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If you use the iTunes Store, you may have come across this error message: “Cannot connect to iTunes Store”. Learn how to find out if this is a problem with Apple’s servers, your ISP or your device.
The iTunes Store sells millions of songs and videos and usually works without issue. Sometimes users are confronted with connection problems. The most common error message is “Cannot connect to iTunes Store”. This problem could be caused by a variety of issues. Let’s take a look at how to troubleshoot this problem…
Retry Accessing the iTunes Store
If you receive an error while trying to connect to the iTunes Store, the first thing to do is just try again. These issues are usually intermittent. I find when I retry the transaction a few seconds later, it works fine. If you are using iOS or Mac OS X, simply try to purchase or download the item again. If the iTunes Store couldn’t connect upon launch, close the application and try again.
Problem With Apple’s Servers?
Apple’s data center is very reliable, however, like any data center, it’s not perfect. Servers go down due to a variety of issues. Sometimes the telecommunications company connecting Apple’s data center to the Internet is having problems. High volume can also overwhelm servers, making it difficult to connect to the iTunes Store.
Fortunately, it is easy to check the system status of every Apple service. Simply go to the Apple System Status web page to check if the service you need is running. This web page displays the status of every Apple service, including the iTunes Store, iCloud, iMessage, Siri, iTunes Radio, the App Store and many more. The web page also has a timeline showing past issues. If there is a problem with the service you are using, you will need to wait until it is fixed. You can also contact customer support, however, if the issue shows up on the system status web page, Apple already knows about it.
Problem With Your ISP?
The most common reason for the “Cannot connect to iTunes Store” error is a problem with your Internet connection. This is easily verifiable. You can try connecting to a web page on your iOS device or computer. If you experience this issue on your Apple TV, you can try connecting to a third-party service such as Netflix, YouTube or Sky News. If you can’t connect to any other services or web pages, there is a problem with your Internet connection. Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to help troubleshoot the problem.
I have also experienced iTunes Store problems when my Internet connection is slow. It is possible that you can access the web or other services, but your connection is simply too slow to work with iTunes. Basically, the connection is so slow that the authentication (login) process times out. This is usually a combination of a slow Internet connection and high demand on Apple’s servers. You can verify your Internet connection speed using Ookla Speedtest. Ookla also makes a Speedtest app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. There is no specific speed requirement for the iTunes Store to work. However, if you notice that your Internet connection is unusually slow, this is likely the issue.
Problem With Your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
If Apple’s servers and your Internet connection are not the problem, it could be an issue with your device. Problems connecting to the iTunes Store are usually caused by two issues — incorrect date and time settings and obsolete software.
First, make sure that your date, time and time zone settings are correct. This will ensure that you can sync with iTunes Store servers. Tap on Settings > General > Date & Time and verify that the settings are correct. You can also toggle Set Automatically off and on, if the setting exists. This should automatically fix problems with the date, time and time zone. (continue…)
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I can go to app store but cannot connect to itune store they can let it login my any account like facebook and apple id,could you help me please
Have you tried using your Apple ID for the iTunes Store? It should be the same Apple ID that you use for the App Store.
I can’t download anything with my iPhone 6. It only says “Connection with iTunes Store Failed”.
Please help me.
Check out the comment thread, and there is some information about resetting network settings on your iPhone to restore iTune Store connectivity. It seems to be a problem introduced with iOS 10. If it’s not that, it’s also possible that Apple may be having data center problems. Your carrier or Internet Service Provider may also be experiencing problems. Try again later.
Throw your iPhone at the wall and get an Android phone.
Mine is like yours. When I have iTunes running, I login and it keeps saying it cannot connect to the iTunes Store, but at the same time I can click on store and it loads. It just will NOT connect my account with MY music to it, to upload the music I have. Plus it tells me most albums are NOT qualified, yet I bought them on iTunes! It makes NO sense!!
iTunes for computers (OS X, macOS and Windows) is truly a terrible product. I stopped using it altogether. I subscribe to Google Play Music. I also found Apple Music to be hopelessly buggy with inferior audio quality compared to competing services — Spotify and Google Play Music.
As far as albums not qualified for uploading, the match feature only uploads albums that Apple doesn’t already have in the iTunes Store. If you are subscribing to Apple Music, the albums you bought on iTunes are probably already available. If you are just using the match feature, they may already have it in the cloud. Given that these are iTunes Store purchases, that’s probably why they are not uploading.
I really don’t have enough to go on here. Are you subscribing to Apple Music or iTunes Match?
I can’t get on iTunes site or icloud anything that has to do with my accounts on any device connected to my wifi. Son in law came from ky and couldn’t either on his. Messages on computer says cannot connect. On iPad says servers have stopped responding. Apple and my Isp both tried to fix. Nether have heard of this. No one can fix. Amy help?
I had this problem with some devices because my Disney circle was blocking access to them.
why my phone cant connect to itunes ? the first im sign out apple id then when im trying to sign in again , it just appear cant cannot to itunes ? what would i shoud do ? help me ?
Apple had a problem in their data center, which caused an outage with some services. The iTunes Store was offline for a few hours. It is working again. This article has a link to their system status page. You can go to their system status page to see if any of their services are experiencing problems.
If you still cannot connect to the iTunes Store, it may be a problem with your Internet service provider or perhaps a configuration issue. This article presents some possible solutions.
My phone is not connecting to the iTunes Store. It replies “cannot connect to the iTunes Store”. Help me. How can I connect?
You spelled phone the wrong way!
Thanks for pointing this out. I edited the comment to fix the spelling and grammar problems. To be fair, English probably isn’t Umar’s first language, and I welcome anyone from anywhere to post comments. I don’t mind editing them.
