Cannot play Protected songs

Anytune shows the "Song Protected" message when the Music Library tells us the file is protected and does not provide a path to the file. Anytune cannot play protected songs.

 Songs ripped from a CD or purchased through iTunes,  Amazon, Google, etc. are not protected and can be played. 

Many years ago purchased songs were protected. See "About iTunes Plus" to download non-protected versions of these older songs. 

 Purchased or matched songs downloaded from your iCloud Music Library can be played.

 Songs rented through an Apple Music (Spotify, etc) subscriptions are protected and cannot be played.

 

Protected songs on iPhone or iPad

Sometimes Apple downloads a protected version of a song that you own.  You can re-download non-protected versions of songs you purchased from iTunes for free directly to your device. This may happen if you play a song from Browse that is not in your library, or when restoring a new device.

Delete the DRM-Protected song

1. Open Settings app > Music > Downloaded Music
2. Tap Edit and Tap the Red icon beside the song to delete and Delete

Re-Download the song to your device

Apple provides two ways to sync your Music Library across your devices. 

1. Turn on Sync Library with Apple Music (iCloud Music Library)
2. Sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod using your computer (USB, WiFi)

If you are using the iCloud Music Library:

1. Open the Apple Music app and find the song in Library.
2. Tap   Download to re-download the song.

If you Sync with iTunes:

1. Sync the missing song to your device with iTunes using USB or WiFi.
   If the song is downloaded and not displayed in Anytune:
   • Restart Anytune, and then Restart your device  

You can also Enable Automatic Downloads and Download All songs to your device in one step. See Songs are missing on iPhone or iPad. 

Re-download through iTunes Store app

If you purchased the song through iTunes you can delete the song then:

1. Launch  iTunes Store app (You may need to search for it)
2. Tap the More category and select Purchased > Music
3. Find your song and Download by tapping 

Check if the song is protected in your music library

You can check the if an audio file is protected in iTunes on your Mac/PC.

1. Open Apple Music app or iTunes on your PC/Mac and open Library
2. Right-Click > Song Info > Files and look for the Kind field.
   If the Kind: includes "Apple Music" or "Protected" OR
   you see "size Stream" the file is DRMed and it cannot be played. 
   
   

Once the song is download to your device you cannot determine if it is protected by looking in the Music app.

  With Anytune Pro+ or the Import you can also import song files directly into Anytune through Open-In, Email, Wifi or Dropbox after verifying the audio file is not protected.

In rare cases. Using the iCloud Music Library may cause songs on your device to be overwritten with DRM versions making them unplayable on Anytune, even songs that you own and were previously playable. The fix, if you are using Apple Music and a song you own is not playable in Anytune is to disable the iCloud Music Library and re-sync your device with iTunes, to retrieve the non protected version of the file. Note: The file must still exist on your PC/Mac.

1. Ensure the non-protected file is physically in your music library on your PC/Mac.
2. Disable iTunes Music Library in iTunes and on your device.
   Computer: iTunes > Preferences > General > iCloud Music Library : Uncheck
   Device: Settings > Music > iCloud Music Library : Toggle Off
3. Sync your songs to your device. This will download the non-protected version to your device
4. Re-enable iTunes Music Library on iTunes and your device.

Protected songs on MacOS

Anytune should play songs directly from your iTunes library with no trouble.

If you are using Apple Music and iCloud Music Library and you played a song you own before it was in your library and "matched",  iTunes would download a DRM Protected version into your library.

In the / Music app / iTunes:

1. Choose the song that Anytune cannot play. 
2. Right-Click > Song Info > Files and look for the Kind field.
   If the Kind: includes "Apple Music" or "Protected" OR
   you see "size Stream" the file is DRMed and Anytune cannot access the song data. 
3. You will need to delete the DRM version from your library and add an unprotected version to your library.
   1. Go to  iTunes Store and click Purchased
   2. Click the  Download button

Verify the song is available from  iTunes Store before you delete your copy. Sometimes the content provider may modify the content or remove it from iTunes Store. In such cases, you may not get an option to re-download them.

You can also rip a CD or add a non-DRM protected version of the song to your library. 

If it is not showing as "Apple Music" or "Protected" Anytune should play it. If it is showing as protected in Anytune please Report a problem on Mac and include a screen capture.

Play files directly on Mac

You can play the file directly instead of going through iTunes. You can import songs into Anytune in the following ways:

• Anytune > File > Add to Anytune...
• Right-Click on a music file and select Open with Anytune, or
• Drag song files from a folder or directly from iTunes onto a Playlist in Anytune.

Use Anytune > Preferences > Advanced to adjust the import behaviour. Select whether to play imported songs from the original location, or to copy the file into Anytune so the song will still be available if removed from the original location.

Songs stored internal to Anytune and are not directly accessible.
Right-click > Get Info  on a song in a list or the Title to reveal the location.
If the song is outside Anytune you will see path and a [Show in Finder] button, and a [Export Original Song...] button if it is stored internally.

Anytune can access songs on external drives, but must also have permission to access the place where the file is. Usually you are asked once and then never again for that folder and you can give permission for the entire drive or top level folder.