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If I subscribe to iTunes Match, and my hard drive burns up, will all my music be available for download again?
Related: If I subscribe to iTunes Match will all the songs stored on my hard drive stay on hard drive, so that I can access them without internet access?
Thanks
iMac 27″, macOS 11.6
Apple Music/ iTunes Match are not advertised as back up services. You are reliant on Apple providing a service whilst you have an active subscription. If for whatever reason your subscription expires, Apple does not keep your music indefinitely, usually only up to 30 days after expiry. You are also reliant on the Apple servers being available.
Multiple backup drives should be considered. I personally use time machine but I have additional back up drives.
Jim
Apple Music/ iTunes Match are not advertised as back up services. You are reliant on Apple providing a service whilst you have an active subscription. If for whatever reason your subscription expires, Apple does not keep your music indefinitely, usually only up to 30 days after expiry. You are also reliant on the Apple servers being available.
Multiple backup drives should be considered. I personally use time machine but I have additional back up drives.
Jim
Hi,
iTunes Match is not a backup service. Whilst it is true that you would be able to redownload your library from iTunes Match, it does not replace a good backup on an external hard drive.
The music on your hard drive is not altered by iTunes Match unless you opt to remove the original and download load a matched version. This is useful if you tracks have a bit rate lower than 256 Kbps.
Jim
Thx again, but an external hard drive can be lost in various ways. I need a backup that is impervious to my home circumstances. That is why cloud services exist (one reason). Why can’t I rely on iTunes Match as a “back up “ to my hard drives?
Does iTunes Match function to back up all my music files to the cloud?