Apple TV gen3, unable to connect to itunes store. Mirroring and listening music from a laptop works. Resetting to factory defaults doesn’t work, neither does the unplug for 30 seconds trick. What to do next?
It’s most likely a problem with network connectivity. Your local area network is fine, because AirPlay works. Your WAN might be the problem. You can test this by going to Settings > General > Network and select Test Network. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Do other Apple TV channels work? If so, Apple TV is able to connect to the Internet, but there is a problem with your Apple ID. Go to Settings > iTunes Store > Accounts and sign out, then sign in again. If you can’t authenticate your Apple ID, something is wrong with it. Maybe you are entering the wrong email address or password. Follow these instructions to reset your Apple ID password. Then use this new password to login to Apple TV.
My Iphone 5c was some problems like , the time will always go wrong , the internet always goes slow ( better in my ipad ) and now cannot connect to Apple store please help .
There are a few possible problems. The first is that there is an issue with your Internet connection. Since you say it is better on your iPad, your Internet connection might be OK. Another possibility is that there is a problem with the WiFi module. If this is the case, you need to have it replaced. It’s impossible for me to say for sure. Normally, a faulty WiFi module will eventually fail, and the WiFi setting will appear grayed out. There could also be an app running in the background, which is consuming network bandwidth. Try closing all of your other apps. Make sure no apps are updating. You may also want to turn off auto updates for apps and background content refresh. Check out this article for more information.
How to conect apple iPhone 4s iTune store pls hlp
Try opening the iTunes Store app on your iPhone. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap View Apple ID. Follow the instructions on page 3 of this article. It may be that your password is incorrect or something is wrong with your account information.
Cannot connect to iTunes on my iPhone nor my iPad. When tabbing iTunes icon this appears: “Open the iTunes U app” if I tap on this text this appears: “Cannot connect to iTunes Store”. I can open my App Store without problems.
I have followed every instruction and advises I have found on this, including checking connection, restoring the phone and the pad, verifying my I account etc.
Please help
Have you tried opening the iTunes U app directly? It may be an issue with passing authentication information between the two apps. I’m not sure, because I can’t view the source code.
I can open the iTunes U directly. But iTunes Store still won´t open, seems like it is stuck on this “Open the iTunes U app”
Could restoring factory settings solve this?
same issue here.. 🙁 Cannot connect to iTunes Store.
The problem may be with parental controls in iTunes. You need to launch iTunes on a computer with the same Apple ID as your iOS device. Next, click on iTunes on the top menu and select Preferences from the menu. Click on the Parental tab on the Preferences screen. If you don’t see iTunes U checked, you will need to check iTunes Store, then check iTunes U and then uncheck iTunes Store. You should see iTunes U grayed out, but no other options selected. Click OK when you are done.
You may have to experiment with these settings and try restarting iTunes and your device. I read this on another site, but it was explained quite poorly. I intend on updating this article with a clear explanation of how to fix it. But the crux of this issue is with the parental controls in iTunes. Whatever your current settings are, changing them will likely fix the problem.
This is a bug. I noticed it was like this on iTunes on my Mac. Since I don’t use iTunes U, it didn’t affect me. I am running an older version of iTunes (12.2.0.145) mainly because I don’t use iTunes much at all. I think it’s one of the worst things Apple has created. Perhaps they fixed it in an update. This problem that so many people are having is all the more reason I don’t like iTunes.
Please let me know what is checked and unchecked on parental controls. It will help me update this article, which will help others who are facing the same issue.
I am having the same issue with my iTunes, and also my brother is having the same problem. May be it is a regional issue. I am from Pakistan.
I have tried everything suggested by you in this article but in vain. Still cannot connect to iTunes Store. I can connect to Apple Store and also iTunes U but not the music store (iTunes) itself.
I think parental controls (Restrictions) may be the problem. I need to add this to the article. Check your Restrictions in iTunes (Mac or Windows) — from the top menu click on iTunes > Preferences and then the Restrictions tab. Make sure these are set properly. What happens is that if iTunes U is selected, the iTunes Store is often deselected by default, which blocks access to the iTunes Store.
Im using iphone 4s ios 6 version but when i open my itune store it says “cant connect to itune store”. Whyy??. Any suggestion please?
Unfortunately, everything I know about how to fix this issue is presented in this article. It could very well be an intermittent problem, caused by a network issue or an outage in Apple’s data center. Try everything listed in this article, and hopefully it will work.
I cannot connect to my itunes store, when i open my itunes store it gives the error Connot connect to itunes store
Have you tried the steps in this article?
Apple TV 3rd gen won’t connect to iTunes. Tried everything you said in the post and nothing works. I can’t do anything because it says “cannot connect to iTunes Store” and it won’t do the connection test and even creating a new account is no good. What can I do??
As a last resort, you can restore it to factory settings. It’s not a huge deal on an Apple TV 3. You will need to enter some account information again and download updates. Go to Settings > General > Reset and select Restore. This will basically restore your Apple TV 3 back to original, factory settings. You then need to set it up again, but it doesn’t take that long if you have your passwords and a fast Internet connection for the updates.
I’m using iphone 5s ios 9.1…..
I can’t connect to itune store it’s like cannot connect to itune store…
But it’s connecting Apps store…..what’s the reason?
plz help me
It seems like your network connection is OK. I suggest doing a reset — hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons until you see the Apple logo on the screen, then release both buttons. This should clear out any bad configuration data that may be cached in the iTunes Store app.
I’m using iPhone 6s it’s blocked the home button, l can’t open my phone, tried the pin & thump both won’t open,it’s saying connect iTunes, how am l going to open when it’s disabled my number isv0732524648 please him since yesterday.
I recommend connecting your iPhone to a computer with iTunes. If you don’t own a computer, try taking it in to the Apple store.
