Solving the iTunes songs greyed out problem is not anybody’s cup of tea. That’s because there are several reasons for this issue. It might be because your files are corrupt or unreadable, unsupported format, the files are not synced to iTunes or even DRM protection. Don’t fret, however, because I have already done all the hard work for you. In this post, you’ll know some of the reasons why your songs greyed out in iTunes and the possible solutions.
Part 1: The Main Reasons Why iTunes Songs Greyed Out
Part 2: Permanently fix the iTunes Songs Greyed out Problem
As I’ve said, several situations might result in your iTunes songs becoming greyed out. Here are some of them plus the solutions:
Problem 1: Faulty iTunes Settings
Specific iTunes settings can cause your songs not to open. Fortunately, fixing this problem is very easy. Simply follow these steps:
Step 1: Start by connecting iTunes to iCloud Music Library. To do that, check the “disconnected” icon at the upper right corner of your iTunes account and click on it to reconnect.
Step 2: Next, right-click on the greyed-out song and then choose the “Check Selection” option.With these few steps, you can be able to play the greyed out songs once again.
Problem 2: PC Restriction on Certain Tracks
Another problem might be due to computer restrictions placed on your iTunes files. You can re-authorize your computer to see if anything changes. Again, follow these steps:
Step 1: Launch iTunes and then click the “Store” tab from the menu bar.
Step 2: Click the “Deauthorize This Computer” option and then log out of the iTunes account.
Step 3: Finally, restart your computer before logging into your iTunes account. Follow the same steps as before (Problem 1) to click the “Authorize This Computer” option.
Problem 3: Unsynced iTunes Music
In most cases, the ‘iTunes songs greyed out’issue is due to a syncing problem. This can Specifically happen once you remove your iTunes songs. They will appear as greyed out when you try to sync iTunes to iPhone. But how do you fix this issue? Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Start by deleting the greyed out track from iTunes by right-clicking on it.
Step 2: Refresh the Itunes library and playlists.
Step 3: You can now re-sync iTunes with your iPhone via a USB cable. Please don’t use Wi-Fi.
Problem 4: Re-download your Greyed Out iTunes Songs
If you had personally purchased the greyed out song, the best thing to do is to delete it and download it over again from the “Purchased” section. Here is a tutorial on how to do it:
Step 1: Right-click on your greyed out songs and choose the “Delete” option to erase it.
Step 2: Go to the top-right corner and click the “Account” option. From the panel, hit the “Purchased” label.
Step 3: You’ll see a list of all your purchased files. Find the problematic song and download it again from iTunes. If this doesn’t work, you can move to the next solution.
View Also: How to Fix Apple Music Playlist Gone
If you’ve tried all of the above solutions without any success, you’ll have to check the track’s DRM protection or format type. To do that successfully, go to iTunes and find the greyed out song. Right-click on your song title and then select the “Get Info” option. Search for “Kind” under the “File” tab and see if it indicates “Protected”. If it does, it means your song has DRM protection.
The best way to go around this problem is to install a third-party DRM removal program on your computer. In this case, I recommend the Apple Music Converter for Mac, which will remove the strict DRM protection in no time. It also preserves the original audio quality and ID3 tags. And of course, this powerful program supports conversion of iTunes AAC files to MP3, M4A, M4B, WAV, and FLAC. Follow these detailed steps to solve the petty iTunes songs greyed out issue forever.
Step 1: Add the greyed out songs
Click the link above to download and install the app on your computer. Launch it, and the iTunes app will also start automatically. Next, click the first “Add” button located at the bottom left corner to begin loading the greyed out songs. Another way to do it is to drag the songs to the converter’s home page. Just remember that you’ll need to authorize your Mac to open the iTunes files, or they won’t be converted.
Step 2: Choose your output format
Now it’s time to customize your output audio parameters as well as set the target format. To do that, tap the “Format” icon beside the big “Convert” icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen. Go ahead and choose your favorite target format, depending on your device’s needs. I recommend MP3 here because most modern devices accept it. Also, set the codec, bit rate, sample rate, and channel.
Step 3: Start converting DRM protected files to MP3
After you’ve made the necessary changes on your greyed out iTunes songs, click the Convert button. iTunes Audio Converter will easily break DRM protection on your iTunes songs. You can now re-import the converted files to iTunes for hassle-free playback. You’ll also have a copy saved on your computer to share with friends and family.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, there is no assurance that the solutions mentioned in Part 1 of this article will solve the problem. But with iTunes Audio Converter, you can download your greyed out iTunes songs and convert them to another acceptable format. Simply follow the steps mentioned above, and you should be enjoying all your iTunes songs in no time.