iTunes

iTunes (/ˈaɪt(j)uːnz/ EYE-t(y)oonz) is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital multimedia, on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating systems, and can be used to rip songs from CDs, as well as play content with the use of dynamic, smart playlists. Options for sound optimizations exist, as well as ways to wirelessly share the iTunes library.

iTunes was originally announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs on January 9, 2001. iTunes' original and main focus was music, with a library offering organization and storage of Mac users' music collections. With the 2003 addition of the iTunes Store for purchasing and downloading digital music, and a version of the program for Windows, it became a 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. Onwards from 2005, Apple expanded on the core music features of iTunes with support for digital video, podcasts, e-books, and mobile apps purchased from the iOS App Store. Since the release of iOS 5 in 2011, these devices have become less dependent on iTunes, though it can still be used to back up their contents.

Though well received in its early years, iTunes received increasing criticism for a bloated user experience, which incorporated features beyond its original focus on music. Beginning with Macs running macOS Catalina and Windows 11 PCs, iTunes was replaced by separate apps, namely Music, Podcasts, and TV, with Finder and Apple Devices taking over the device management capabilities. This change did not affect iTunes running on Windows or older macOS versions.

In February of 2024, most features of iTunes for Windows has been split into Apple TV, Music and Apple Devices. When the apps are installed, iTunes is still used for podcasts and audiobooks.