To download purchased music from iTunes to your computer, open the Music app on a Mac or the Apple Music or iTunes app on a Windows PC, then sign in with the Apple ID you used for the purchases. If you use multiple streaming services, you can also download music from Spotify to my computer for offline listening. This process lets you download music as MP3 files directly to your hard drive for offline listening, giving you full control over your music library even without an internet connection.
Before you begin: authorize your computer
Your computer must be authorized with the Apple ID you used to purchase the music before you can download anything. An Apple Account can authorize up to five computers at a time, so if you have already authorized five different machines, you will need to deauthorize one first. To authorize your computer, simply open the Music or iTunes app, go to the menu bar, and sign in with your Apple ID. The authorization happens automatically when you sign in, and you can verify your authorized computers in your account settings. If you want to avoid authorization limits entirely, you can download music as MP3 from Spotify instead.
How to download purchased music from iTunes on a Mac
- Open the Music app on your Mac.
- In the menu bar at the top of the screen, choose "Account," then click "Purchased."
- If you use Family Sharing, you will see "Family Purchases" and can select a family member to view their purchased music.
- Browse through your purchased music and find the album or song you wish to download.
- Click the Download button (often represented by a cloud icon with a downward arrow) next to an album or song to download it.
- To download all available purchased music at once, click "Download All" at the bottom of the screen.
How to download purchased music from iTunes on a Windows PC
On a Windows PC, you can use either the Apple Music app for Windows or the iTunes app, depending on which version you have installed. The steps differ slightly between the two applications.
Using the Apple Music app for Windows
- Open the Apple Music app for Windows.
- Click your name at the bottom of the sidebar, then click "Purchased."
- If using Family Sharing, select a family member from the "Family Purchases" section to view their music.
- Locate the album or song you want to download.
- Click the Download button (cloud icon with a downward arrow) next to the item.
- To download everything, click "Download All" at the bottom of the screen.
Using the iTunes app for Windows
- Open the iTunes app for Windows.
- Choose "Account" from the menu bar at the top, then select "Purchased."
- If you have Family Sharing enabled, you will see family members listed under "Family Purchases."
- Find the album or song you wish to download.
- Click "Download All" at the bottom of the screen to download all available purchases.
Can't find your purchased music?
If your purchased music does not appear in the list, it may be hidden. To check, go to "Account" in the menu bar, then "Account Settings," and look for "Hidden Items." You can unhide any music there to make it visible again. Another option is to use "Check for Available Downloads" by choosing "Account" > "Check for Available Downloads" in the Music or iTunes app. This will scan for any purchases you have not yet downloaded. Keep in mind that purchased music may no longer be available for redownload if it has been removed from the iTunes Store or if you are in a country or region where the content is not offered. In those cases, the download button will not appear.
Where are the downloaded music files on my computer?
By default, your downloaded music files are stored in the Music or iTunes media folder on your computer. On a Windows PC, open the iTunes app, go to "Edit" > "Preferences," click the "Advanced" tab, and find the "iTunes Media folder location." The path shown there is where your downloaded music files live. Inside that folder, you will find a "Music" subfolder containing your files, often organized by artist and album. You can navigate directly to this folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) to copy, move, or back up your music files as needed.