I am using I phone 6s. I m trying to connect to I tune store but it always shows like “can not connect to I tune store” my network is in good working condition. Need some guide line my cell number 03205457622.
It could be an issue with your Apple ID. Make sure that your user name and password are correct. Try this:
– Tap on Settings > iTunes & App Store
– Tap on your Apple ID
– You should see a panel with your Apple ID and some options. Tap on “sign out”.
– On the iTunes & App Store setting screen, tap Sign In and enter your Apple ID and password.
If there’s a problem with the authentication at this point, you should get an error. Make sure to get the correct Apple ID and password and sign in again.
I’m not 100% sure if this is the problem, but it’s worth a shot.
I cannot install any apps in my ipad..help me..
What error message are you getting? Is it “Cannot Connect to iTunes Store”? If so, follow the steps in this article. It could also be a temporary problem with Apple’s servers.
How connect iTunes Store plz help me..I can’t use any download & software…
I have the same problem right now
me too
Turn off your iPhone or iPad 1st, and then turn it back ON and go to iTunes store or App store sign In again.
You can also try doing a reset. Hold the sleep/wake and home buttons until you see the Apple logo.
That said, the current issue (today and yesterday) with the iTunes Store is a problem in the data center. You’ll have to wait until they fix it.
Turn Off your Device , after that turn ON your device again and try to sign in in iTunes or App Store
i am using iphone 5s ios 9.3.3 and it cannot connect to the itunes store i have tried every thing but can not work can u tell me whatss the problem??
Did it used to work before you upgraded to iOS 9.3.3?
I cannot access to Itunes just because the versions do not match,i can no longer update the version of my itunes,and my phone is IOS 9.2.1
I have the ssme problem. I am operating my id and passward on laptop correctly. But it is not working on my iohone 4s. Please give suggestion how can i recovrr my data from the cell.
Try doing a soft reset — hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons at the same time until you see the Apple logo, then release both. Your iPhone 4S will restart and it might work. It could also be a network issue. Can you connect to websites or anything on the Internet using this device?
i can go to app store but i cant connect to itunes store with apple id.
🙁 help me please
It could be that the email address or password associated with the Apple ID are incorrect. Here’s some information from Apple that may help:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201487
Why is it when I sign in app store the result is can’t connect iTunes store try again.
There’s a problem in Apple data center. It’s not showing up on their system status page, but I know there’s a problem. This page always gets a lot of views when there is a problem with Apple’s servers. I also experienced a problem connecting to the iTunes Store last night on my Apple TV. Keep trying!
i am using iphone 6s ios 9.3.5 and it cannot connect to the itunes store i have tried every thing but can not work.
There seems to be a problem with the iTunes Store right now. I notice that a lot of people are coming to this page, which usually means there’s a problem in Apple’s data center. Apple’s system status page shows a maintenance window on Thursday from 6pm to midnight Pacific US Time. It doesn’t make sense. Why would they do maintenance during peak usage? I also see, despite the number of hits on this page, Apple doesn’t show any more problems. It seems to me that there are problems in Apple’s data center and they’re not being transparent about it.
I also had a problem with the iTunes Store on my Apple TV last night. There’s not much you can do about it. Keep trying!
Hi
My iphone was restored with iCloud account.all notes and call history and contact turn back but after restoring I can’t connect to iTunes,my time zone and speed network is ok,please help us
Try logging out of your iTunes Store account and then logging back in. You can do this by going to Settings > iTunes & App Store. Next, tap on your Apple ID at the top. Tap Sign Out when prompted. Finally, sign in again with that Apple ID. It should either work or inform you about the problem.
Yeah, thank you that worked for me.
yes its not working right now either
Hi, I am experience problems with my iStore and appStore. It says the terms have service have updated when trying to download apps but then when trying to open the iStore to accept it crashes and says there is an issue. When I try to go through the iStore itself it says it cannot connect.
Apple was having problems in their data center last night. It should work now.
My problem is on my iPhone. I am fully connected to the Internet, my date and time are fine, and my other Apple ID requests work with other places. My issues is the App Store.
I had changed my primary email a couple of hours ago. It worked when I relogged into Apple and the App Store. So I’m logged in under apps and the actual app (meaning the login works).
When I try to download any app (I tried several) it gives me the “cannot connect” when I put in the correct password.
Apple was having problems in their data center last night. It should work now.
I updated my itunes and iphone 6. Now the itunes cant detect my device and I have tried restarting both laptop and phones.
Are you referring to the WiFi sync? If so, you sometimes need to plug your iPhone into your computer using the USB cable to get the sync working again, after certain iOS upgrades.
I have a problem with “cannot connect to itunes store” . I just updated to iOS 10. I cannot download any apps with this problem. Can you help ?
Hey,
i did a soft reset by pressing the home and sleep key as you told and it worked like a charm !!
“. I suggest doing a reset — hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons until you see the Apple logo on the screen, then release both buttons. This should clear out any bad configuration data that may be cached in the iTunes Store app.”
Thanks
The reset fixes a lot of problems. Whenever I have a problem with any iOS device, I reset it. It sure isn’t like the Mac. I never reboot my Mac.
I can’t connect to I to store
i cant able to connect my iphone to my Pc when I am trying connect error massage i got version is old install 64 bit , I did ad up to dated everything but still having same problem , is not connecting to my Pc
Have you tried upgrading your iTunes software?
I updated to IOS 10. Since that time I get the ‘cannot connect with app store’ and ‘cannot connect to itunes’ on my ipad or iphone. I contacted Apple and worked with two different support people for hours on two different occasions. One was a ‘senior’ care advisor. She said she had same model ipad and was having same issue! I tried everything they have suggested… over and over again. I still can’t connect using my home wifi, but strangely enough can connect using my mobile hotspot. However the Apple and itunes sites now want my credit card info again, along with my SSN before I can sign in therefore, I can’t update iTunes on my home computer to perform a backup/restore. I don’t remember having to provide my SSN when I originally opened my accounts years ago! I’m thinking my next step is to chuck my iPad, iPhone and go to an android device! Any suggestions?
