iTunes, over the years, has become synonymous with Apple. It is almost impossible to find a macOS device without iTunes installed in it. Aside from being a media player, iTunes also serves as a media library, internet radio broadcaster, and mobile device manager. From being a pure Mac-only software, iTunes has spread its user base to other systems such as Windows 7 and Windows 10.
However, even the best programs can be ridden with errors sometimes. Uninstalling iTunes from your Mac, too, is a lot trickier than removing it from Windows. With Windows, you can uninstall iTunes the same way you do with any other programs: you just need to go to Settings > System > Apps & features > iTunes, then click the Uninstall button.
Uninstalling iTunes from macOS Mojave is not as straightforward as dragging the application to the Trash, which is the easiest way of removing an app from macOS. When you try to move iTunes to the Trash, you’ll get an error message saying “iTunes” can’t be modified or deleted because it’s required by OS X.”
All Macs come pre-installed with iTunes, but it doesn’t mean that this built-in media player is necessary for macOS to function properly. You can disregard macOS’s warning and uninstall iTunes from Mojave without having to worry about any negative consequences. If you need to play some audio and video files, you can use QuickTime for your playback needs instead.
If you are not on Mac Mojave OS, you can update to the latest version of iTunes for your Mac OS here! If you are on Mojave, you can only update iTunes by updating your Mac Operating System (OS), which is explained below: STEP 1: Check for an update to your Mac OS. To update your Mac OS/iTunes to the latest version, go to the Apple logo at the top left of your screen and select 'About this Mac.' Try to download an app and rejoice it works! 🎉 If symptoms still persist, leave a comment below and I will do my best to help. Trs96 in tonymacx86.com forum for originally posting the solution. Adrian Voica for sharing the solution on Stack Exchange. Troubleshooting Process. Searched 'App Store' in Console, found these.
How to Uninstall iTunes in macOS Mojave
Uninstalling iTunes will not delete or change your music library. But since that is not always the case, make sure you don’t lose the your songs and other media files by backing up your library before uninstalling iTunes.
Before creating your backup, make sure all junk files are deleted so you don’t copy them over to your backup folder. You can use an app such as Tweakbit MacRepair to totally get rid of trash like deleted media files.
To create a backup of your iTunes library, follow the steps below:
- Open iTunes by clicking its icon on the Dock or searching via Spotlight.
- Click iTunes > Preferences > Advanced, then tick off Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library.
- Hit the OK button.
- Next, go to File > Library > Organize Library, then tick off Consolidate files.
- Click OK.
- Go back to iTunes > Preferences, then copy your iTunes folder location from there.
- Navigate to the folder location on your hard drive, right-click on it, and choose Copy.
- Go to the folder where you want to save your iTunes library backup, right-click anywhere on the folder, and click Paste.
Once you have created your music library backup, you can now uninstall iTunes from Mojave by following the instructions below:
- Navigate to Finder > Go > Applications.
- Scroll down to iTunes and right-click on it.
- Choose Get Info.
- Click the golden lock icon at the bottom of the window.
- Type in your admin username and password. This will unlock the app and allow you to change the app’s permission settings.
- Click Sharing & Permissions to expand and show the options.
- Beside everyone, change Privilege to Read & Write by clicking the up and down arrows. This will give you complete control over the application and will remove the warning message shown whenever you drag iTunes to the Trash.
- Close the information window.
- Go back to Applications > iTunes.
- Drag the icon to the Trash, then empty it to complete the process.
This will uninstall the iTunes app from your Mac, but your library should still be intact. In case you want to reinstall iTunes, you can simply point iTunes to your old library to recover your media files.
How to Reinstall iTunes Without Losing Music
Reinstalling iTunes is as easy as launching Mac App Store and checking the Software Update tab. Software Update will automatically scan your computer for missing components, such as iTunes, and try to restore them. The latest version of iTunes, which is version 12.9, comes installed with macOS Mojave, and there is no standalone installer for it. You can download version 12.8 here instead, or the Windows version here.
Once you have reinstalled iTunes, go to Music and check if your music library is intact. If the library is empty or there are missing songs, you need to reset your cache.
To do this:
- Click iTunes, then choose Preferences.
- Click Advanced, then hit the Reset Cache button.
- Click OK to exit.
