iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the Windows (and formerly macOS) operating systems, and can be used to rip songs from CDs as well as to play content from dynamic playlists. It includes options for sound optimization and wireless sharing.
iTunes was announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs on January 9, 2001. Its original and main focus was music, with a library offering organization and storage of Mac users' music collections. With the addition in 2003 of the iTunes Store for purchasing and downloading digital music and a Windows version of the program, it became an ubiquitous tool for managing music and configuring other features on Apple's line of iPod media players, which extended to the iPhone and iPad upon their introduction. From 2005 on, Apple expanded its core music features with support for digital video, podcasts, e-books, and mobile apps purchased from the iOS App Store. The release of iOS 5 in 2011 made these devices less dependent on iTunes, though it could still be used to back up their contents.
What is iTunes?
iTunes by Apple Inc. is proprietary Windows software in the music players category. It ranks 4th by popularity among music players in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2001. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for macOS.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE installers for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. The main installer is 202.8 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 12.13.11.1, released on March 4, 2026. The version history goes back to September 12, 2012: 25 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 1.9 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 2,891,363 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 49 of our languages. On Windows it registers 33 file types, including .mp3, .wav, .m4a, .mpeg and .mpg. Similar programs include Spotify, FLAC and Mixxx.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Documented silent install
- Opens 33 file types
- Also runs on macOS
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2001)
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: iTunes is a music player tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is iTunes safe to download?
- The file is served by secure-appldnld.apple.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
25B28905A81406A5EDBF482F7F3EE4831A8641D32D29DCEDA5D1EB3E8D534C08· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 25 versions ›25 versions over 13 years · about 1.9 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.13.11.1Latest | March 4, 2026 | 202.8 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 12.13.10.3 | March 4, 2026 | 208.1 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 12.13.9.1 | October 15, 2025 | 210.8 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 12.13.8.3 | September 15, 2025 | 210.7 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 12.13.7.1 | March 6, 2025 | 211.8 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 12.13.6.1 | March 6, 2025 | 211.8 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 12.13.5.3 | February 20, 2025 | 211.8 MB | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 12.13.4.4 | October 22, 2024 | 211.8 MB | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Apple.iTunes -echoco install iTunes -yiTunes64Setup.exe /quiet /norestartmsiexec /x {2A63AD0D-9135-4B2D-8095-296BBE33F93E} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Apple Inc.
- Category
- Music players
- Licence
- Proprietary
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Written in
- C++
- Interface languages
- multiple languages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE
- Other platforms
- macOS
- Version
- 12.13.11.1
- Released
- March 4, 2026
- First release
- 2001
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 25
- Updates / year
- 1.9
- Chocolatey downloads
- 2,891,363
- Website
- apple.com
- winget ID
- Apple.iTunes
- Chocolatey package
- iTunes
- MSI product code
- {2A63AD0D-9135-4B2D-8095-296BBE33F93E}
File types it opens (33)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to iTunes
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Frequently asked questions
Is iTunes free?
iTunes is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: Proprietary). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is iTunes safe to download?
The download comes from secure-appldnld.apple.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install iTunes with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can iTunes be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does iTunes run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of iTunes?
The versions page lists all 25 versions with links to their official installer files, back to September 12, 2012.
What are alternatives to iTunes?
Spotify, FLAC, Mixxx, foobar2000 and Clementine. The alternatives page compares them.
