new computer today and I backed up all my songs from old computer onto an external hard drive. When I sent my songs over onto my new computer and freshly downloaded iTunes, the songs that I actually purchased from the iTunes store won't play. It says that the item cannot be located.

Hello, brandma4.
More than likely iTunes was set to read the media on the external drive. If this is the case and the drive is not connected when attempting to play music, you will receive these alerts. The other possibly is that iTunes is not directed to where you placed the media on the computer. Here are the best troubleshooting articles that direct you on how to correct this issue.
iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1751
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Cheers,
Jason H.

ITunes can't locate my songs

First to mention that updating ITunes to 7 version I lost the entire library and all my songs from IPod, major inconvenience before going in a holiday…obviously I hate ITunes now.
Anyway, coming back from the holiday I tried to access ITunes again and when I try to play a song it asks me if I want to locate the file. I didn’t move my music in an different location. I’m thinking to uninstall it and try to add all the music again but with 120G of music is really time consuming as it would not consolidate, I don’t know why, and also I tried to add all the music folder and would add only about 20G and the rest I had to drag and drop.
Please somebody help me.

Two directions one can go with iTunes. 1) Let it do things as it wants to (99% of users) and sit back and mostly not worry about it, but you have to not, errr, mess with it or do anything out of the ordinary. 2) Learn how iTunes functions and uses files and then do things as you want because you know what to do and how in order to not upset it.
Things not to do in case 1). Do not move files manually. Do not rename or move anything in the iTunes folder. If something was outside of the iTunes folder and you added it, it will place a copy in the iTunes folder and leave the original in place. Do not add it again or you may end up with a duplicate. Once you have verified iTunes did place a copy in the iTunes folder (highlight a track, press command+r to reveal it in Finder and check it is in the media folder it should be), trash the original.
Compiling takes the files already added to iTunes and organizes them as set in the preferences. It won't find files not added.
If you add files, then bring over more copies of the same and add them again, it will generate duplicates. I suspect multiple ripping will do the same (never done that).
Don't be fooled by duplicates. Make sure they really are. iTunes may call something a duplicate if it is the same track on two LPs (unless you use exact duplicate view), or maybe a live version and studio version with the same name. Unless a script takes you through them one by one so you can call it, I don't really use them.
There's a Dougscript that will wander through folders looking for music and add it to iTunes.
How to Consolidate Your iTunes Library and Keep It Organized - http://www.switched.com/2010/11/02/itunes-consolidate-library-keep-organized/
What actions take place when itunes "consolidate library" is used?

HT1660 After going for a few years without using my iTunes account I bought an iPhone and am trying to access the old songs I purchased. The username and password worked, but I can't locate those songs. Have they been deleted?

After going for a few years without using my iTunes account I bought an iPhone and am trying to access the old songs I purchased. The username and password worked, but I can't locate those songs. Have they been deleted?

Hello Bennett,
The following article provides a comprehensive guide to locating and downloading your past purchases, should they be available for download.
Download past purchases
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
Cheers,
Allen

Since downloading 11.0.1 (12), Itunes can't locate or play many songs but the same songs still play on my synched iPod.

