iTunes 11 doesn't remember to show cloud purchases

On this particular computer, I use iTunes 11 only with my cloud purchases – I don't have any music stored locally. Very often (but not always), when I launch iTunes, it comes up with an empty library because the preference setting to display cloud purchases is switched to off.

I keep switching the preference back on, yet it keeps disabling itself again in the future. Is there any way to get it to stick?

Update: even weirder, sometimes when this happens the checkbox to show or hide cloud purchases (in Preferences > Store) actually disappears. Literally, I go into Preferences and it simply isn't there. If I quit and relaunch multiple times, eventually it comes back and then I can reenable it. I'll take a screenshot the next time this happens.

Solution 1:

I had this exact problem so I telephoned Apple support and the first thing they told me to do was to check the same setting on my other devices. I discovered that my iMac had the option in preferences un-checked and it seems that this was over-riding the option on my MacBook Air.

This has worked for me, so I suggest that you check the preferences on any other devices you have and make them all the same. This is probably a bug that Apple need to sort out because if you want the option on one device but not the other then you will cause the conflict.

Solution 2:

I know this is an old post, but I encountered the same problem so this is for anyone else with this issue.

To correct it, you need to access your iTunes account from within iTunes.

• Go to iTunes Store > Quick Links > Account.
• It will ask for your password again.
• Login, then go to Edit > Preferences > Store.
• You should now see the option to enable iCloud music.