It seems like it’s a bug with iOS 10. I’ve been holding off on upgrading to iOS 10, because Apple’s releases have been sloppy for the past few years. I used to upgrade the day they were released. Now I wait a few months. I was almost tempted to upgrade today, but after reading your experience, I’ll wait!
They may have suggested this, but I would try resetting the device. This isn’t a full factory restore, but it will reset some of the cached data. You won’t lose any user data, apps or content. Just hold down the Home button and sleep/wake button until you see the Apple logo. Your device will start back up after a few minutes. It’s kind of like restarting the device, but it clears out cached data. There may be some cached data with your home WiFi network that’s causing the problem.
Another thing to try — sign out and back in to the iTunes Store. You can do this by going to Settings > iTunes & App Store. Next, tap on your Apple ID and then tap “sign out”. You can sign back in from there, or when your device needs your Apple ID.
Since your WiFi network seems to be an issue, you could try forgetting the WiFi network and then signing in again. Go to Settings > WiFi and then tap the “i” next to your WiFi network. Tap on the forget network button and then sign in again with the WiFi password. I would also try restarting your WiFi router.
I’ve noticed a lot of traffic on this page after iOS 10 was released. At first I thought it may be due to demand on Apple’s servers. Now I am starting to believe there is a bug in iOS 10 preventing Apple ID authentication. As usual, Apple will be silent about this and then release a patch sometime, unless they can fix it on the server side.
Thank you for your reply and suggestions! I have tried all those things you suggested multiple times. Nothing works! Using a different wifi source, I was able to access the Apple site and verify my Apple id. However, I still get the same ‘cannot connect’ message.
It’s looking more and more like Apple has driven me to Android devices!
I can’t blame you. There are a few things that keep me with Apple products — high quality hardware, excellent multimedia creation capabilities (peerless on mobile devices), and (unfortunately) ecosystem lock-in (hundreds of dollars of iTunes movies, TV shows and apps). That said, their services are abysmal. They aren’t very good when it comes to running data centers or implementing services (iCloud, iTunes Store). Unfortunately, there are no third-party alternatives. You must have an Apple ID and if, for whatever reason, it doesn’t work, you’re out of luck. Your devices are hobbled without the Apple ID authentication working.
I notice that my Apple TV is asking me to log in to the Apple Store a few times a day. I think there’s something wrong on the server side or with data center operations. Needless to say, it’s quite annoying to type in a strong password repeatedly. Siri dictation doesn’t work well, as it can’t tell the difference between certain letters, no matter how clearly and slowly they are spoken. I’m asked to enter my Apple ID password far too often, for a device that sits in my living room. It’s not by design, but simply due to defective software.
I’ve been reading that Apple is trying to improve their server-side technology. They really need to step it up. Google and Amazon are flawless when it comes to server-side technology and data center operations.
I’m personally going to stick with Apple devices, but to a lesser extent than before. For example, I’m never going to buy another iPad. I can’t justify spending $700 on a device that’s far less capable than a notebook computer and is obsolete in 3 years. An iPhone is enough iOS for me. I will stick with the Mac, iPhone and Apple TV, upgrading them only when necessary. Unfortunately, Apple has really gotten into the business of hobbling older devices. They didn’t do this in the past. My old iPhone 4, which I still keep around, is actually still quite usable because they cut it off from iOS updates. Now they are tricking users into updating older devices, but the updates render them useless. They’re hobbling them so people will buy a new one. The Apple I loved (headed by Steve Jobs) had people buying devices because they were great. Now they seem to be tricking people into upgrading devices, instead of having them do it out of brand loyalty and respect. It’s had quite the opposite effect on me. If they’re going to hobble devices after 3 years, I won’t buy them as often.
I’ve tried logging into the App and iTunes stores many times but I still get this error no matter how many times I try. Could you please help? Thank you!
tried many of the options typically mentioned (like check date and OS). Finally I was so fed up and I reset all the settings, after which I was able to login. There is some setting that was preventing me from logging in, I still don’t know which one. In the mean time I have changed all my settings again otherwise my ipod’s battery is empty after a day
Thanks for the information! I’ll add it to this article.
This is a very big problem and you can’t handle the truth. I’m updating my iPhone 5 to iOS 10. Unfortunately my Internet access stopped and I’m stuck in the middle of updating. And my lovely iPhone tells me to connect with iTunes. When I connect to iTunes using my laptop it says nothing like my laptop can’t recognize my iPhone. It’s like my phone has mental illness. How can I fix this problem? I’m already using 3 iPhone cables, but nothing happens. On my iPhone screen it shows cable > iTunes. Please help me.
You’ll probably need to do a factory restore using iTunes. Here’s some information from Apple.
Only Google works but Facebook & the iCloud Apple Store are not working.
Since I downloaded the last update I’ve started to notice that getting anything from the iTunes Store is a royal pain. I have to turn my phone on and off and even that doesn’t work. I’ve checked my wifi, when I’m not on wifi, sign in/out, etc. I don’t hook this up to my MacBook anymore. You’d think things would be smooth with an iPhone 7.
I’ve heard others mention this too. I’ve put off upgrading to iOS 10 because there are too many reports of defects. The good news is that Apple will fix these problems. Unfortunately, iOS 10 comes with a new iPhone 7, and there’s no way to downgrade. I really wish Apple would allow it, even if it meant starting with a clean slate. My hunch is they do it so they can brag about how many people upgraded to the new version of iOS. If they were allowed to downgrade, that wouldn’t be true. I guess there are some edge cases. If someone upgraded to iOS 10, purchased an app that required iOS 10 and then downgraded, they could no longer use the app. They could issue a refund. Apple likes to keep things simple, however.
