We completely remove iTunes from your computer in two simple ways. How to uninstall iTunes to install an older version of the program on macOS and Windows

Hi all! Are you thinking of deleting iTunes quickly and decisively? Then you have come to exactly the right address - after all, where else can you find detailed and exact instructions(plus answers to questions in the comments)? Only on my blog (yes, yes, yes, the author has absolutely baseless delusions of grandeur :)). However, let's get back to the topic...

What could be difficult about this seemingly very easy process? There is one very important nuance- the thing is that just erase the program ( standard means Windows) will not be enough (how!). In addition, to completely remove iTunes from your computer, you need to follow a few steps: important conditions, which we will definitely discuss in this article.

But first, let's look at possible reasons, prompting you to get rid of the Apple media harvester.

1. Freezes, freezes, takes a long time to load, slows down and stuff like that. If this is only the problem, then you can try. There is a high probability that after installation new version all “dependencies” will end happily.
2. No longer needed. But indeed, backup copies and them can be done not only using a computer, but also with using iCloud(instructions for storing information in the clouds). Update the firmware, download music, upload books - almost all operations with the iPhone (iPad) can be performed without the participation of the iTunes program. Yes, this does not add convenience, but it’s possible!
3. Need to supply more earlier version– here you can’t do without complete removal.
4. The strangest reason, although this also happens, is ordinary human dislike (although rather a reluctance to understand this program).

Note: the instructions are prepared for owners of PCs with an operating system published by Microsoft.

Now let's get down to specific actions. The first thing you need to do is close iTunes.

• For Windows 7 and earlier, it is located in the start menu.
• In Windows 8, use search - enter Control Panel - click on the search result.

In the window that opens, click Uninstall programs.

One by one, we get rid of all utilities and applications that have the publisher in the field - Apple inc.

After removing all this “good”, we reboot the PC ourselves.

As you can see, the iTunes shortcut has disappeared from the desktop. However, some files are still saved on the computer. The figure below shows their location:

As you understand, this is a folder with media library files. Their removal is necessary in the case when you need to install previous version iTunes.

Backups will also remain on your computer. If desired, we remove them manually. Where are they located?

iTunes is a cross-platform media player that is designed not only to play audio and video materials, but also to download content from Apple store, creating backup iPhone copies and iPad. However, if Mac program works relatively quickly and without any errors, then on computers with the operating system Windows iTunes works unstable. Users often notice that software takes a long time to start up, it slow work and the appearance of errors.

Uninstalling iTunes via Control Panel

Installed with iTunes on a Windows 7 PC various components. Among them it is worth highlighting Apple Application Support, Apple Software Update Apple Mobile Device Support and Bonjour. These components are responsible for updating software, connecting devices and synchronizing them.

You can uninstall iTunes through the “Control Panel”, “Programs and Features” section, but ONLY in a certain sequence. It is prohibited to change the order of software removal, as this may cause undesirable consequences. The sequence is as follows:

• iTunes;
• Apple Software Update;
• Apple Mobile Device Support;
• Bonjour;
• Apple Application Support (32-bit);
• Apple Application Support (64-bit).

If on your computer iTunes installed two versions of the Apple Application Support component Apple programs), then be sure to delete both.

After uninstalling the program, you should restart your PC.

Removing iTunes manually

To manually remove iTunes from a computer running Windows 7, you should end all software processes, remove the program itself and its components, and clean the registry. Therefore, let's consider step by step instructions removing the player.

• We complete the processes. To do this, click “Ctrl+Alt+Del” and select “Launch Task Manager” or click right click mouse on panel Windows tasks and select the desired action.

• Depending on what programs are running on the PC, these are the services that will be displayed. Therefore, it is worth initially closing all Apple programs and deselecting all tasks and processes in the Task Manager.

• In addition to the process shown in the screenshot, it is necessary to terminate “exe”, “AppleMobileDeviceService.exe”, “iTunesHelper.exe”.

• Or, as an option, in order not to click all the processes in a row, you can right-click and select “End process tree”, and then confirm the selected action.

At the second stage, we remove the program and components through the Control Panel, as described above. The main thing is not to violate the deletion sequence.

After deleting, go to drive C and delete the following folders:

• C:\Program Files\Common FilesApple\
• C:\Program Files\iTunes\
• C:\Program Files\iPod\
• C:\Program Files\QuickTime\
• C:\Windows\System32\QuickTime\
• C:\Windows\System32\QuickTimeVR\
• C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Apple\
• C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\
• C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Apple Inc\
• C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\

At the third stage, you need to clean the system registry. Before performing this operation, you should make a backup copy of the registry.

• Press “Win+R” and enter “regedit”.

