How to hide the free U2 album on iPhone, iPad, and iTunes

By Allyson Kazmucha
last updated

After Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus announcement, U2 took the stage. After that iTunes customers in over 100 countries were told they'd have access to their new album, Songs of Innocence, for free. While some people were excited about that and asking how to download it, others were less than thrilled. My colleague Peter recently expressed his distaste for the situation and while I tend to agree, I also understand some people not wanting to look at an album in their library they aren't interested in.

So here's how to hide it from even showing up not only in iTunes, but on your iPhone and iPad as well!

How to hide the free U2 album in iTunes and on your iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch iTunes on your Mac or PC.
  2. Click on iTunes Store at the top right.
  3. In the right hand navigation titled Quick Links, click on Purchases.
  4. Under Recent Purchases, simply click the X next to the U2 album.
  5. Confirm you'd really like to hide it by clicking Hide on the popup that appears.

That's it. The U2 album will not show up in your iTunes library any longer unless you go under your account settings and unhide it. Keep in mind that you can do this for any album. Launch the iTunes app on your iPhone or iPad and navigate to purchases and you should see that the album you hid in iTunes also disappears on iOS as well. This also applies to the Music app for iTunes in the Cloud purchases.

Give it a try and let me know in the comments how it worked for you!

Allyson Kazmucha
Allyson Kazmucha

iMore senior editor from 2011 to 2015.