Hang in there. It will get better. I used to upgrade to the new version of iOS the day it launched. Now I wait weeks or even months. I can see having some defects in a “.0” release, but these major releases are very buggy. There isn’t an excuse for it. Unlike Android or Windows, Apple’s operating system only works on their devices. They need to invest more in QAT or limit the number of features in a release so that it’s more stable.
In my opinion, iOS 10 isn’t a compelling upgrade. I really don’t care about Messages and those silly stickers. I get it, millennials love iPhones (tattoos and stretched earlobes) and Apple caters to them. I was surprised that the AirPods weren’t made to fit in stretched earlobes. To be fair, they’re giving customers what they want. They seem to be creating their PRD’s based on market research. Other operating systems… Well, you have to wonder how they come up with their cockamamie features. I think part of it is that they need to go where Apple doesn’t want to go, and make that feature seem appealing. It’s like tapping phones together to share data. AirDrop is so much better, but their competitor used it as a selling point. Their competitor also tried to compete on battery life, to disastrous results. Now there are reports another model in their smartphone lineup is having the same problem.
I am unable to open or download updates to my apps. My iTunes account (email address) is associated with an old email address. I don’t have my password nor access to that email account any longer.
I see your dilemma. Even though you normally don’t need to access the email account to login to the iTunes Store, you do need it to retrieve a password. In this case, you’ll need to contact Apple’s customer support. It’s a hassle, but it keeps your account safe from hackers.
I can’t get my iPhone 6 to be recognized at all by iTunes, even though when I plug it into the computer it always asks to “trust” this computer. I say yes every time but nothing happens after that. iTunes is grayed out when looking to do anything with the phone. Yet in diagnostics it recognizes that I have an account, serial, phone, etc. I have uninstalled and reinstalled iTunes. I have had Apple support on the phone, including escalated support, and they can’t figure it out. (They can’t remote into the machine either using their software. Yet I can go anywhere else I want on the internet, including Apple sites. We’ve done every last thing I can think of. Host file: check. Services: check. And so on. There should be no reason for this. It worked about a year ago then stopped working and I have given up on Apple except using the phone for texts and emails. Now when I want to back up the phone, it fails every time, and that’s including choosing just contacts only. So I can’t use iCloud. Verizon will back up most everything but not messages. I want to scream. Or go to Android. It shouldn’t be this frickin’ hard. I have spent literally all day on this. It’s insane. Ideas?
Just a thought — can you verify that the USB port and cable are working properly? You’d be surprised, but a lot of USB ports and cables are defective. I was ripping my hair out trying to update a different device (not Apple) and it ended up being the USB port.
Why can’t you backup on iCloud? If it doesn’t work, it may be that there is some deeper problem with the device.
One last suggestion — try doing a reset. Hold down the Home and Sleep/Wake buttons for about 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo, then release both. When iOS comes back up, try plugging it into your computer.
If all else fails, take it to the Apple Store.
So my iPhone 6 says I have a pending update to iOS 10.1 but when I try to it keeps saying update requested and won’t update no matter what I do. I can’t use my iCloud and iTunes over my WiFi connection, except when I buy data on my phone directly, backed up my phone, won’t even allow me sign in to iCloud to factory reset my phone and hopefully start all over. Help please its driving me nuts.
PS: Buying enough data to do anything over my network is ridiculously expensive.
I’ve heard about this problem, and it seems specific to iOS 10. They probably fixed it in 10.1, but it’s a catch-22. You can’t upgrade without authenticating your Apple ID with Apple’s servers.
You can try doing a reset. Hold down the Home and Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo (approximately 10 seconds), then release both buttons.
If this doesn’t work, try doing the update using iTunes on a computer. Here’s Apple’s instructions for doing iOS updates using iTunes.
I just figured mine out:
1. Reset my network settings (General, scroll to bottom, Reset, mid way select Reset Network Settings)
This was an issue prior to downloading IOS 10.1.1
Thanks for sharing this tip!
Hi all,
Found a solution that worked for me.
After updating my iPhone 5S to 10.1.1 couldn’t connect to App Store or iTunes Store. After hours of troubleshooting – restarting the phone, signing in and out from App Store etc., I discovered that under “Mobile data” there’s an option that lets you select which apps to use WLAN/mobile data or Off.
Both App Store and iTunes Store were set to off. I changed them to WLAN and voila now I can connect to the stores. Hope this helps.
This is very helpful information. Thank you for sharing!
OMG TY SO MUCH I <3 UUUUUU!
Hi. I forgot my iTunes password and ID too and can’t recover either of them due to which none of the software is getting updated. I want to change that ID and want to login with a new one. Please help.
Your Apple ID is your email address. If you don’t remember which one you used, you can go to https://appleid.apple.com/ and try different email accounts out. Once you have your Apple ID, you can use the same site to reset your password.
Apple won’t provide the ID and password, for obvious reasons. If they did, anyone could hack into your account.
I cannot connect to the iTunes store. I have tried using my Apple ID and it still will not work and I cannot restart my device.
It’s possible that the iTunes Store is having problems. Try it again later. It’s also possible that there’s a problem with your iTunes Store account. Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store and tap on your Apple ID. Next, tap on Sign Out. Your Apple ID will be replaced with a Sign In label. Tap on that and sign in. This fixes most problems with iTunes Store accounts.
Since you’re on iOS 5.1.1, I’m not sure if the iTunes & App Store settings are the same, but there should be a way to quickly sign out and in to iTunes & the App Store.
I had this same problem and spent a full day on trying to fix it while receiving Apple tech help also. I finally fixed it by clicking settings, general then scroll to very bottom and click reset. Finally the last thing I did was reset my network settings! Fixed!!!