• The Registry Editor will open. Click “Edit”, “Find”.

• IN search bar enter “iTunes”. Click “Find Next”.

• All values ​​that relate to this program should be deleted. To do this, right-click on the section and select “Delete”.

• After removal, you should reboot the system.

Important! If you are not sure of your actions, you should download CCleaner and remove iTunes and registry values ​​with it.

To learn how to remove program components, watch the video:

Despite the times, the Cupertino Media Combine is still an essential tool for acquiring, managing, and enjoying digital content. But some users do not like iTunes, its functionality is not needed by them, they prefer to use other software, like VLC, Vox or Fidelia.

And if uninstalling iTunes in Windows is no problem, doing it in OS X is not so easy. For Mac users we will tell you how you can remove the media player from the system.

Unlike Windows, OS X comes pre-installed with iTunes as part of the operating system. If you try to simply drag the application file to the trash, the system will not allow it and will show this warning message.

Of course, the warning is a bit exaggerated. A media harvester is not required for basic work OS X. It may be required from time to time to play multimedia files, but installing the appropriate analogue will solve this problem.

If you are determined to get rid of the application, then go to the “Programs” folder and find iTunes there. Right-click on it and select Properties. Find and click on the lock icon at the bottom right of the window and enter the administrator password. This is necessary in order to make changes to the access rights settings.

Close the Properties window and try uninstalling the application again by dragging the application file to the Trash. This time, you will not see any warning. Empty the Trash to complete the process.

If, after removing the media player, you decide that you still need it, then open the AppStore and go to the “Updates” section. The system will automatically prompt you to install iTunes again. Alternatively, you can download it from Apple's website and install it manually.

It should be noted that the steps described above do not in any way affect your libraries and files with music content, which are stored outside of the application (usually in Music/iTunes). This means that if you reinstall the combine, you can point to the path to the old library without losing your files.

At the same time, this also means that if your goal is complete removal iTunes from Mac - including all libraries and media files - you will have to find and delete these files manually.

P.S.: There is another, shorter way to delete it - through the terminal sudo command rm -rf iTunes.app/. We have already written about this in

iTunes utility makes it easy to work with video and sound files, allowing them to be found on the network, recorded, stored in a designated place, reproduced, systematized and synchronized with mobile devices. With its help, it is easy to operate with records on phones and smartphones and, if necessary, delete them.

You can delete music from iTunes through the program’s library all at once, in separate blocks, or as single files. Reminder for beginners who do not have proper experience with iTunes: to get to the Music section, you need to open iTunes, in the left top corner Click “Media Library”, then select “Music” from the list. Or from the left side menu select the Music section. All will open music recordings, stored in the program, with which you will continue to work.

Deleting all tracks at once in one step

Open the Edit menu and find the “Select All” option. After highlighting all the files in the same Edit menu, click “Delete”

Or use the CTRL+A key combination to highlight everything and press the Delete key.

You can delete all tracks from any music tab: Albums, Songs, Genres.

Before deleting, you will have to confirm your intentions in the small window that appears. The program asks the constant question: are you mistaken and does it really need to carry out such a ruthless act of destroying all records?

If your hand does not tremble, you will have to press the left button.

And if your hand still trembles and it becomes a pity to erase all the records at once, you need to press the right button and apply the following method.

Deleting selected albums in one go

Enable sorting by albums, hold down the key keyboard Ctrl and carefully highlight all the albums that have become unnecessary. Right-click anywhere in the highlight and call context menu and select “Delete”

Memo: When objects in your iTunes library are destroyed, they will disappear from any device synchronized with it: iPod, iPad, iPhone.

Selective deletion of individual records

When storing tracks in the program as albums, you need to select the “Albums” tab. In the desired album, hold down the Ctrl button on the keyboard, sequentially mark all the tracks that you decide to destroy, and through the context menu called up with the right mouse button, turn to the usual cruel and ruthless command.

As many songs are highlighted, as many will disappear. Deleting is done in the same way through the “Songs” tab. The only exception is that the menu called up will look slightly different.

Without additional confirmation it will not be possible to commit an act of destruction. Again you will have to “talk” with dialog box program and confirm your intention.

The window is the same as the one that appears when you erase all tracks, only now instead of objects it talks about songs.

The second difference is the window. It says “Don’t ask again.” If you check the box next to it, the program will no longer communicate with you through such a window, but will immediately delete songs. This is relevant if files are deleted without help Ctrl keys, not several pieces, but one at a time. A check mark will speed up the process; you will not need to confirm your intention after each click.

Delete key on your keyboard or Shift combination+ Delete performs an action similar to the left button of the dialog box. You can press these keys rather than the button to confirm the deletion. This is relevant for those who prefer to control actions from the keyboard and not be distracted by the mouse.

