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iTunes once combined music, films, podcasts, purchases, library management, device syncing, and local backups within one application.
Newer Macs replaced iTunes with Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and Finder for separate media and device tasks.
Windows users can still access iTunes for specific purposes, while Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices handle newer functions.
For many years, iTunes was the major tool people used to store music, watch films, listen to podcasts, and connect their iPhone or iPad to a computer. Apple built it as a single application that could hold a person's media collection and also move that content onto a device through a simple cable connection.
Today, the software works differently. Apple split its old jobs across separate apps, and iTunes now plays a smaller, specific role. This article explains what iTunes was made for, how it changed over time, and how a person can still use it on Windows or an older Mac.
iTunes started as a single place to do four main things: play media, organise a library, buy content from the iTunes Store, and sync that content with a phone or tablet. A person could add a CD, build playlists, buy a film, then plug in an iPhone and copy everything across in one step.
Its Main Jobs Were:
Playing media - Songs, films, TV shows, podcasts, and audiobooks in one app.
Organizing a library - Playlists, ratings, and file details.
Buying content - Purchases and rentals from the iTunes Store.
Syncing a device - Moving content, contacts, and calendars between a computer and a phone or tablet.
Backing up a device - Saving a local copy of an iPhone or iPad's data.
Also Read: WhatsApp Brings Another Feature for iPhone Users, Chat Backups May Not Require iCloud
Apple stopped using iTunes as a single app from macOS Catalina onward. Instead, three separate apps took over: Apple Music for songs, Apple TV for films and shows, and Apple Podcasts for podcasts. Audiobooks moved to Apple Books, and the job of managing a connected device moved to Finder.
None of the old content gets lost in this change. A person's iTunes library moves automatically into the new apps, and old purchases, rentals, and imports stay available. iCloud handles most of the syncing on its own, or a device can still be plugged in for a manual backup.
On a computer running macOS Mojave or an older version, iTunes still works the same way it always did, including syncing over a USB cable or Wi-Fi.
Windows works differently from Mac. Apple now gives Windows users two options for handling their media:
The original iTunes app - still on the Microsoft Store, mainly used now for podcasts and audiobooks.
Three separate apps - Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices, each built only for Windows.
The Apple Music app lets a person stream and manage music, including songs they already bought through iTunes. The Apple TV app handles films and TV shows purchased through Apple. The Apple Devices app takes over the tasks iTunes used to handle for an iPhone or iPad, such as updates, backups, restores, and manual syncing.
If a person has trouble downloading iTunes from the Microsoft Store, Apple points them to Microsoft's support team, since the Store belongs to Microsoft, not Apple.
Before installing the older iTunes app, a Windows computer should meet a few basic requirements.
A 64-bit version of Windows needs the 64-bit installer, and a 32-bit version is also available for older machines. Some older visual effects made for earlier versions of iTunes may not work with the newest release and would need an update from the people who made them.
For anyone still using iTunes on Windows or an older Mac, syncing a device is a simple task. It supports several types of content, such as:
Albums, songs, and playlists
Films, TV shows, podcasts, and audiobooks
Photos and videos
Contacts and calendars
Steps to Sync or Remove Content:
Connect the device to the computer with a USB cable, then open iTunes.
Click the device icon shown in the top-left part of the window.
Pick the type of content to sync from the list on the left side.
Select the items to include.
Click Apply, then click Sync if it does not start automatically.
A device can only stay linked to one iTunes library at a time. If it was set up with a different computer before, iTunes will show a warning, and choosing to continue will replace the older content with the new library's content.
Syncing over Wi-Fi is also possible once a USB connection has been set up first. Turning on the option "Sync with this device over Wi-Fi" allows the device to sync on its own whenever it is charging and connected to the same network, without needing a cable each time.
Apple suggests cloud-based syncing as a good option instead of relying only on a cable. On Mac, iCloud and Apple Music keep files updated across every device automatically. On Windows, the Apple Music app or Apple Devices app can do the same job. This way, music, photos, and other files stay available on a phone even when it is far from the main computer.
Turning on iCloud or a similar service can switch off some iTunes syncing features on its own, so a person using both methods together should check their settings first.
Apple keeps a support section that covers common iTunes problems, including:
Errors that appear while syncing a device
Notices about contact and calendar syncing ending on iTunes for Windows
Downloading purchased apps or music again
Moving photos and videos from a device to a computer
If a device does not show up in iTunes at all, Apple offers a separate guide for fixing connection problems.
iTunes changed the way people listened to music and managed their devices for many years, and its influence still shows in apps like Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Devices. On newer Mac computers, these separate apps have fully taken its place, with each one built to do a single job well. On Windows, iTunes still exists, but mostly for podcasts and audiobooks, while music, video, and device management have moved to apps made specifically for that job. Knowing which app now does what makes it much easier for anyone moving away from the old, single iTunes app.
1. Is iTunes still available on Windows in 2026?
Yes, iTunes is still available for Windows users for specific functions, while Apple shifted music, video, and device management toward separate applications.
2. What replaced iTunes on newer Mac computers?
Apple replaced iTunes on newer Mac systems with Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and Finder for different media and device management tasks.
3. Can users still sync an iPhone with iTunes?
Yes, users running iTunes on supported Windows computers or older Mac systems can sync selected music, videos, photos, contacts, calendars, and other content.
4. Which Apple app manages iPhone backups on Windows?
Apple Devices now handles important iPhone and iPad management tasks on Windows, including software updates, backups, restores, device connections, and manual content syncing.
5. Does iTunes still work on modern Mac computers?
iTunes is not the standard media management app on newer Mac systems, where Apple distributes its former functions through dedicated applications and Finder.
