If you are having issues downloading songs from iTunes, there are a few quick troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the problem. First, make sure you have a stable internet connection on the device you are trying to download to. Downloading songs requires a constant connection, so any interruption can cause the download to fail or stall. Next, check that you have enough storage space for the song on your device. If your storage is full, new downloads will not complete successfully. You may need to delete some files to free up space. Also, verify that your iTunes app is updated to the latest version – outdated software can sometimes prevent media from downloading correctly. Finally, restart both the app and your device to clear any temporary glitches that may be preventing the download.
Check Your Internet Connection
The most common reason a song won’t download on iTunes is an unstable or interrupted internet connection. iTunes requires a constant, high-speed internet connection to successfully download songs, albums, and other media. If you are on a slow or inconsistent connection like weak public WiFi or a older cellular data service, it can disrupt and halt downloads. Try downloading on a more reliable home WiFi network or Ethernet connection to see if that resolves the issue. Also turn off any VPN services, firewalls, or network filters that could be interfering with your device’s ability to connect to iTunes. Switch between WiFi and cellular data to test which provides the fastest, most consistent connection speed for downloading.
Restart Your Router and Modem
If you are on a home WiFi network, a simple router and modem restart can help stabilize your internet connection. Power down your router and cable modem completely, wait 30 seconds, then power them back on. This clears any temporary glitches and resets the equipment to allow a fresh, strong signal. Once your home internet connection is back online, try downloading the iTunes song again to see if the issue is resolved.
Move Closer to Your WiFi Router
If you are trying to download an iTunes song on a laptop or mobile device using a WiFi connection, try moving closer physically to your wireless router. Being too far away or having thick walls and interference in between can result in a choppy, unstable signal. Move to within about 20 feet of your router, with as few obstacles as possible in between, then attempt downloading the song again while in this spot. This should provide faster speeds for a successful download.
Check Your Storage Space
If you are trying to download an iTunes song to an iOS device like an iPhone, one common obstacle is running out of storage capacity. Each song requires a certain amount of free space on your device to save and install. Check your phone or tablet’s storage settings to confirm you have ample free space for new music downloads. An iPhone will prevent song downloads from completing if your available storage is critically low or completely full. You may need to delete existing photos, apps, or media files to free up space before new iTunes content can finish downloading.
Offload Unused Apps
One way to quickly free up storage space on an iPhone is using the “Offload Unused Apps” option in Settings. This removes apps you have not used recently but keeps their documents and data. Reinstalling the apps later will restore your data if still needed. Offloading unused apps can provide an easy several gigabytes of freed up space for downloading new iTunes songs.
Manage Device Storage
You can also go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see and manage the usage of all apps, photos, videos and data on your device. This screen will highlight which elements are consuming the most storage, and allow you to delete or offload them. Remove any items you no longer need to ensure sufficient available space for successful iTunes downloads.
Update iTunes
Another potential culprit is having an outdated version of the iTunes app itself. Apple periodically releases new versions that contain bug fixes, performance improvements, and compatibility updates. An older iTunes version may not work correctly when trying to download newer songs or content. Make sure you have updated to the latest iTunes version on all of your devices. On an iPhone or iPad, open the App Store app, go to the Updates tab, and install any pending updates for iTunes or other related apps. On a Windows PC or Mac computer, open the iTunes program, go to the Help menu, and choose Check for Updates to install the newest version.
Restart iTunes
After updating iTunes, restart the app completely to ensure all components are refreshed. On mobile devices, close iTunes from the multitasking view. On computers, choose Quit iTunes in the iTunes or File menus. Then reopen a fresh instance of iTunes and try downloading the song again. A restart after an update will clear any glitches and allow the latest iTunes version to run correctly.
Reinstall iTunes
If updating does not work, uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes on your computer could resolve a download issue. Backup any iTunes content and playlists you want to keep. Then download the latest iTunes installer for your Windows or Mac computer from Apple’s website. Run the installer, selecting the option to delete your existing iTunes data and user content. With a clean slate after reinstalling iTunes, song downloads should complete successfully.
Restart Your Device
An easy troubleshooting step is to restart your computer, phone, or tablet and then retry the iTunes download. This resets any temporary software glitches that may be interfering with the iTunes app. Close all apps and power down your device completely. Leave it off for at least 30 seconds, then power it back on and launch iTunes. With the device and software restarted, attempt the song download again. This basic reboot clears any processes or connections that may have been stalled or frozen, often fixing intermittent issues.
