How to Reinstall iTunes Without Losing Your Favorite Tunes

Hello, folks! I can’t count how many times I’ve been asked if there is a safe way to reinstall iTunes without missing a beat. The good news? Yes, it’s absolutely possible! And today, I’m here to walk you through the exact steps you need in order to accomplish this. Rest assured, by the end of this guide on ‘how to reinstall iTunes without losing music’, your precious tunes will be safe and sound.

Don’t fret; reinstalling iTunes while keeping your music intact is not as daunting as it may seem. All you have to do is uninstall the current version properly, download and install a fresh version – all while ensuring your music files are backed up correctly too. By carefully following our steps and doing these processes correctly, you’ll have iTunes up and running with all your favorite songs in no time!

How to Uninstall iTunes Completely?

Uninstalling iTunes from your Mac can free up space and resolve issues related to the application itself. However, it involves a few intricate steps due to macOS treating certain pre-installed apps like iTunes as system applications. Below, discover a streamlined approach for completely removing iTunes and its associated files:

1. Terminate iTunes Processes: Open Activity Monitor from Utilities within your Applications folder. Locate any process with “iTunes” in the name, such as iTunesHelper, select it, and then click on the (X) button to quit the process.
2. Boot into Recovery Mode: Restart your Mac and hold down Command (⌘) + R as it boots up. This will launch your Mac in Recovery Mode.
3. Disable System Integrity Protection (SIP): Once in Recovery Mode, access Terminal from the Utilities menu. Type csrutil disable and press return. This step is crucial as SIP prevents the deletion of system apps.
4. Navigate to Applications Folder: Restart your Mac normally and open Terminal again from Utilities. Input cd /Applications/ to change the directory to the Applications folder.
5. Mount System Folder as Writable: Before you can delete iTunes, type sudo mount -uw /System/Applications into Terminal which allows you to make changes in this usually protected area.
6. Delete iTunes App: Execute sudo rm -rf iTunes.app/ within Terminal while inside the Applications directory or specify an absolute path—to remove all components of the app itself.
7. Re-enable SIP for Safety: Reboot into Recovery Mode again using Command (⌘) + R at startup, open Terminal via Utilities menu, type csrutil enable, and press return to turn System Integrity Protection back on.

Remember that uninstalling built-in macOS applications like iTunes can have repercussions on system functionality or other dependent apps/services. Always ensure you have backed up any vital data before proceeding with such procedures.

Also Read: What Year is my MacBook Pro? Discover Its Age Easily!

How to Delete iTunes from a Mac with MacKeeper?

Deleting iTunes from your Mac can be a straightforward process when using a tool like MacKeeper. It not only allows for the removal of unwanted apps but also helps in cleaning up residual files that might slow down your system. Here’s how you can use MacKeeper to efficiently remove iTunes and its associated data from your Mac:

1. Download and Install MacKeeper: Begin by downloading the latest version of MacKeeper from its official website, then follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your Mac.
2. Open MacKeeper: Launch the application once installation is complete.
3. Navigate to Smart Uninstaller: Within the left sidebar of the main window, locate and select “Smart Uninstaller” which is designed to help you remove applications thoroughly.
4. Perform a Smart Scan: Click on “Smart Scan” which enables the app to search for all applications installed on your system.
5. Select iTunes for Removal: From the list of applications detected by Smart Uninstaller, find and select iTunes. Ensure you are choosing precisely as multiple entries might exist for different components or related software.
6. Confirm Removal Process: After selecting iTunes, click on the “Remove Selected” button. You will likely receive a prompt asking you to confirm this action; proceed by clicking “Remove”.

By following these steps, you ensure that iTunes along with its service files and caches are completely removed from your Mac. This process is made significantly smoother and more thorough with the help of dedicated software like MacKeeper, compared to manual uninstallation methods.

How to Reinstall iTunes?

After the macOS Catalina update, Apple phased out iTunes on Macs, integrating its functions into separate apps like Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV. However, users running macOS Mojave or earlier may still want to reinstall iTunes for managing multimedia content or syncing with older devices. The process involves a few straightforward steps:

1. Ensure Complete Removal: Before reinstallation, confirm that you have entirely removed iTunes and related components from your system. This may include manually deleting leftover files or using an uninstaller tool tailored for Mac applications.
2. Download iTunes: Based on your macOS version (Mojave or earlier), download the appropriate version of iTunes from the official Apple website or a trusted source. For example, you might find versions such as 12.8.2 suitable for your needs.
3. Install iTunes: Open the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions to proceed with the installation process. This typically includes agreeing to terms, choosing an install location, and completing any additional steps as prompted by the installer wizard.
4. Launch & Setup: After installation is complete, launch iTunes from your Applications folder. You might need to log in with your Apple ID and set up preferences according to your usage needs—for syncing devices or accessing previously purchased content.

By following these steps carefully, you can successfully reinstall iTunes on systems that support it (macOS Mojave or earlier), ensuring you keep access to legacy media management and device synchronization functionalities.

Also Read: Connect Two Monitors To Your MacBook Pro: Quick Guide

FAQs

Also Read: How to Get Old Versions of MacOS: Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Conclusion

I hope you now understand how to reinstall iTunes without losing a single beat from your favorites. It can seem like a daunting task, but with the steps I’ve outlined, it’s quite manageable. Reinstalling offers you a clean start, free of bugs and compatibility issues, paving the way for better performance and musical enjoyment.

Just remember to back up your cherished tunes and restore them properly once reinstallation is done. This way, you can continue to enjoy your favorite music without any interruption or risk of loss in quality. After all, good music deserves a good platform which is updated and performs seamlessly!