How to Download and Install iTunes for PC: Step-by-Step Guide

Why use iTunes?

Initially introduced on Mac, iTunes is today only compatible with Microsoft Windows (32-bit and 64-bit). This is an essential tool for anyone with an Apple mobile device, whether it's an iPhone, iPod or iPad. A version for macOS existed but in 2019 Apple discontinued iTunes for the Mac. Apple has in fact developed a replacement with the Music application which saw the light of day with macOS Catalina and which has a good part of the functionalities of iTunes in terms of music while the management of mobile devices has been relegated to the Finder . On the Microsoft operating system, the software allows you to play and manage music, films and TV series as well as synchronize, update or reset your Apple device.

The end of iTunes for Windows 11 and 10

With Windows 11, Apple decided to abandon iTunes which was becoming too heavy in favor of 3 separate applications for each use of the software:

•  Apple Music to manage your music library and streaming.
•  Apple TV to access the TV+ service.
•  Apple Devices for managing your iPhone, iPad and other iPods.

A refined multimedia library

As for multimedia, Apple's software acts as a manager and player for music, films, TV series, audio and video podcasts as well as e-books purchased by the user from the iTunes Store or added manually from the iTunes Store. Windows File Explorer. The software thus offers the possibility of importing its audio tracks from a CD or files in numerous audio formats such as MP3, AAC 256 Kbits/s or even Apple Lossless.

The library highlights album covers and allows you to classify your music by artist, albums or musical genre. Even if the software manages reading lists, or playlists, and even offers classifications according to the most listened to, the most recent and the best rated songs by the user, iTunes also integrates a tool called Genius which analyzes the library and allows to match songs and design smart playlists.

The software centralizes all musical resources, both local and online with the online store via the Store tab or via the Apple brand's streaming service: Apple Music. Indeed, unlike iOS, macOS or Android, Windows does not have an application to access Apple Music and users will therefore have to install iTunes to take advantage of it.

Manage and update your Apple device

Even though there are a plethora of alternatives for managing your Apple device, it is clear that iTunes is the only tool offering both the iTunes Store and especially the App Store. The latter allows you to download and update your games and applications. Apple's software is also unique in downloading and installing updates for different Apple devices like iPad, iPhone or iPod.

iTunes is also practical because it supports iCloud on computer, the online storage dedicated to importing and storing photos (JPG, PNG, HEIC, etc.), music and movies. It is ideal for making regular backups of your devices and for transferring your data from one device to another from your computer. On smaller models, image thumbnails appear on the screen

How to manage your Apple devices with iTunes?

iTunes allows you to create backups of your devices and store them locally. It is also possible to rename the device or update it. Be careful, however: downloading updates can take a relatively long time with iTunes.

How to reset/restore iPhone or iPad from iTunes?

To begin the process of resetting or restoring your Apple device, you will first need to turn off the Find My service on the iPhone or iPad in question. You will be asked for your iCloud credentials.

1.  Connect your device to your computer.
2.  Click the Device button near the upper left corner of the interface.
3.  Click Restore, then follow the on-screen instructions.

How to use iTunes?

iTunes has been available on the Microsoft Store in its latest version for several years. It is also possible to download iTunes from Clubic in its most recent version or in earlier versions. Be careful, however, to choose the one that is downloadable since the 32-bit and 64-bit versions are not intended for the same computers. To use services like iCloud or Apple Music, you will need to identify yourself with your Apple ID directly within iTunes.

What are the alternatives to iTunes?

iTunes covers many needs of users of Apple devices and services. From music to device management to images and access to the store. It's difficult to find a replacement for this Apple Swiss Army knife, but we'll try:

AIMP, for music

Just like iTunes, AIMP is not just a music player. The software also acts as an audio manager, making it easy to edit MP3 tags and create playlists.

Playlists are a nice feature here, because aside from creating them by hand, you can also take advantage of the smart playlist creation tool. In addition to this, the software can be used to listen to web radio stations or act as an audio converter.

PhoneRescue, for managing Apple mobile devices

PhoneRescue is data recovery software for finding deleted or lost files on Apple iPhone and iPad (and recently Android devices). iMobie claims that the app can recover a wide range of files, including photos, messages, notes, contacts, call history, calendar, reminders, and third-party app data. The software is available for download on Windows.