Memo

Everything deleted disappears only from iTunes; all recordings are saved on the computer. To make them disappear from your computer, you need to find their location and forcefully delete it from hard drive. If the user has forgotten where the songs are located, before deleting in iTunes, call up the context menu on any file, select “Information”, a window appears, at the bottom of which the path to the file is indicated. Along this path you can find the storage location.

When synchronizing music files iPhone and iPad contents are replaced by the media library iTunes programs.

After deleting records from iTunes and subsequent synchronization, they disappear from the memory of mobile devices.

There are nuances that you probably don’t know about.

Unfortunately, none third party software, for example, or , cannot fully replace iTunes (only in iTunes you can use and modes), so you have to put up with the quality of its work.

Sometimes it is necessary to remove iTunes from your computer and install it again or update it, for example, if there is a problem software glitch, after which the program does not start or works with errors.

The sequence of removing iTunes and its components from a Windows computer

As you may have noticed, at the same time as iTunes, other components are automatically installed in Windows, such as: Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Support, Bonjour and Apple Application Support. They are required to update Apple software. iPhone connections, iPad and iPod Touch and their synchronization.

Remove iTunes and all its components in the Panel Windows Controls in the "Programs and Features" menu in the following order:

1. iTunes;
2. Apple Software Update;
3. Apple Mobile Device Support;
4. Bonjour;
5. Apple Application Support (32-bit);
6. Apple Application Support (64-bit).

In some iTunes systems can install two versions of Apple Application Support. This is expected behavior. If you have two versions installed, be sure to uninstall both.

How to remove iTunes from a Windows computer?

If you do this using the operating system, 3 steps may be required:

1. Manually complete iTunes processes.
2. Remove the program and its components.
3. Clear the registry.

1. Terminate iTunes processes on Windows

Depending on what Apple software is running on your computer, there may be different iTunes processes running on Windows. Background processes, addresses Apple servers and the ports through which iTunes connects to them are available on the service page Apple support via the link.

I will not duplicate them completely; I will only list the main ones that may need to be completed manually.

1. AppleMobileDeviceHelper.exe - Monitors control commands to enable communication between iTunes and devices.
2. AppleMobileDeviceService.exe - Recognition iPhone devices And iPod touch in iTunes.
3. iTunesHelper.exe - Monitors control commands to establish communication between iTunes and devices (for example, iPhone).

These processes work in background even if iTunes itself is not running.

To complete them:

Complete other iTunes-related processes in the same way.

2. Removing iTunes and its components

That's not all: While Apple promises that "in most cases, uninstalling iTunes and its associated components from Control Panel will remove all supporting files associated with those programs," but service folders and some files after uninstalling Apple software still remain. They must be removed manually. To do this:

3. Cleaning the registry of iTunes entries and its components

It's easy to remove iTunes and all its components along with the recordings Windows registry using uninstallers. My favorites are the free and paid Uninstall Tool. The latter automatically deletes information about programs in the registry, so there is no need to search for them manually after uninstalling the program.

Over 2 years of daily using a MacBook Pro I only needed to delete iTunes once in OS X. And that was because I configured it incorrectly virtual machine Windows in . As a result, I created a common different versions programs in OS X and Windows. After which an error began to occur upon startup. I had to uninstall iTunes on Mac.

How to remove iTunes on Mac?

The first thing you should know is that it is not that simple. The fact is that iTunes is part of OS X (the program is preinstalled in operating system) and protected from deletion in the usual way(by moving it to the trash can and then emptying it).

All attempts to remove iTunes from the Applications folder in OS X fail with the message: "The 'iTunes' object cannot be modified or deleted because it is required by OS X." And the uninstaller doesn’t “see” the program at all.

And still, there are 2 ways to remove iTunes on a Mac computer in OS X:

1. Complex - using the terminal.
2. Simple - with changing access rights in the properties of the object and then deleting it through the trash.

Which method to choose is up to you. I will describe both, starting with simple ones.

1. How to remove iTunes in OS X - the easy way.

The same can be done using the command in system program Terminal.

2. How to uninstall iTunes in OS X - the hard way.

Conclusion

Despite the apparent complexity of the process, you are unlikely to encounter Windows errors when uninstalling iTunes through Programs and Features, you will not have to manually end iTunes processes and clean the registry first. And on Mac computers it’s completely simple, either through the terminal or with changing access rights. The main thing is to fill your hand.

If you still own an iPhone or iPad, after uninstalling from Apple's official website (it's free) and install. This will avoid large quantity iTunes errors.

Do you have any questions, comments or additions? Write in the comments, we will certainly help (if it is in our power).