10 Ways to Fix iTunes Not Opening on Windows 10/11

Why is iTunes not opening on Windows 10, 11? How do I get iTunes to open? Just read this guide to see how to fix iTunes won’t open on PC problem quickly.

By @Lena Last Updated September 27, 2024

iTunes won’t open on PC

My iTunes won't launch on my Windows 11 PC. I don't get any error message, just no response. Of course I have rebooted each time. Still no response. Please help!

- Question from Apple Community

Are you encountering the same problem as this user? You click the iTunes icon but nothing happens. In this case, you cannot listen to music or sync data with your iPhone and iPad. Well, iTunes not opening on Windows 10/11 is a common problem that has been reported by many users.

iTunes won’t open on PC problem often occurs after iTunes and Windows update. Here in this guide, I’ll tell you why is iTunes not opening on Windows and how to fix this problem quickly. If you are also struggling with this problem, just read on to learn more.

Why is iTunes not opening on Windows 10/11?

There are many factors that can cause this iTunes won’t open on Windows 10/11 issue. Below are some of them.

● Improper iTunes installation. You can’t open iTunes if it is not installed correctly. ● Corrupted iTunes file. You will find iTunes not opening on Windows when the files are corrupted. ● Software conflicts. Some antivirus software may stop apps from opening so you can’t open iTunes. ● Peripheral devices. Bluetooth and can also cause iTunes won’t open on PC issue. ● No permission. You won’t be able to open iTunes if you lack administrative privileges.

How to fix iTunes not working on Windows 11/10

What should you do when iTunes won’t open on Windows 10/11? Before calling Apple or Windows support, you can try these methods to fix the problem yourself.

If you don't want to spend time troubleshooting the problem, you can go to the next part to get an iTunes alternative to help you transfer or backup data.

Tip 1. Restart iTunes and computer

First of all, you can try to restart iTunes and computer. Right-click a space on the Taskbar and open Task Manager > Find iTunes > Right-click iTunes and choose End Task. Then you can relaunch iTunes to see if it opens. If it does not work, restart your computer.

Tip 2. Remove any peripheral devices

iTunes not opening on Windows 11/10 problem may be caused by peripheral devices. You should remove any SD card, USB flash drive, or disc. In addition, you can go to Task Manager to disable Bluetooth.

Tip 3. Run iTunes as Administrator

When iTunes won’t open on Windows 10/11, you can try to run iTunes as administrator. Some apps require administrator privileges to work properly. Right-click iTunes icon and choose Run as administrator option.

Tip 4. Run iTunes in safe mode

If iTunes won’t open on PC as administrator, then you run iTunes in safe mode. Hold Ctrl and Shift keys together as you launch iTunes. Choose Continue to turn iTunes in safe mode.

If you can open iTunes in Safe mode, then you may need to check the installed plugins.

Close iTunes.
Go to C:\Users\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes Plug-ins.
Move all the files to another place.
Copy these plugins back to the folder and run iTunes.
When you find iTunes won’t open after copying one of the plugins, then you can copy the rest of the plugins and reinstall the one that caused the problem.

Tip 5. Run iTunes in compatibility mode

Or you can run iTunes in compatibility mode. Click-click iTunes icon > choose Properties> click Compatibility > select Run this program in the compatibility mode > click OK to confirm. After that, double-click iTunes to see if the problem is solved.

Tip 6. Disable antivirus software

iTunes won’t open on Windows 11/10 problem may be caused by security software. You may temporarily disable security software or antivirus software. Or you can go to Control Panel > Programs to uninstall the software.

Tip 7. Update iTunes

Apple always recommends users keep iTunes up to date. An outdated version may be the cause of iTunes not opening on Windows 10/11. Apple is always releasing new versions to fix bugs and errors. You can go to Microsoft Store to get the latest version of iTunes. Open Microsoft Store > Go to Download and updates to update iTunes.

Tip 8. Repair iTunes

You can also let Windows help you fix iTunes when you meet iTunes won’t open on Windows 11/10 issue.

Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
Find iTunes and click Advanced options.
Click Repair to repair the iTunes app, it will not delete any data.

If the problem still exists, you can click Reset and iTunes will be reinstalled and revert to its default settings, however, it will permanently delete the data of iTunes, including the preferences and sign-in details.

Tip 9. Update Windows OS

Outdated operating systems may have errors that prevent iTunes from running smoothly. When iTunes not opening on Windows 10/11, you can go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates to see if there is an update available. If there is, just follow the onscreen instructions to install the update.

Tip 10. Reinstall iTunes

The last thing you can try is to reinstall iTunes. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Find iTunes and click Uninstall. When it’s done, you can go to Microsoft Store to reinstall iTunes on your PC.

If none of them work, you can contact Apple Support as well as Windows Support. Tell them about your problems and what you've tried. They will tell you what to do next. Before the problem is solved, you can use iTunes alternative to help you sync your data. You can keep reading to get the details.

Better alternative to fix iTunes not starting Windows 11/10

It takes quite a long time to fix the iTunes not opening on Windows 10/11 problem. If you need to transfer or backup your iPhone data as soon as possible, then you can use one iTunes alternative like AOMEI FoneBackup. It is a professional iPhone/iPad data management tool for Windows users, which supports backup and data transfer.

FoneBackup

Easy iPhone Data Transfer Software

Transfer unlimited files between iPhone and PC without any data loss.
Easily transfer photos, videos, contacts, etc. as you like.
Quickly transfer 1000 + photos within 10 minutes.
Transfer data from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud in one click.
Various iPhone models are supported, even the latest ones.

Download Freeware Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

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Now you can click the download button to get AOMEI FoneBackup and start the transfer.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI FoneBackup > Connect your iPhone to computer via USB cable > Enter the passcode on iPhone to trust the computer

Step 2. Click Phone Transfer on the left pane > Choose PC to iPhone and click Get Started.

Step 3. Click Music tab > Add the songs you need: drag and drop songs to the box or click anywhere in the box to browse your computer and select the songs.

Step 4. Finally, click Start Transfer button to transfer music to iPhone.

🌟Tip: If you want to backup your iPhone or iPad, just choose Phone Backup and go to Selective Backup or Full Backup as per your needs. For more details, go to this How to Backup iPhone on Windows guide.

Final words

When you meet iTunes not opening on Windows 10/11 issue, you can try these methods to solve the problem. It is difficult to determine the cause of this problem and you need to try these methods one by one to troubleshoot the problem. Hope one of these solutions can help you get rid of the issue. If you are no luck getting iTunes to work, just contact Apple and Windows Support to let the professional help you.