How to Fix iTunes Not Working on Windows PC

iTunes There are many reasons why software cannot start.You can use the potential solutions in this guide to fix your Windows PC iTunes Unable to open (run) problem.

When iTunes fails to run, it displays messages such as "iTunes has stopped working" or "Cannot Run" and cannot be launched.The startup error message may vary, but the result of iTunes not opening is the same.When iTunes fails to launch, users cannot access and use the software on Windows 11/10 PC.

1. Close all iTunes processes in Task Manager

Sometimes, users freeze when they try to launch iTunes because the background process of the software is already running.Ending the iTunes process in Task Manager before choosing to run the software is a potential solution that has been confirmed to work by many users.

This is how to shut down the iTunes process:

1. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar and select the Task Manager shortcut.

2. Click Processes on the Task Manager tab bar.

3. If you see the iTunes process under Applications, select the process and click End Task.

4. Look under Background Processes and disable any other iTunes-related tasks.

2. Use the Windows Store App Troubleshooter

The Windows Store App Troubleshooter can fix UWP apps that aren't working properly.Therefore, this tool can be used to troubleshoot iTunes MS Store app.

3. Set iTunes to run with administrator privileges

Some users say that running iTunes with administrator rights can help fix app glitches.So this is another potential solution worth trying.To do this, right-click iTunes on the Start menu and select More > Run as administrator.

You can also set the iTunes desktop software to always run as administrator in its file location.

However, you can't set the iTunes UWP app to always run with elevated privileges because its installation folder is inaccessible.

4. Run iTunes in safe mode

If you have installed the iTunes desktop software, try running the program in safe mode to fix startup errors.Doing this will launch iTunes with plug-ins disabled.When clicking to launch iTunes, hold down the Ctrl + Shift keys to activate safe mode.Then click "Continue" in the Safe Mode dialog box that appears.

If this method works, it's possible that a plug-in is causing iTunes to crash on startup.You need to remove the problematic plug-in to open iTunes without activating safe mode.You can find and delete plugins from this default folder location: C:\Users\ \App Data\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes Plug-ins\

Note that this potential solution does not work for iTunes UWP apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store.Holding down the Ctrl + Shift keys when clicking on an iTunes UWP application will pop up a restriction window.

5. Run iTunes in compatibility mode

Setting iTunes to run in compatibility mode is a solution that users have confirmed can fix the "iTunes has stopped working" launch error.However, you can only apply this fix in the iTunes desktop software (version 12.10.11) where the installation folder is accessible.Here are the steps to run iTunes in compatibility mode:

1. Press the Windows + E key combination of Explorer to open the iTunes installation folder. iTunes is usually installed in the "Program Files" folder in the default directory.

2. Right-click the iTunes EXE (executable) file and select "Properties".

3. Click Compatibility in the iTunes Properties window.

4. Select Run this program in compatibility mode to activate the drop-down menu for this setting.

5. Select Windows 7 Compatibility Settings in the drop-down menu.

6. Click the "Apply" button to set the selected options.

7. Select "OK" to exit the iTunes Properties window.

6. Use Windows’ repair function to repair iTunes

When iTunes isn't working properly, the repair options are worth a try.You can choose to repair iTunes through the Settings or Programs and Features Control Panel applet, depending on whether you're using the UWP app or the desktop software.

7. Reset the iTunes application

The iTunes UWP app has a reset option that you can select through Apps & Features in Settings.This troubleshooting option clears an app's data and is worth a try if iTunes isn't working properly.

8. Turn off any activated third-party security software

Third-party security software are those that include antivirus software and firewalls.These packages are most likely to cause problems with launching iTunes, primarily because they can impose security restrictions on applications.

Therefore, before launching iTunes, try disabling any third-party antivirus, firewall, or more general security software installed on your computer and see if that helps.Most third-party security applications have a right-click menu option for disabling antivirus blocking.You can usually turn off your security software's antivirus protection temporarily by selecting an option by right-clicking on the system tray icon.

9. Reinstall iTunes

Reinstalling iTunes is the last troubleshooting method to try if all else fails.This troubleshooting method will refresh the application's files and may resolve the installation issue causing the iTunes launch error.

You can uninstall iTunes using the Apps & Features tool in Settings.

After uninstalling iTunes, you can install UWP applications or legacy Windows desktop software.To do this, click to download iTunes for Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store, or from Apple pageClick to download iTunes 12.10.11.If you choose the 12.10.11 option, you need to open the iTunes installation file in the downloaded folder and use this file to install the software.

It is recommended to install iTunes from the Microsoft Store as you can be sure that it is a Windows supported application and the latest version. 12.10.11 is the last desktop software version that Apple has not updated since 2020.

However, users have confirmed that uninstalling iTunes and installing older versions of the software can resolve certain issues.More specifically, the "iTunes can't run" error message is one of the problems that users confirm can be solved by installing an older version.you can start fromApple support pageDownload the iTunes installation file and install the old version of iTunes.

Repair iTunes on Windows PC

When iTunes fails to open, some users may try other alternative multimedia software such as PodTrans or doubleTwist.However, the above troubleshooting methods may fix most iTunes launch errors on Windows computers.So before giving up on iTunes, try these methods.