Remove iTunes from your computer

Table of contents:

In case you need to remove iTunes from your computer, you will need to know how to remove all its components. This is a lot more complicated than dragging an icon to your Trash. The following steps will show you how to remove iTunes from your PC and from your Mac.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Windows method

Step 1. Make sure that iTunes, QuickTime Player and the Apple Software Update are not running

Step 2. Go to the Start menu and click on "Control Panel

Step 3. Click on "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel

Step 4. Select iTunes from the menu and click "Uninstall

" Click "Yes" when asked if you want to uninstall iTunes.

Step 5. Wait for the uninstall to complete

Do not restart your computer if the program prompts you to do so.

Step 6. Uninstall the following programs in the following order using Install or Remove Programs

Failure to remove any of these programs could lead to "unintended consequences," according to information provided by Apple. Removing these related items is essential for removing iTunes completely.

QuickTime
Apple Software Update
Apple Mobile Device Support
Bonjour
Apple Application Support (iTunes 9 or later)

Step 7. Restart your computer

Step 8. Make sure that iTunes and its related components are completely removed

Verify that the uninstallation of the software is complete and correct.

Select My Computer from the Start menu.
Open Local Drive (C:).
Open the Program Files folder.
Delete each of the following folders, one at a time: Bonjour, iTunes, iPod, QuickTime. Right-click on these folders if they are in the Program Files folder, and select "Delete." If you don't see these files, it means that they have already been successfully deleted.

Step 9. Open the Common Files folder and delete the Apple folder in the same way

Click the Start menu and open My Computer.
Open the Windows folder and then the System32 folder.
Delete the QuickTime and QuickTimeVR files, if you find them there.

Step 10. Right click on your Recycle Bin and then on "Empty Recycle Bin

Method 2 of 3: Mac OS X abbreviated method

Step #1. Launch the Terminal

Go to Finder → Applications → Utilities → Terminal.

Step #2. Type in the following command and hit return

In the Terminal, type "cd /Applications/" and hit return. This should automatically redirect you to the Applications directory.

Step 3. In the Applications directory, type the last command

Type "sudo rm -rf iTunes.app/" and hit return.

Step 4. Type in your Admin password

This confirms the removal of iTunes. The program and its folders should now be removed from your computer.

Method 3 of 3: Mac OS X extended method

Step #1. Make sure iTunes is not running

Step 2. Find iTunes and drag iTunes to the Trash

Step #3. Open the Activity Monitor

Go to Finder → Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor.

Step 4. Select iTunes Helper from the list and click "Stop Process

" When asked if you want to stop the procedure, click "Stop." Close the Activity View.

Step 5. Remove the iTunes Helper from Login Items

Click on the Apple icon and go to System Preferences → Accounts/Users & Groups → Login Items. Select the iTunes Helper entry and click the minus ("-") sign to remove it.