I cannot download iTunes: Here’s how

In the guide, you are about to read we will try to analyze – and solve – together the most common problems that can prevent the download, installation or update of iTunes on Windows and Mac OS X. In most cases it is not a problem insurmountable, far from it, but if you do not know where to put your hands, it becomes all the more difficult.

I would say that I do not waste any more time and immediately go to the action. Let’s first see how to unlock the iTunes download when the Apple site seems inaccessible or the button to download the program does not work. Then we will deal with problems related to updating the software and its failure to start following an update or a new installation.

If you cannot download iTunes from the Apple website, it is likely that your browser’s pop-up blocker is set too restrictively and prevents the program from downloading.

To solve this problem, if you use Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon at the top right and select Internet Options from the menu that appears. In older versions of the software, instead of the gear icon, there is the item Tools: click on that.

In the window that opens, then select the Privacy tab, make sure that the Enable pop-up blocker is selected and presses the Settings button located next to it. Finally, expand the Block level drop-down menu, select the Medium item from the latter and click OK to save the changes.

If the iTunes site could not be reached or the popup unlocking did not work, you can download the program from the Major Geeks site that provides direct links to start downloading the application from Apple servers. All you need to do to start the download is click on the item Download@Authors Site (32 Bit) if you are using a 32-bit version of Windows or the Download@Authors Site (64 Bit) item if you are using a Windows version 64 bit.

If you already have iTunes installed on your computer but cannot download an update for the program, try the following steps.

If you use a Windows PC

• Make sure you are logged into the system with an administrator account. You can easily check the permissions of your account by going to the User Accounts section of the Control Panel (under the photo of your profile, there must be written Administrator). If you are not logged in as an administrator, log in to the system with an account with higher permissions and repeat the iTunes update process by calling Apple Software Update from the Windows Start menu.
• Download and install the latest updates for Windows (via Windows Update) and try to repeat the iTunes update process.
• Try to restore iTunes installation and update the program again. To restore the installation of iTunes, go to the Windows Control Panel, click on the Uninstall a program icon, select the item related to iTunes and click on the Restore button first and then on Yes.

Uninstall iTunes and install the new version of the program by downloading it from the Apple website. Here are all the steps necessary to complete the procedure correctly. 

• Go to the Windows Control Panel, click on the Uninstall a program icon, select the item related to iTunes and click on the Uninstall button first and then on Yes to uninstall iTunes from your PC. Uninstalling iTunes from your computer does not delete files in the program library. However, I suggest you to create a backup copy anyway, for safety.
• From the same screen, select the entry for Apple Software Update and click on the Uninstall button first and then on Yes to uninstall the utility to update Apple programs from your computer.
• Download the latest version of iTunes by connecting to the Apple website and clicking on the Download button. Then open the installation package of the program (eg itunes6464setup.exe) and complete the setup by clicking on Next, Install, Yes and End.

If you use a Mac

• Open the Activity Monitor utility (find it in the Other folder of the Launchpad), select the Memory tab, look for the softwareupdated process and finish it by first pressing the ” x ” in the upper left and then the Forced Exit button. Then open (or reopen) the Mac App Store, select the Updates tab and download the latest version of iTunes.
• Restart your Mac and try updating iTunes using the Mac App Store.

Were you able to download (or update) iTunes correctly, but you cannot start the program? Try to solve the problem by following one of the suggestions below.

Start iTunes in safe mode by holding down the Ctrl + Shift keys on your PC keyboard or alt+cmd keys on your Mac’s keyboard. If this works properly, it means that third-party plugins prevent it from running.

Restore the iTunes library by starting the program while holding down the Shift key on the computer keyboard and selecting the Create library item from the window that opens. If you use a Mac, to get the same result, you have to start the application and immediately press the alt key on the computer keyboard.

Restore iTunes preference files (Windows only). To do this, copy the first of the folders listed below on the desktop and try to start the program. If everything is working properly, delete the folder you copied to your desktop and continue to use iTunes normally. If the program still gives problems, it returns the first folder in its place, copies the second folder to the desktop and launches iTunes.

For more information on this and other recovery procedures, visit the official Apple Support website.