Since downloading Itunes 11.0.1 (12), Itunes can't locate or play many songs but the same songs still play on my synched iPod. I have a MacBook Air, Lion OS, Itunes version 11.0.1 (12). I didn't see this problem with older versions of Itunes. I do not manually change the organization of the Itunes library. I use the Itunes "add to library" feature or Amazon's MP3 downloader. Sometimes, however, I have changed song information in the "info" window. Such as unchecking the "compilation" button and sorting by artist (for that song), so that I can search by artist in the top pane of Itunes (otherwise the song is sorted in an album that is a "compilation," but not under the name of the artist who sang a particular song. I've done this without problem in the past, but perhaps the newer version of Itunes can't handle the changes I made and has lost track of where the older version of Itunes stored such songs? How do I fix all these older previously ok changes if that's the case... If I could just find where they are stored in Itunes it would be easier perhaps. I've looked in compilations, unknown artist, and so forth to no avail. And Finder search can't find them.
Details: suddenly, many songs are marked with "!," denoting that Itunes cannot find the songs in the library and cannot play them. Oddly, my iPod CAN play the "unlocatable" songs with no problem (it has been synched "post problem"). So the songs are still there somewhere in the Itunes library. This problem occurs by album, that is, all songs from the same album become unlocatable, although different albums by the same artist may still be found and played.
Exploring the Itunes library to try to locate the missing albums/songs, I discovered that generally there is no longer any folder specified for any artist associated with a missing album [artist is the top level of organization and album is the second; compilations are in the same folder]. This is true even if I have other albums from the same artist which Itunes IS able to locate. I cannot find a single song/album by such artists anywhere in the Itunes file system, even the ones that Itunes can still play. If I right click and "get info" for an unlocatable song, I get a notification box that asks if I want to locate the file. If I click "no," next thing-- the info window for the song pops up, with all the correct info (including sort info, which I double check)! Why is Itunes able to locate all the info on the song, but is not able to play the MP3 file?
Using Finder I cannot locate the songs that are unlocatable by Itunes (except the original download files in the Amazon MP3 folder). Finder is, of course, able to find Itunes songs that Itunes has no trouble locating. What's up?! My iPod can find them just fine. I just synched my iPod again and am playing the "unlocatable" songs right now.
I can "fix" most of these files by downloading files one by one into Itunes from my Amazon download folder or from my CDs using the "add to library" feature. In fact, it is strange. But this will take a very long time! And what if this problem continues recurring? But something strange happens when I implement this fix. I added one song to Itunes (from the Amazon MP3 folder, using "add to library") for one "unlocatable" album of Pete Seegers. After adding that one song, I looked at the Itunes music library and discovered that a folder for Pete Seeger (which was not there before I added the song) had been newly created, or restored. In this folder was the one song I had just added, but ALSO all my other Seeger albums that had previously remained "locatable" by Itunes. But the other "unlocatable" songs were not restored, unfortunately.

I have found a workaround. When I create a new playlist, iTunes allows me to add or remove songs from existing playlists for a short while. Then, for some reason it prevents me from adding and deleting songs again. Not sure why. Go figure.

Moved music, now itunes can't locate songs

I moved my music to a second internal hard drive hard drive. Now Itunes can't find the songs even though I have changed the music file location. Each song title has an Exclamation point next to it in the itunes library window. Any suggestions?

when it asks you if you want to find the song after you double click on a song to play it, click 'yes' and browse to the folder that the song is in, and click 'ok' and it will work.

3500 songs in iTunes with exlamation points - iTunes can't locate files but they are there!

Hi,
Since a few weeks, 3500 of my 10000 iTunes songs have exclamation points. When I try to play a song, I get an error message stating that iTunes can't find the song. If I search for it, it's on my Mac. So the files are on my hard drive, except that iTunes can't find them.
As it's weeks of work to manually relink the songs to their location on my hard disk, is there anybody who could help me with this?
Many thanks in advance!

Hi Esteban
As you see the exclamation mark represents a missing link to the file and the subsequent unable to play the track.
If you select one of those files and look at the info(CMD I or Get Info) and go to the Summary tab that identifies where iTunes thinks it was stored. From here you can navigate in finder to that location or do a search for what iTunes states the filename is e.g. (01 Track 01.mp3).
So either the file is deleted, renamed or moved.
Regards
Mark

Itunes can't locate song on computer since upgrading to 7.1.1

I upgraded to i Tunes 7.1.1, now it can't locate my songs and it wants me to erase and sync my I Pod, Any Suggestion would be appreciated. When I click on a song to play it lets me looks for the files in music folders in the iTunes library but names are replaced with coded letters and when i click on on of them it plays a song but I usually can't find the right song. I did have problems upgrading 7.1.1

Do you have more than one calendar on the phone? Did you check to see what calendar is the default? What user troubleshooting have you tried, a restart, reset, restores?

I added some songs to my itunes but now my itunes won't play the songs - it says it can't locate the song although the Itunes match is turned on and it says all of my songs are in the cloud - anyone have any thoughts

i added some songs to my itunes but now my itunes won't play the songs - it says it can't locate the song although the Itunes match is turned on and it says all of my songs are in the cloud - anyone have any thoughts

Did you delete the hard copy of the songs from your computer after you uploaded them?
If so just highlight the said songs and delete but do not check the box that says delete from iCloud and your songs should play fine.
This happens when the original file is moved from the location that itunes was looking for it at and if you did this because you uploaded it then it will still be in the cloud you just need itunes to read from cloud and not think it's supposed to be finding the original file

ITunes can't locate song/music in Mac iTunes.