- Check iTunes’s My Music tab once again to see if the library has been restored.
If this doesn’t work, try launching the app in Safe Mode by holding Command + Option while launching iTunes. Another option is to delete the cache in your Music folder.
Summary
Uninstalling the iTunes app is an effective troubleshooting method if you’re experiencing errors or other issues with the application. However, some Mac users are hesitant to uninstall iTunes because they are afraid of losing their entire music library. Downloading all those songs would be time-consuming and a hassle.
Fortunately, you can uninstall iTunes without losing your music by following the steps listed in the guide above. You no longer have to worry about losing your songs if you need to uninstall then reinstall iTunes on your Mac.
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Can’t redownload your purchased items in iTunes? Don’t fret over it at all as many of us have faced it quite a few times. There are several reasons why your purchased contents might not be available for download. As for instance, you may have mistakenly hidden them.
Fortunately, there are some handy tricks that can bring your purchased items back to life. It might not be a straightforward task but this guide can get the job done for you. Let’s find out!
Can’t Download Purchased Music from iTunes on Windows or Mac
Are Your Purchases Hidden?
Make sure the purchases you are trying to redownload are not hidden.
Step #1. Launch iTunes on your PC or Mac.
Step #2. Go to iTunes Store (only if you aren’t automatically landed on that page).
Step #3. Now on the right side on the screen, you’ll have “Music Quick Links“. Under that click on “Account“.
Step #4. You’ll need to sign-in using your Apple ID and Password.
Step #5. This will redirect you to Account Information page. Now, under the heading “iTunes in the Cloud“, click on Manage located against Hidden Purchases.
Step #6. You will get the list (Or a single song) you purchased.
Step #7. Now click on “unhide” button below the song.
Step #8. On the top click on “My Music“.
Step #9. You will see the song you just unhide along with a Cloud icon. Just click on the Cloud icon to download the song.
You can also hide the song again. To do so, just click on the song and then click on “More” (three dots). Now from the list select “Delete” and you will get a pop-up with two options: “Hide Items” and “Cancel”. Click on “Hide Items” to hide the song again.
Is Your Device Associated with Another Apple ID?
“This device is associated with another Apple ID. You cannot associate this device with another Apple ID for [number] days.”
Download Song Not Showing In Itunes Mac Mojave Dmg
If your device is associated with another Apple ID, you would have to wait for a few days before you can associate it with another Apple ID.
Your Mac or iOS device automatically gets associated with an Apple ID when you use certain features like turn on iCloud Music Library, Automatic Downloads, Family Sharing, Download music or past purchases on your device or subscribe to iTunes Match.
To remove your associated device, open iTunes → Sign into your iTunes Account, if you are not already → Click on Account Menu → View My Account → enter your password again and click on View Account. Now, scroll to the iTunes section and click on Manage devices. In the end, remove the associated device.
Is the Content Available for Redownload?
The content which you had purchased earlier might not be available for redownload if they don’t exist on iTunes anymore.
Have You changed your Country?
If you have changed the country for your Apple ID, you may not be able to download the contents you have purchased in the previous country.
Hence, you need to make sure that your country, where you are currently living, allow to redownload the items.
Have Your Purchases been Refunded?
If your previous purchases have been refunded, they might not be available.
Other Solutions
Solution #1: Quick Retake
Step #1. Head over to iTunes store and choose Purchased.
Step #2. Next, select Not in My Library. Next, you need to click on the respective menu like Music, Apps, TV Shows, or Audiobooks.
You should see the list of all the items that are not available in your library.
Step #3. Click on Download All from the bottom right corner.
Step #4. Next restart your computer.
Solution #2: Sign Out of iTunes and then Sign In
Try to sign out of iTunes and sign back in. Open iTunes → Click on Account menu → Sign Out. Wait for some time and then sign in again.
Download Song Not Showing In Itunes Mac Mojave 10.14
Report the Problem, If Nothing Has Worked for You…
If nothing has worked and you are unable to find the item that you purchased in the iTunes Store, you need to report the problem.
Apple allows you to report a problem with a purchase made within the last 90 days. You need to contact iTunes Store support if you want to report for an older purchase.
Read More:
Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com who has a keen eye for news, rumors and all the unusual stuff that happens around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting contents on social media.
Downloaded Songs On Itunes Not Showing Up
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