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Songs and Albums FAQ

If this information does not answer your question, please email us using the form below.

What file format and bit rate do you use?

Purchased songs are encoded using MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format, a high-quality format that rivals CD quality. Songs purchased and downloaded from the Store are AAC Protected files and have a bitrate of 128 kilobits per second (kbit/s). The file extension is .m4p.


I get an error when I try to play purchased music.

Check out this technical support article for a complete list of troubleshooting tips.


All purchased songs won't play in iTunes.

Make sure your computer is authorized to play your music. You can authorize up to 5 computers to play your purchased music simultaneously. You might need to deauthorize an old computer to proceed. Sometimes, this error is also caused by a permissions issue.


A purchased song sounds bad.

If a specific song purchased from the iTunes Store sounds bad, please follow the steps below to submit the problem directly to Apple. Hip-Hop lovers: Make sure your song is not a "chopped and screwed" version. If there is an issue at a certain point in the song, to expedite your request, please tell us the time code where the problem appears.

To report a problem with your purchase:

  1. Locate the song in your Purchase History
  2. Click the "Report a Problem" link
  3. Select "This item looks or sounds bad"
  4. To expedite your request, please tell us the time code where the problem appears. Click here for information on finding a timecode in iTunes

Our support agents will review your request and get back to you as quickly as possible.


I accidentally purchased the same song or video twice.

iTunes includes many features to protect you from purchasing the exact same song or video twice. iTunes does not check your library for ripped media or music purchased using another account. If you accidentally purchased a duplicate song or video, simply follow the steps below to send a refund request for the item to one of our support agents.

  1. Locate the song in your Purchase History
  2. Click the "Report a Problem" link
  3. Select "I already own this item" from the drop down menu
  4. Enter notes explaining the situation in the Comments section

Our support agents will review your request and get back to you as quickly as possible.

I accidentally purchased music I didn't mean to.

Use the Shopping Cart to review your purchases before you buy. The items in your cart are not downloaded or charged to your credit card until you click the Buy Now button. Read this article to learn how to turn on the Shopping Cart in iTunes.

If you accidentally purchased a song that you meant only to preview, please follow the steps below to send a refund request for the track to one of our support agents.

To report an accidental purchase:

  1. Locate the song in your Purchase History
  2. Click the "Report a Problem" link
  3. Select "I inadvertently purchased this item" from the drop down menu
  4. Enter notes explaining the situation in the Comments section
Our support agents will review your request and get back to you as quickly as possible.

I bought the wrong version of a song.


Be sure to listen to the song preview before you buy a song. Double-click the song's title to listen to its free preview. Make sure your speakers or headphones are set to a comfortable level.

If you have already purchased the incorrect version of the song:

  1. Locate the song in your Purchase History
  2. Click the "Report a Problem" link
  3. Select "I purchased the wrong version of this item (Clean vs Explicit)"
  4. Enter a description of the issue that you're experiencing in the comments field and hit Submit

Our support agents will review your request and get back to you as quickly as possible.


I'm having trouble downloading my songs.

Please read our Download FAQ for help.


There is an unacceptable gap between songs in an album.

In order to make individual tracks available for sale on the iTunes Store, songs are separated by the record label at the time of encoding. To minimize the gap, set iTunes' preferences for crossfade playback. If you're burning your purchased music to an audio CD, set the gap between songs to "none" on your Mac or Windows PC.


My purchased songs bleed into one another.

To increase the amount of time between songs, set the crossfade playback to 0 seconds to ensure your music plays without fading between songs.


Email Support

Send our support team an email using this form. We will send our reply to the email address you provide within 48 hours.  *Indicates required field.

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