Amazon MP3 Music Downloads Frequently Asked Questions

• Where are my music downloads from Amazon MP3 stored?
• Do I need to install the Amazon MP3 Downloader to buy music?
• What does DRM-free mean?
• Why are Music Downloads only available in MP3 format?
• What does "[+video]" mean?
• How do the digital videos work?
• What does [+digital booklet] mean?
• What are the technical specifications of MP3 Music Download files?
• What are the technical specifications of video files?
• Which computer operating systems are compatible with Amazon MP3?
• Why is the Amazon MP3 Downloader required to download albums but not songs?
• What is an .amz file?
• What if I have trouble downloading my MP3 purchase?
• Why am I receiving a 'Runtime Error', 'Local File Error' or 'Cant Connect' error message when using the Amazon MP3 Downloader?
• What do I do if I don't have an mp3 player?
• Are there any restrictions on how I use the music I purchase?
• Can I burn my MP3 files on a CD and listen to it on my CD player?
• Why is the availability of some songs and albums different from the CD version?
• Why isn't music from my favorite recording artist available for download?
• Can I download another copy of my MP3 files after the initial purchase?
• Can I return an Amazon MP3 Music Download after I buy it?
• Can international customers buy MP3 Music from Amazon.co.uk?
• How do I add music to the Amazon MP3 Music Store?

The location of your music depends on the applications you use and your operating system.

• If you use the Amazon MP3 Downloader application: The default folder for Amazon MP3 Music Downloads "Amazon MP3," which can be found in the "My Music" folder on Windows and in the "Music" folder on a Mac.
  
  
• If you use iTunes or Windows Media Player: The Amazon MP3 Downloader will automatically import songs into your chosen media library. You can change this behaviour in the Downloader's Preferences menu.
  
  
• If you do not use the Downloader: Files are saved to your computer using your Web browser's default save location. Search for ".mp3" files on your computer or check your Web browser settings to determine the default location for saving downloaded files.

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If you choose not to use the Amazon MP3 Downloader, you can buy and download individual songs only and must completely download each song you buy before buying another song.

To cancel Downloader installation when prompted, choose "Skip installation and continue." Please also choose "Save" when prompted to download the .mp3 file by your Web browser and wait for the .mp3 file to download completely before buying another song. Choosing "Open" will start your default media player but will not save the file to your computer.

• When the Downloader is required: The Downloader is required for buying entire albums or queuing up multiple song purchases for download. If you buy an album and the Downloader is not installed on your system, you will be prompted to install the Downloader or cancel the purchase. For more information, please visit the Amazon MP3 Downloader Help page.

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Digital Rights Management or "DRM" commonly refers to software that is designed to control or limit how a file can be played, copied, downloaded, shared, or accessed. DRM-free means that the MP3 files you purchase from Amazon.co.uk do not contain any software that will restrict your use of the file.

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MP3 is the most widely compatible music file format and is supported by most media player applications, hand-held music devices, and some CD and DVD players. Our MP3 format also provides you with the freedom to transfer music you buy at the Amazon MP3 store to any device you'd like or copy it to a CD without restrictions of any kind.

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When you see "[+video]" on a detail page, this means the album has video content included with the album purchase.

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The videos are available in two formats: H.264/AAC within a .mp4 container and VC-1/WMV9 within a .wmv container. H.264/AAC is compatible Macintosh computers. VC-1/WMA is compatible on Windows computers.

If iTunes is your primary media player, use H.264.  If Windows Media Player is your primary media player, use VC-1.

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When you see "[+digital booklet]" on a detail page, this means a digital booklet is included with the album purchase.  The digital booklet is available as a PDF and can be viewed using Adobe Reader.

Here's more information about music files from the Amazon MP3 Music Downloads store:

• Bit Rate: Where possible, we encode our MP3 files using variable bit rates for maximum audio quality and smaller file sizes, aiming at an average of 256 kilobits per second (kbps). Using a variable bit rate allows us to allocate a higher bit rate to the more complex sections of music files while using a smaller bit rate for the less complex sections. The average of these rates is then calculated to produce an average bit rate for the entire file that represents the overall sound quality. Some of our content is encoded using a constant bit rate of 256 kbps. This content will have the same excellent audio quality at a slightly larger file size.
  
  
• File Size: A typical 3-minute song takes up approximately 5MB of storage space.
  
  
• Download Times: A single MP3 file 5MB in size will download in less than one minute on a typical broad-band Internet connection. A similar download on a 56k dial-up connection can take up to 30 minutes.
  
  
• Album Cover Art: Album cover art is included with each song you download.
  
