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Apple iTunes Lives on for Windows PC Users

Although Apple is phasing out the media application on macOS, iTunes users on Windows PCs will see no changes in their experience, the company told PCMag.

Michael Kan
 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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On Monday, Apple announced plans to retire iTunes, but the application isn't completely dead since it'll live on for users on Microsoft Windows.

On Windows, iTunes users will see no changes in their experience, the company told PCMag. So Cupertino won't push you to download new apps, at least not in the near future.

At WWDC, Apple said it will break up the standalone iTunes software into three new apps called Music, TV, and Podcasts in the next version of macOS, dubbed Catalina, which arrives in the fall.

Presumably, Apple will one day bring the same apps to Windows, given that not every iPhone customer owns a Mac. Microsoft currently lists the Windows version of iTunes as the most popular app on its digital store, putting it ahead of Netflix and Spotify.

Apple introduced iTunes in 2001 as a way to add or remove music on old-school iPods. It also let you purchase movies, albums, and individual music tracks. However, the company is now diving ahead into the subscription streaming market with Apple Music and the upcoming Apple TV+.

Although the full demise of iTunes may be imminent, Apple wants the platform to stick around as a digital store for people who like to own their music. Mac users will be able to access the iTunes Music Store through the new Music app.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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