Learn what to do if you can’t use the iTunes Store or Book Store on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC and get errors like Cannot Connect to iTunes Store or Book Store Unavailable.
Where can I access the iTunes Store?
On iPhone and iPad, there is a dedicated, built-in iTunes Store app. In case you deleted it from your device, download it from the App Store.
On Mac, you can access the iTunes Store inside the Music app by clicking it from the left sidebar. Plus, you can also open the TV app and click Store to access the movies and TV shows.
On Windows PC (and old Macs), you can access the iTunes Store inside the iTunes app, which is available on the Microsoft Store and as a direct download from Apple. You can also use the standalone Music and TV apps on Windows computers.
And you can browse the Book Store inside the Books app (earlier called iBooks) on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Common fixes for iTunes Store not working
Irrespective of the device, these are some of the fixes you may follow.
Ensure you have a good data connection
If you’re using Wi-Fi, make sure you’re connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. Also, check that you have strong enough signal strength and that you don’t need to log into the network from Safari if it’s an institution network that requires you to sign in to a portal.
If you’re using cellular data, make sure the signal is strong enough for a decent internet connection. It’s best to use LTE/5G whenever possible since it typically has the fastest data speeds. In addition to that, go to iPhone Settings > Cellular and ensure the toggle for iTunes Store is enabled.
Make sure your wireless router isn’t having issues
You should never rule out that your wireless router may be experiencing issues. In the event that you see endless error messages, reset your router to refresh your internet connection, and this might resolve the issue.
Disable active VPNs
Using a VPN might block Apple’s digital content stores from working. So disable it momentarily and see if you’re able to connect or not. If it works after disabling your VPN, then the VPN was the problem all along.
Check your date and time settings
If your device’s date and time are incorrect, Apple’s digital content stores aren’t going to like you too much. On iPhone or iPad, launch the Settings app and navigate to General > Date & Time to ensure that either your time or your selected time zone is correct. If it’s not, enable Set Automatically and let your device do the correct work.
On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Date & Time and enable the switch for Set date and time automatically.
On older versions of macOS, head to System Preferences > Date & Time. From here, click the lock icon and authenticate using your Mac’s password. Next, check the box for Set date and time automatically.
Similarly, go to the main settings on your Windows PC and make sure your computer’s date and time are set correctly.
See if Apple’s servers are down
It can happen that the problem is related to Apple’s servers rather than your device. So visit Apple’s System Status page, which will inform you of any ongoing outages with Apple’s systems. If everything looks green, the problem is with your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC and not with Apple’s servers.
Make sure the software is up to date
Another important thing to ensure is the device is updated.
- You can get the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS from Settings/System Settings > General > Software Update.
- On older versions of macOS, go System Preferences > Software Update.
- And on Windows PC, click Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Call your internet service provider
Believe it or not, Apple says some unnamed ISPs will actually block access to certain ports used by Apple’s digital content stores. You can contact your ISP for more information about whether or not they’re blocking the required ports.
Specific Mac fixes
In addition to the above fixes, here are some dedicated solutions if the iTunes Store isn’t working on your computer.
Make sure you don’t have a firewall blocking digital content stores
Mac users have access to firewall settings, but only for incoming connections. Third-party firewall software, such as LittleSnitch, will allow blocking of outgoing connections. Make sure that both incoming and outgoing connections are allowing Mac App Store, Books Store, and iTunes Store connections.
To check your macOS incoming firewall:
- Go to System Settings > Network > Firewall.
- On older versions of macOS, head to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and open the Firewall tab.
Now, you can unlock your firewall settings and click the Firewall Options button to configure what’s allowed and disallowed.
Specific Windows fixes
Windows can be just as pesky, if not more so. If you’re having issues connecting to the iTunes store on your Windows PC, you can follow some of these steps to resolve your issue.
Update iTunes
Since Apple is pretty strict about keeping software up to date, the problem may be related to an unsupported version of iTunes, Music app, or TV app. Check to make sure you have the latest build of iTunes, Music app, or TV app installed on your PC.
Make sure Windows Firewall isn’t blocking iTunes
Windows Firewall may be configured to block connections to the iTunes Store. You can check out an online support document from Apple on how to make sure Windows Firewall isn’t causing the issues and to fix it if it is.
Reset the hosts file to factory settings
Apple notes that messing with the hosts file in Windows, which was a common way for jailbreakers to perform downgrades in the past, can cause issues with iTunes connectivity. Microsoft has an online support document on resetting the hosts file so you can see if this solves your problem.
Check anti-virus software
Some anti-virus software may report iTunes as a false negative, which may block its internet access privileges. Since anti-virus software is a common thing on Windows, this is a great place to check, too.
iTunes connection errors are never fun and are almost always a genuine pain. This is especially so when you’re just trying to buy a new song, rent a movie, get a ringtone, download a new book, re-download past purchases, and more. I hope this tutorial helped you understand and fix the frustrating issues related to iTunes Store and Books Store.
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