A few iOS 10 users have complained about this problem and posited this solution. It’s all the more reason I haven’t upgraded to iOS 10 yet. There’s also a battery bug where the device shuts down at 30-40%. I’ll add this to the article when I have a chance. Thanks for adding the comment. It will likely help a frustrated user.
Reset your network settings, that worked for me.
My initial email account is not valid. How do I update it to the more current one?
Apple has a website to do this and some documentation. It looks pretty straightforward.
Try logging into Appleid.apple.com on your internet browser, find account, click edit, scroll down to devices, click device that won’t connect to the Apple server or iTunes Store, click remove. Now go back to your device and enter your password for iTunes again. It worked for me!
Alright please, explain how I can go to the App Store and search for apps, find an app I want to install, but when I put in the password to download it, THAT’S when it says it cannot connect to the App Store. How could it search if it can’t connect?
There’s two possibilities. One is that your email and password were wrong or entered incorrectly. It’s also possible that the authentication servers are having problems. When you login, it pulls up information about your account. You can freely browse the App Store, but when you purchase something, you authenticate with a server. This is the process that’s failing.
Their choice of error messages is unfortunate. It should be something more specific. Of course, they don’t want to tip off hackers, but it’s a confusing error message, as you suggest.
I can’t download any app on my iPad. The App Store is showing “Can’t Connect to iTunes Store” and iTunes is showing the same too.
Plus when I enter my Apple ID it shows verifying connection failed and then the password needs to be updated.
I think there may be a problem with your password. Try going to Apple’s Apple ID website. You can try to enter your email and password there, and if it doesn’t work, you can at least reset your password.
I just turned my phone off and back on and then it worked. Maybe it’ll help you guys too.
Roy Trenneman would agree with that solution. It’s actually funny how often restarting your device will fix things!
My problem is not connecting. My problem is that I am purposely not connected but it insists on sending me that message over and over no matter how many times I close it. It’s very annoying while working and listening to music. Is there any way to turn this notification off?
I believe if you sign out of the iTunes Store, you can avoid this message. Try going to Settings > iTunes & App Store and tap the Apple ID to sign out. I’m not 100% sure if this will work.
Your best bet is to just enter your Apple ID and it should cache it for some time. This happens on my Apple TV from time to time. It keeps popping up the prompt until I enter it. I happens about four times a year. It’s obnoxious, especially because the on-screen keyboard is a chore to use. Also, Siri dictation doesn’t work well with my login information, as certain letters sound too similar to be discernable.
I can not connect to the iTunes Store. The App Store is working properly, but I cannot connect to the iTunes Store.
Date and Time was not set to Automatically. Once changed to Set Automatically I was able to login to iTunes and App Store began working once again.
And if I don’t WANT to connect to the iTunes Store?
I get a modal dialog box (often hidden below other windows) on my PC. Yes I have several home networks and one uses my mixer as the router–and it will NEVER connect to the internet. Meanwhile.. iTunes does play on and doesn’t respond to keystrokes, mouse clicks, etc. THIS IS A BUG–OVERSIGHT.
Note that I ALSO have a house in the woods, off the grid. According to this behavior (observed thus far) I dare not implement a local area network to share devices and try to use iTunes because it will constantly interrupt me and modally remind me that it can’t connect.
I DONT WANT TO CONNECT TO THE STORE–EVER. Unless I initiate it.
WTF,
lma durham nc
I feel your pain. I find iTunes to be one of the most frustrating apps, but it is par for the course with stock Apple apps. Apart from GarageBand, most stock Apple apps are horrible. GarageBand is more of a novelty, but it’s well done. I like Apple devices a lot. Their operating systems, particular Mac OS X, are great. But their apps are horrible and iTunes is one of the worst. I try to look for alternatives. For example, I use Chrome instead of Safari, as Safari is just horrible.
I’m not sure if this will work, but try signing out of the iTunes Store. From the top menu, click on Account > Sign Out… It might work. I tried it on my Mac and I was still able to access my iTunes library.
There are also alternatives to iTunes. If you’re looking to play your music library, there are other apps that can do it, as iTunes music is not DRM protected. These apps won’t bother you about signing in. Since your computer will never connect to the Internet, you’ll have to burn the app installer on a disc or copy it to a thumb drive.
I’ve done all the things on the list above, but still can’t connect to iTunes Store on my iphone 5s. All other services are working except this.
It could be an issue with the iTunes Store. Did you recently upgrade to iOS 10? If so, please read the update section above, at the end of the article.
I have downloaded the latest update from iTunes and now I can’t login. I get an error that states cannot log into the Apple server. I am using Windows 7 and they say that this is compatible. I contacted Apple and they didn’t help too well. Can you help me find a solution?
I don’t use Windows, so I can’t really test it out. You should try your Apple ID on Apple’s Apple ID website. If this works, the problem may be a network configuration issue. Try restarting your computer, which may refresh the network connection and allow you to connect to an Apple server. One thing I remember from years of using Windows — restarting fixes a lot of problems. That’s why Roy’s catch phrase on The I.T. Crowd is “have you tried turning it off and then on again?”. It’s funny because it’s true! I have to admit, iTunes is also quite a mess these days — even on the Mac.
Thank you so much, fixed when reset network settings.
When I try to open the iTunes Store it always can’t connect to iTunes.
Kindly tell me how to fix it and even my App Store is working which definitely means my account is OK.
When I open my iTunes Store app it shows nothing but a blue coloured iTunes U button in the bottom. And then a message “cannot connect to iTunes store”. What should I do?
Can’t connect to iTunes from iPhone 6s Plus. However when trying to access from a different iPhone (on same account) it works just the way it should. Please help.