Force Close iTunes
If simply restarting your device does not resolve the download problem, try force closing the iTunes app before relaunching it. On an iPhone or iPad, open the app switcher view and swipe up on the iTunes preview to fully close it. On a Windows PC, open Task Manager and select iTunes for forced termination. For Macs, use the Force Quit option under the iTunes menu. This frees up processes and memory that may fix song download problems in iTunes.
Update Other Apps
Outdated third-party apps unrelated to iTunes can also sometimes disrupt integration and cause issues. Make sure apps like anti-virus software, VPN clients, firewalls, and browser extensions are updated to their latest versions. Also update iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, or Windows to the newest operating system releases. With all system software updated, iTunes should communicate smoothly for downloads.
Sign Out and Re-Sign In
If iTunes is having trouble communicating properly with your Apple ID account, signing out and back in can resolve disconnected issues. On a mobile device, open iTunes, tap your Apple ID icon, scroll down and select Sign Out. Confirm to sign out completely. Then input your Apple ID credentials again and re-sign in. On a computer, choose Account > Sign out in the iTunes menu. Provide your password again to sign in freshly. This reconnects and syncs your account details to potentially fix download problems.
Check Apple ID Subscription Status
Check that your Apple ID account is an active, premium subscriber to the iTunes service. Non-subscribers may experience download limitations, timeouts, or issues fetching restricted content. Visit appleid.apple.com to view your account details and subscription status. Make sure you are an active monthly or annual iTunes Match or Apple Music member with no billing problems or lapses. Reinstate an expired subscription if needed to restore full downloading functionality.
Review Purchase History
Review your iTunes Purchase History to confirm the troubling download is actually a song you legally own. Open your account details and check the Purchase History section. Make sure the song in question appears there as a successful purchase. If not, you may be trying to re-download an expired rental or borrowed song. Downloads are restricted to items actively owned in your purchase history. Restore missing purchases if needed.
Authorize Your Computer
If attempting to download iTunes songs on a desktop computer, the machine must be authorized with your Apple ID account. Open your iTunes app on a PC or Mac, go to Account settings, and select Authorizations. Make sure the target computer is on the list of approved devices. If not, manually authorize the system using the Add Computer option. This authenticates the computer to fully access and download content from your iTunes account.
De-authorize Other Computers
Too many authorized computers on your account can generate issues downloading new content. Check your account’s list of authorized computers, and consider de-authorizing systems you no longer use regularly. Sign in on outdated computers, open iTunes, go to Account > Authorizations, and select Deauthorize for that device. Remove old systems to ensure your current computer has no conflicts downloading iTunes songs.
Review Download Restrictions
Parental controls or download restrictions could also be blocking new music downloads. Check your iTunes account settings for any filters, restrictions, or limits that may prevent certain songs from downloading. Disable any overly strict or misconfigured restrictions that are unintentionally blocking your downloads.
Contact iTunes Support
If you still cannot determine why an iTunes song will not download after exhausting self-troubleshooting, contact Apple support for personalized help. They can investigate your account, purchase history, device details, and system software to pinpoint what is preventing the download. Call Apple iTunes support phone numbers or initiate a live chat support session online. Provide any details and error messages. Apple can also process refunds or billing corrections related to unsuccessful iTunes downloads.
Post in Community Forums
The Apple and iTunes online community forums are another resource. Search and post about your specific song downloading issue for feedback and help from other users, moderators, and staff. Include the troubleshooting steps you have tried already. Community forum posts allow collaborative debugging of iTunes problems, letting users share solutions and preventive measures.
Submit Feedback to Apple
Use Apple’s feedback page to formally report any consistent problems downloading specific iTunes songs or general issues. Your detailed feedback helps Apple identify, investigate, and patch bugs in the iTunes platform affecting download functionality. Be sure to note your device, iOS/iPadOS/MacOS version, iTunes app version, and any other relevant details like error codes.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting intermittent iTunes song downloading issues requires methodically checking internet connectivity, storage space, software updates, account settings, and device authorizations. Restarting hardware and resetting apps can clear many transient glitches. For ongoing download problems, Apple support reps can help diagnose and resolve deeper issues. Persistent iTunes bugs should get formally reported to Apple for further software improvements.