Suddenly, all of my music in iTunes has a little exclamation point next to the track, and it can't locate the song. They are all there. Is there a fast way to get iTunes to find ALL my music, without having to go back manually and click on each track to find?

iTunes keeps a record if where it thinks the files are located. If you change a file or folder or drive name, the links are no longer valid. If you did this, change it back.
I have also heard that sometimes when you find one file,newer iTunes will try to find files based upon the same criteria, so at least try to find one file.

Itunes can't locate songs stored in external drive

i had created playlists and added songs to the playlists in itunes 7.02. these songs are stored on an external drive. i did not sync my ipod immediately but tried it a few days later. despite the external drive being connected to my laptop, when i tried to sync the ipod with itunes, for 90% of the songs there was an exclamation mark next to the song & i had to manually double click on a song name in itunes, and locate it in the external drive, in order for itunes to be able to sync it.
i can't do that for 3000+ songs. why can't itunes recognise and locate these songs when they have been stored in the itunes library from the external drive? isn't there a way to tell itunes to locate songs in the external drive? especially when they had been added from there in the first place?

Hi there,
I'm having the same problem, I'll list it in case I'm somehow different from the other case but unfortunately directing iTunes to that folder doesn't seem to do the trick...?
Have bought a Seagate 320GB external drive, copied my iTunes library (that was located in my /Users/Shared folder) to a new location on my external drive and redirected iTunes to the new location. It said it was updating the folder which took a while and I assumed was a good sign due to my 8948 songs but alas the dreaded exclamation mark has appeared next to every track. If I redirect one to the new location it works fine but f*ed if I'm gonna do that for the other 8947. If I quit iTunes and reopen it, it's still directed to the same correct place and the previously located still works but the rest don't. Is there a) some reason this may not be working correctly; or b) a quick way to redirect every song to their location? Thanks so much for your help.

Can not find purchased songs

my itunes can not locate songs that i have purchased from the itunes store.

Check out the iTunes FAQ...Hopefully that will help you.
Finding Lost Music FAQ
http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/store/lostmusic/

ITunes can't locate files, even though they never move.

My iTunes is set to copy new files to a dedicated music folder on an internal storage drive and to keep this folder organized. I have never moved this folder or edited anything within this folder.
Now, one day I start my iTunes and I'm greeted with thousands upon thousands of little exclamation marks telling me that iTunes can't locate the files. I made sure that the drive letter didn't change and that every file was still in there. There were too many songs missing to manually locate each song, so I highlighted my entire library and deleted it (while keeping the files, obviously). Several hours after re-adding my music library, everything was good and like it once was.
Not even a day later, I re-open iTunes to find that all the exclamation marks were back and that it could not locate any of my files again. This time I decide to go through all the steps properly by clearing the folder where the xml files are located, uninstalling iTunes, moving my music to an external hard drive and making sure there was no trace of iTunes left.
Ready to start again, I installed iTunes, set where I liked my files to be stored and set my other preferences (including "organize my iTunes folder" and "copy new files to iTunes Folder"). I then re-added my music and spent a day waiting for it to copy to the new iTunes folder. After this I deleted the folder that contained my originals and was left with a fresh install of iTunes and all my music was where I wanted it.
This worked for almost a whole month before thousands of songs went "missing" again. I simply don't know what to do. I can't keeping re-adding my library again and again because a few thousand songs went missing. Each time I do it, it just takes longer and longer and i'm sick of it.
Any help with my problem would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Presumably the location of the iTunes media folder is still correctly set in preferences when this happens?
One thing you can do to investigate this is to select a track that can't be found and go to Get Info>>Summary tab.
This will show you where iTunes thinks it is and the name of the file. Now find the file in Windows Explorer and compare the location and file name are they the same?
A thing that occurs to me is that you have other software on your PC that is able to move/rename files. Do you have anything like that?
Windows Media player has a check box that allows the renaming of files in Options, it's worth looking for that.

Itunes can't locate purchased songs

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for