60 Comments
  • Track my location 24/7 check. Track my usage in apps check. Give me a free album that I wouldn't buy, OMG Apple is the image of corporate irresponsibility and invades my privacy. Waiting for the class action lawsuit story.
  • Please see Peter's story mentioned above by Ally. Thank you so much...
  • Everything that you've complained about, you can turn off.
  • If your comment is not sarcastic then you are absolutely right and you don't need to read some Peter s article... Sorry that article isn't Bible lol... In fact it s one of the worst biased uncalled for article on Mobile Nations site... You are actually cool if you meant what you said in your comment. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Ever notice how trolls drop their turd and then disappear?
  • Too funny sparky. Sarcastic Internet humor, and responses, very entertaining don't ya think? Except the class action sentence. Read up on Elevation Partners and Apple to have a better understanding of the relationship.
  • STFU. Ur complaining about a free album! I understand the confusion about your purchased thing, but it'll be fine. Stop the complaining Sent from the iMore App
  • iSheep spotted... Watch your language. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Watch you're language as well. Just saying.
  • I will.. Thanks for pointing it out. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • I've never seen so many people complain about getting something FOR FREE. The sad part is that the album is actually great! But, NO, STOP TROLLING US WITH FREE STUFF, APPLE!
  • Ikr!! Some people are just .. Uhh Sent from the iMore App
  • I HATE FREE THINGS
  • The more I read about this the more I am sure that this story isn't at all about the free album gifted by Apple per se. I think it is all to do with THE WAY the gift was delivered. I think most people would've prefered that the album was available for a free download and not sent directly to their purchased box. It's a bit like saying: "How dare you complaining that I rang your bell to offer you a free pot of Marmite!" ;-)
  • Exactly. It was FREE. And its a really good record. Maybe give it a listen before whining. What a bunch a of cry babies. Its easily deleted too.
  • Thing is, I didn't ask for it. Fine that you like U2, but I don't. And don't want it waiting space on my phone. Hiding it isn't ok either. It's still taking up valuable space. Sent from the iMore App
  • So dont download it and its not wasting any space. No one forced you to actually put it in the phone Sent from the iMore App
  • There is a setting called Auto download...and people like to use it for things THEY WANTED AND THEY PURCHASED. Sent from the iMore App
  • Dude, calm down. Apple gave you something free if you don't want it, get rid of it. It's easy.
  • This. THIS.
  • Then ZOMG DON'T DOWNLOAD IT. Or you know, you could follow the instructions I just laid out to completely get rid of it from even showing up in Purchased.
  • Haha some people can't be helped. Honestly, what's so difficult about just not downloading it? I had to manually download the album to both my Mac and iPad, it didn't just ZOMG DOWNLOAD AND TAKE ALL MY SPACE! Lol.
  • Hahahaha. Something about your comment made me laugh so hard. I needed that today. Thanks! Sent from the iMore App
  • But then how can he be an attention whore?
  • Lol..... Just so you know you don't offense me, cause I don't even know you and after this I don't want to know you ever... Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • can I just say that you dont need to download it. Apple puts it there and that is not right, we should be asked first if we want to download - yes or no? I am not a U2 fan either, and I agree it just takes up space. What is more I hate Itunes I never use it. But I have no choice I have an Iphone.
  • It is never downloaded untill you download it Sent from the iMore App
  • It is if you have turned on the auto download your purchase option. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • No, actually it's not taking up any space if you don't download it. ROFL
  • I said that for people who chose to auto download their purchases .. I don't think people are lying all over the Internet. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Doesn't work for me -- that method does get rid of it from iTunes on my PC, however, it remains on my iPhone showing as downloadable, with the iCloud/down-arrow icon next to the tracks -- as of yet there is no way to delete them. Oddly, if I delete other music this way, it is also removed from my iPhone. Would be great to get an accurate method to actually delete them.
  • Give it a few minutes. Yes, it does work, and this is very accurate - verified on several devices.
  • Going on day #3 since trying this method -- hasn't kicked in yet, thanks though.
  • Yay finally an article at least addressing the issue...it won't solve any purpose in most cases though...appreciate the honesty in using the word "HIDE" and not delete... Sent from the iMore App
  • What a bunch of first world pansy whiners. If you don't want it just delete it!! For gawd sake! Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Ha. I agree. I think we have achieved the ultimate first world problem here. Sent from the iMore App
  • I once gave a street beggar a $100 dollar bill. He looked at me and said, "What the hell is this? I cant get change for this!"
  • Or you can simply delete it from iCloud and thus all your devices. Go to iTunes, navigate to the intruding content, select it and hit the delete button. You will get the message: "Are you sure you want to delete these songs from iCloud?" followed by "This will delete these songs from all of your iTunes Match devices." then hit the Delete Songs button.
  • Not everyone has opted for iTunes Match..... and without paying for iTunes Match you can't delete it.. You can only hide... Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Well not even sure if it works for us iTunes Match users because I deleted but it sure as hell downloaded again. So hiding it seems to be the only workaround thus far even for iTM users. :/ Sent from the iMore App
  • Yeah I had a friend that was telling me about this but surprisingly I did not get no U2 album in my itunes like everyone else did apparently
  • You probably have the show all music option disabled
  • It might work on you Mac or PC but it doesn't work on my iPhone. Was able to hide it on my iTunes library on my PC but it did not work on my iPhones or iPad. Free is ok that is if you really want it but I personally don't. Thanks Apple Sent from the iMore App
  • Yes it does. Give it a few minutes or reboot your device. I verified it to remove it from all iPhones and iPads associated with an account. Others on our staff did as well.
  • I don't get what all the fuss is about. It never downloaded to my phone. It says purchased but there's nothing on the phone. Big deal, just delete it from your library. Sent from the iMore App
  • For real. I couldn't even see it at first because I had "Show All Music" disabled.
  • Same Sent from the iMore App
  • Boom.
  • The fact that some people are offended by a free gift is frankly sickening. It's free FFS, grow up and stop behaving like spoilt infants. Stuff like this is depressing.
  • Agreed.
  • Just don't download it! You're getting something for free. At least don't complain. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • So akshaypn is on an android, is obviously pro-android, and is complaining about fee iTunes stuff taking space on his... What? Android? Why are you even here if you're not using an idevice? Sent from the iMore App
  • Some people just want to see the world burn.
  • No. I am not on Android only.. I have devices with 3 major OS.. Though yes, my heart is with Microsoft but if they do something like this I would be the first one to condemn them too.. I have no love or hate for any company, just some problems with their some policies. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • You can see the screen shots of my ipod touch somewhere in the forum if you want to... Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/13/stop-whining-free-u...
  • lol the one time Apple decides to give everyone in the world a free gift everyone hates it. Sent from the iMore App
  • Face down on a broken street
    There's a man in the corner in a pool of misery
    I'm in a white van as a Red Sea covers the ground Metal crash, I can't tell what it is
    But I take a look, and I'm sorry I did
    Five thirty on a Friday night
    33 good people cut down I don't believe anymore.
    I don't believe anymore. Face down on a pillow of shame
    There's some girls with a needle trying to spell my name
    My body's not a canvas
    My body's now a toilet wall I don't believe anymore.
    I don't believe anymore. Raised by wolves
    Stronger than fear
    Raised by wolves
    We were raised by wolves Raised by wolves
    Stronger than fear
    If I open my eyes
    You disappear Boy sees his father crushed under the weight
    Of a cross in the passion
    Where the passion is hate Blue means thought
    I'm gonna detonate in your den
    Blood in the house
    Blood on the street
    Worst things in the world are just a flyby belief
    Registration 1485WZed I don't believe anymore.
    I don't believe anymore. Raised by wolves
    Stronger than fear
    Raised by wolves
    We were raised by wolves Raised by wolves
    Stronger than fear
    If I open my eyes
    You disappear (Hope I didn't get anyone's panties in a bunch) Sent from the iMore App
  • Thanks for posting this! Never knew you could do this! Then again, I've never downloaded an album I didn't want... :)
  • iCloud Drive is one big bunch of nothing. I have gone to Scanner Pro and scanned a document which is supposed to be added to iCloud Drive. But I see no folders or anything that looks like what was posted in this article. How do we access iCloud Drive to see what is there, if anything? Apple dropped the ball with iCloud Drive. Instead, they offer the Health App which looks useless to me. ICloud Drive should be an app like OneDrive or Google Drive. Instead we get confusion. I'm convinced iCloud Drive was introduced solely to cause users to use up their 5 free gb faster so they will need to buy more space. That's all iCloud Drive is about. I will continue to use OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, and Folder Plus for my cloud storage needs. Between them all I have about 80 gb of free cloud storage. And I can add more with Google Drive. Why should I bother with iCloud Drive that offers so little? iCloud Drive is nothing more than an attempt by Apple to get more of your money. Just skip iCloud Drive! It's not worth the trouble.