  

mp4 files

• Codecs:
  • Video: H.264
  • Audio: AAC
• Bit Rate:
  • Video: 1.5Mbps
  • Audio: 256Kbps
• File Size: A typical 3-minute video in either takes up approximately 40MB of storage space.
• Download Times: A single video file 40MB in size will download in approximately 5 minutes or less on a typical broad-band Internet connection.

wmv files

• Codecs:
  • Video: VC-1
  • Audio: WMV9
• Bit Rate:
  • Video: 1.5Mbps
  • Audio: 256Kbps
• File Size: A typical 3-minute video in either takes up approximately 40MB of storage space.
• Download Times: A single video file 40MB in size will download in approximately 5 minutes or less on a typical broad-band Internet connection.

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You can buy songs from any computer with a Web browser capable of downloading files from the Internet. The MP3 files you purchase will download directly to your computer and are compatible with any system that can read the MP3 music format.

The Amazon MP3 Downloader is required for buying and downloading an entire album and is currently available for Linux, Mac and Windows operating systems. For more information, please visit the Amazon MP3 Downloader Help page.

The Amazon MP3 Downloader queues up all songs from an album for download, saves them all to a specific folder on your computer, and can import them automatically to your iTunes or Windows Media Player library. The Amazon MP3 Downloader offers customers the simplest way to download and import multiple songs in one easy step.

The first time you purchase from Amazon MP3, you may be prompted to open or save an .amz file if you have the Amazon MP3 Downloader installed. This file activates the Amazon MP3 Downloader and initiates downloading your MP3 song files. Be sure to select "Open" when prompted.

Please refer to the tips on our Troubleshooting Download Issues Help page. You may need to adjust your network or Web browser settings to allow downloads from Amazon.co.uk.

You will need a media player installed on your computer (like iTunes or Windows Media Player) or a hand-held MP3 device to enjoy your Amazon MP3 downloads. If your computer is not currently equipped with a media player, you can visit our Downloading a Media Player Help page for more information on compatible media players.

Runtime Error or Local File Error

This can occur if the Amazon MP3 Downloader is installed on or configured to save MP3 files to a network drive or file server that you do not have full administrator access to. We recommend uninstalling and reinstalling the Amazon MP3 Downloader on a local drive on your computer and configure it to save your MP3 files locally under File/Preferences/Music Directory.Once you have done this please click on the 'Retry' button in the Amazon MP3 Downloader and your tracks should begin to download.

'Can't Connect' Error Message

This error message indicates that the Amazon MP3 Downloader was unable to connect to the Internet. This may be caused by a firewall application or other security program blocking our Downloader application.We recommend you contact your anti-virus/firewall software provider or refer to the contact details within the manual provided by your computer manufacturer.

Once you have enabled the downloader to connect to the internet, please open the downloader by clicking on Start > All Programs >Amazon > Amazon Mp3 Downloader for windows users and double clicking on the Amazon Mp3 Downloader in your applications folder on Mac.Next click 'resume downloads' in the downloader and your tracks should begin to download.

When you make a purchase from the Amazon MP3 Music Downloads store, you are also accepting and bound by the Amazon MP3 Music Downloads Terms of Use. The albums and songs you purchase from AmazonMP3 Music Downloads are free of Digital Rights Management software so that you have the flexibility to play them on any of your media players, PC or burn them to CD.

Yes. MP3 files downloaded from the Amazon MP3 store should be compatible with most CD burning software or CD and DVD players capable of reading MP3 audio files.

Record companies do not always have the rights to sell all the songs on a CD individually. This may be at the request of the artist or due to other contractual reasons.

Additionally, digital versions of an album can sometimes contain bonus tracks not available on the CD, and sometimes the CD has tracks not available on the digital version. Record companies control what tracks are made available on specific formats, and Amazon MP3 will offer all tracks made available for sale.

Our ability to offer music to you in MP3 format is limited by the rights granted to us by the record companies. Currently, not all record companies grant us a license to sell their music for download in MP3 format.

We are constantly working to establish and improve our agreements with record companies so we can offer a complete selection of music downloads in MP3.

We do expand our selection frequently and encourage you to check back for new additions to our product catalogue.

Your Amazon MP3 Music purchases can only be downloaded once. After you have successfully downloaded the file to your computer at the time of purchase, we recommend that you create a backup copy.

We are currently unable to replace any purchased files that you delete or lose due to a system or disk error. If you encounter a problem with an MP3 file immediately after purchase, please click the "Contact Us" button in the Customer Service box in the right-hand column of this page so we can determine how to help you.

As indicated in the Amazon MP3 Music Downloads Terms of Use, music downloads are not returnable once they have been purchased. If you need assistance with a purchase or download, please contact customer service.

Contacting Customer Service
To reach us via phone or e-mail, please click here. Our live customer service associates are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

At this time music downloads are only available to UK customers (including The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please continue to check back for additional information on supported locations.

If you are a music artist, publisher, or vendor and would like to add content to the Amazon MP3 Music Store, please see the MP3 Music Labels and Artists Guide for more information.