Try doing a network settings reset. It seems to be a common problem amongst iOS 10 users.
I did a network reset and after going to the Apple Store App I went to the purchases tab and from there I updated the ‘Keynote’ app. From there on, every app would install.
It’s a common issue with iOS 10. A lot of people had to reset network settings to restore iTunes and App Store services. It worked for me. Judging by the traffic on this article, it’s significant but still uncommon.
What to do when this error occurs (Unable to sign in. Your Apple ID isn’t associated with a content provider in iTunes connect ( 2002))
When I open the iTunes Store app, the error occurs that “cannot connect to iTune Store”. How do I resolve this problem?
I am having same problem and have been for days. Reset network, logged out and back into Apple ID. Nothing works!
Try your Apple ID on Apple’s website: https://appleid.apple.com/#!&page=signin. It’s a good sanity check to see if your device or Apple ID is causing the issue. It offers better feedback.
It’s also possible that Apple’s servers or DNS servers are having problems. You can try using a different DNS server.
I’ll update the article with these items soon.
Agree — still an issue, and for me none of the solutions in this post or comments work (but I appreciate you trying to help!)
If it’s a problem with Apple’s servers, there’s nothing that can solve the problem other than waiting. I see a spike in traffic to this post, which usually indicates a problem.
I notice Apple is getting sneakier about reporting the issues. They removed the timeline from their system status page, so no one can see the history of server problems.
The other possibility is that there’s some DNS attack going on. I mention this in the article. I will update it with instructions on how to use Google DNS, which seems to be a better alternative than what most ISPs offer.
I just wanted to purchase one song! I hate Google Play or Google anything!!! They seem to want to take over everything and control my life! P.S. Keep your mitts off my post.
I like Google Play. They give people 48 hours to watch a rented video, as opposed to 24 hours with iTunes. That’s a huge difference. If I get home late, I can start watching a movie on Google Play and finish it the next evening. I can also watch it twice. I also found Google Play Music to be far better than Apple Music. It offers better music quality and fewer bugs.
I haven’t bought any music on Google Play, however, if I do buy music, I will buy it from them. Their music is encoded at 320 kbps vs. iTunes’ 256 kbps.
I edit comments for spelling, grammar and profanity. People have to be able to read comments, after all.
Thank you so much. You resolved my biggest problem.
I have an iPhone 5S. I cannot connect to iTunes. So I also cannot use the App Store. I go to create a new Apple ID and it doesn’t connect me. Another one, I used my old Apple ID it show [your Apple ID has not yet used in iTunes Store]. Please help me to solve this problem.
Try resetting your network settings — Settings > General > Reset Network Settings. You will be required to sign in to WiFi networks again.
“General – Reset – Reset Network Settings” worked for me.
I began having these problems with the iTunes Store on my iPhone 6s Plus recently. Looked on here, and followed the “reset network settings’ suggestion.”
Worked great. Honest truth. I need my music, lol. So, I was like, ‘God, I hope this does work.’ After resetting network settings, not all, just network, all I had to do was reconnect to my WiFi & stuff but that was no big deal. It’s working great now, just hoping it stays that way. Even if it does, I’ll try this again if need be. Thanks!
I’m happy to hear it worked for you. Apple introduced a bug in iOS 10 that affects iTunes Store access. It’s not widespread, but only affects some users. Resetting network settings will usually fix it.
You’re the real G, thank you.
The problem was solved by resetting the network settings as mentioned in the device issues part, thanks a lot!! 🙂
I have an original iPad with iOS 5.1.1, and when I try to update something it asks for my password, I type it in and it says “cannot connect to iTunes store” I tried all of these things please help!
Resetting the network settings worked for me.
I’ve updated my phone few days ago. Now I’m experiencing problems opening iTunes.
Try resetting your network settings. A few people are experiencing this problem after upgrading to certain versions of iOS 10.
This is BS! I have to reset my network settings! Really!
Come on Apple, we’ve come to expect better than this. And all this just to sign in and stop a subscription that just took $ from my account that I didn’t want to – so much for computers saving us time – bah!
I’m not sure that this defect affects a lot of people. I haven’t experienced it at all on iOS 10. It must be some edge case that they weren’t able to detect in QA or Beta.
My iPhone 7 is not ringing even though the sound is set at maximum.
There are two possibilities:
1. You may have the mute switch turned on. If the mute switch shows orange, then it is on and you won’t hear your phone ring.
2. You may be in Do Not Disturb mode. Swipe up from the bottom to reveal Control Center and then check if the Do Not Disturb icon (crescent moon) is on. If it is then turn it off.
I can’t connect to my iTunes Store. Please, I need help.
Unfortunately, I have written up everything I know about how to fix this in the article.
All I did was restart my phone
Thank you very much for your great support.
I can’t sign in to iTunes. It says this Apple ID hasn’t been used in the iTunes store. When I click review it says we’ve run into a problem.
Try your Apple ID on Apple’s website. It will help you figure out if it’s a problem with the Apple ID or your device. A lot of people are solving this problem by resetting their network settings. Check out the comments for more information.
Great tip – solved the issue by resetting network settings!
Thanks 🙂
Thanks, the update about resetting network settings worked for me. I have always been able to log into iTunes Store without any issue, and within the past week or so, I got this message that it cannot connect to iTunes store. That’s all I did, and a download just worked.
Please help me. My iPod is not connecting to the App Store and it’s saying that your Apple ID is not used before this and please review to sign in but when I reviewed it it started to make a new Apple ID.
You may want to check your Apple ID on Apple’s site. This should confirm the validity of your ID.
Thanks it worked!
My phone cannot connect to the iTunes Store. It has been months now. Seriously, I need assistance on this matter. Don’t send a message, instead call me and assist me please. I leave my number here.
