What to Do When iTunes Keeps Opening Itself? [4 Fixes]

“iTunes keeps opening randomly” is a complaint that we have observed from a lot of Apple users. iTunes is a useful app but the random interruptions can be frustrating. If you are currently facing this problem, then we have the perfect article for you.

Today we are going to take a look at what causes this issue and what you can do to fix it. We have multiple methods that you can use based on what’s causing this issue and they are pretty easy. Let’s get started.

Why iTunes Keeps Opening Itself?

We have seen forums where users have been facing this issue since 2011. iTunes usually opens up when your iOS device is connected via a lightning cable. However, it can also open up when your iPhone or iPad gets connected remotely. This can make it seem like iTunes keeps opening randomly.

Another reason could be a software bug that’s the result of an outdated iTunes. Fortunately, these issues are software related and the solutions are simple.

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What to Do When iTunes Keeps Opening?

We have scoured different forums and user comments to find out the best solutions for this issue. We recommend that you follow the order of this list. This will help you identify the issue and fix it if it ever pops up again.

Method 1: Turn Off Remote Syncing

iTunes will keep opening up automatically as long as your iOS device keeps syncing with it over the same network. To stop this, all you have to do is follow these steps.

On macOS:

1. Open up iTunes and then click on iTunes on the top-left corner.
2. Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on the Devices tab.
4. Check the Prevent iPods, iPhones and iPads from syncing automatically option.
5. Click OK and then restart iTunes.

On Windows:

1. Launch iTunes.
2. Click on Edit at the top-left corner.
3. Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
4. Click on the Devices tab and then check the Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically option.
5. Press OK and restart iTunes.

Method 2: Disable Launching iTunes at Startup

iTunes will keep opening up every time you reboot your computer. If you find this annoying, you can simply remove iTunes from the list of apps that are launched on startup. The steps to follow are different for Windows and Mac users.

For macOS:

1. Open up the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
2. Click on Users & Groups.
3. Select your account and then select Login Items.
4. Scroll down and find iTunesHelper. Uncheck it.
5. Restart your Mac to see whether iTunes opens up at startup or not.

For Windows:

1. Press Windows+X keys and select Task Manager from the list of options.
2. Click on the Start-Up tab and find iTunes Helper and iTunes Mobile device Helper.
3. Highlight those entries and click Disable at the bottom right corner of the window.
4. Restart your PC to check whether iTunes keeps opening itself at startup.

Method 3: Update iTunes

iTunes will show a lot of problems if it’s outdated. However, updating it can make a lot of bugs go away. The steps involved in updating iTunes is different on different platforms.

For macOS:

1. Launch iTunes.
2. Click on iTunes at the top-left corner.
3. Select Check For Updates.
4. iTunes will check if there’s an update available and if it is, Select Download iTunes.
5. Restart iTunes and see if the issue persists.

For Windows:

1. Launch the Microsoft Store.
2. Click on the options button on the top-right corner of the Window
3. Select Downloads and Updates from the drop-down menu.
4. If there’s an update available for iTunes, it will show up under the Downloads and Updates header. Click on the downwards-pointing arrow next to iTunes to download the update.

Method 4: Disable Local Sharing

This method has worked for some users out there. Disabling the option to share playlists over your home network means that iTunes won’t be opened by an external device. Follow these simple instructions:

For macOS:

1. Launch iTunes and then click on iTunes.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
3. Select the Sharing tab.
4. Uncheck the Share my library on my local network box.
5. Click OK and then restart iTunes.

For Windows:

1. Run iTunes. (You can download latest version from here)
2. Select Edit from the top menu and then select Preferences.
3. Select the Sharing tab and then uncheck Share my library on my local network.
4. Click OK and restart iTunes.

Final Take

That’s all you need to know if your iTunes keeps opening up without your permission. We hope that you found this article helpful and you don’t have to deal with this issue anymore. If you have any doubts about the methods or any other suggestions, please let us know in the comments section down below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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