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Old digital movie purchase doesn’t appear in my Apple TV or iTunes Store library, but Apple won’t allow me to buy it again because it says I already own it.

So I have an iTunes copy of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial that I got over ten years ago. I didn’t buy it directly from the iTunes Store. Instead I bought a physical copy of the movie, on Blu Ray, which included a redemption code for a digital copy of the movie, which I activated through iTunes.


Over the last year I’ve tried to watch the movie on my phone or Apple TV, in the Apple TV app, but when I search for the movie, I’m presented with a “Buy or Rent” paywall. So I figured maybe my copy of E.T. was too old, and that I just had to buy it again. So I try to buy the movie, and I get this message:


You've already purchased this.

Do you want to download it again for free?


I’ve tried downloading the movie, but after waiting long enough, the movie doesn’t appear in the ‘Downloaded’ movies folder in the Apple TV app on my phone. I’m also unable to access the movie in the Apple TV app on my Apple TV set top box. When I pull up the movie, I see the same ‘Buy or Rent’ paywall that I see on my phone. So Apple is saying I don’t own the movie, but won’t allow me to buy a new copy because I already own the movie. Huh?


Pretty much the only way I can access the digital copy of the movie is through another video/movie app that I’ve linked to Movies Anywhere (Amazon, Google Video, etc). Those retailers all recognize my purchase of the movie.


Is there someone I can talk to iron this out?

Apple TV 4K, tvOS 16

Posted on Aug 24, 2023 10:24 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 25, 2023 1:03 AM

Please check if that title got set to hidden somehow.

Hide and unhide music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and books - Apple Support

2 replies

Old digital movie purchase doesn’t appear in my Apple TV or iTunes Store library, but Apple won’t allow me to buy it again because it says I already own it.

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