Please read through this article and the comments. It has all the information I know about how to solve this problem. I am not affiliated with Apple and do not offer customer support for their products. If all else fails, try contacting Apple’s customer support.
“Reset Network Settings” helped. Thanks!
“Reset Network Settings” fixed the problem. Thank you 🙂
I have downloaded iOS 11 and I cannot connect to iTunes or the App Store… I have been trying to do things through both download messenger and I click the cloud to download, put password in and it goes right back to the same screen. I even tried to purchase something just to see if I could and says cannot connect to iTunes. Have reset network settings and still no luck. Any other suggestions?
I haven’t upgraded to iOS 11 yet, because I feel Apple’s quality has been slipping in the past few releases. My hunch is that it’s a bug. I’ve seen a lot of traffic on this page since iOS 11 launched, so you’re not alone. They’ll probably release iOS 11.0.1 to fix it.
I need your help. My Apple ID can’t log in to iTunes. What I should do? I can’t download all the things on my phone.
Try to follow some of the tips in the comments. You can check the validity of your Apple ID on Apple’s website. The link is posted on several replies in the comments. Good luck!
The update at the bottom of the first page, of resetting your network settings worked for me! Thank you!
My problem is quite unique. I had zero problem, none whatsoever, going to iTunes or App Store. In fact I have fond memories of clicking ITunes and boom I have all these choices. That is, until I got an offer to sign up to iCloud. I wish I never did. But I did sign up with a password and all that, but I already did have an iTunes password. After iCloud both iTunes and App Store completely stopped working for me. For two months now I’ve tried and tried, nothing. I just tried the resett thing, my screen changed afterward but no, I still get the same “cannot open iTunes, over and over.I don’t know what to do.
Using iOS 11.0.3 facing same problem
I solved mine by just simply restarting your iphone seems easy enough!
I CAN’T SIGN IN ON ITUNES. IT APPEARS LIKE ITUNES AND THEN I CAN’T SIGN IN TO THE ITUNES STORE. WHAT SHOULD I DO ??
I can’t even see anything on the iTunes app. My iPhone 7 won’t let me download anything from the App Store either. It just says “Cannot connect to iTunes Store” Please help.
I re-downloaded the iTunes Store app and it is not opening, nothing is popping up not even saying there is an issue, I have shut down my phone two times and reset my networks. My phone is also updated. So what is going on?
Did the iTunes Store app finish downloading? Sometimes when you download an app, it takes a while to completely download and install.
Another possibility is that you may need to restore your device to factory defaults. This will remove all of your user data. You can still re-install all of the apps you own. Make sure to backup your data to iCloud before doing this. When you are done, your iPhone will be like new again. You can go through the process of logging in with your Apple ID and setting up the phone. It’s a drastic measure, but it will probably work.
I can’t sign into iCloud or iTunes. I keep getting a message unable to connect with the server. I’m using iOS 11.2.1
This may be due to a temporary network issue. Data centers tend to be under a lot of stress during the Christmas holidays. Everyone is home and hammering away at servers. Try again and it should work. If not, follow the steps in the article. If that doesn’t work, contact Apple’s customer support.
I’m having similar problem, can access all Apple services – App Store, iTunes Store, but get error unable to connect to iTunes Store when trying to sign into iTunes U on iPad. iOS 11.2.1. Error since mid December.
This is discussed in the comments below. This has to do with parental control settings in iTunes. I need to incorporate this into the article, however, the information is available in the comments.
My iPhone keeps telling me that it cannot connect to iTunes but it’s loading the apps and everything and I logged out now I cannot log back in because it keeps saying it can’t connect to iTunes. I need help. I know the password is right.
You can still use installed apps, even if your iTunes Store account or Apple ID can’t be authenticated. Try going to the Apple’s official Apple ID site to test out your user ID and password.
I could not connect to Apple iTune Store but after following this instruction ” UPDATE: Some users who have recently upgraded to iOS 10 are experiencing problems connecting to the iTunes Store. This has been fixed by resetting network settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings and tap Reset to confirm. Be advised that after your network settings are reset, you will need to re-enter all of your WiFi passwords.”.. i was able to connect to store.
Thanks.
Hey! Please help me out … I have iPhone 7 … updated software … but cannot connect to iTunes Store ???
I performed all these task (including: Reset of network, settings, content and date and time) even I reinstalled my iTunes app but iTunes did not work.. continuously show error “Cannot connect to iTunes Store”. Please resolve my issue. I’m getting worried about it… My software version also updated as 11.2.5.
“itunes cant connect to the iphone (4) because an invalid response was received from the device.” this is what my computer shows me when i try to connect my phone. please help me i cant download music in my phone because of that
My App Store is able to open but I can’t install applications because there is no install button so what’s is the solution
I can’t connect to any of the I services , it shows a blank loading screen then says cannot connect after a long time
Other applications and websites in the browser work so it is not ISP
I have reset the network
Time and date is accurate
And the website to check apple servers won’t even open
Cannot sign in to iTunes when prompted to, while trying to update app’s or download a new one. When I sign in it spins thinking for about 20 seconds before dropping off back to update screen.
With nothing accomplished.
Have tried all kinds of things with nothing working.
Help
Wow, thanks a lot i had my stupid date and time wrong
thx
When I click on iTunes store on my computer from iTunes, it gets me to a page that says, “Get The Music You Want; Watch The Latest Movies, Enjoy Ad-Free TV Shows”; and at the bottom it says, “Your purchases, browsing, searches, and history are used to personalize your experience and improve the store.” Then a click-through that says, “See how your data is managed…” The screen won’t let me click through to buy songs, and the click-through at the bottom doesn’t work. I used to just click iTunes Store and I could buy songs. What gives?
It looks like they’re trying to push Apple Music a bit too hard. I’ll take a look at how to buy music and get back to you.
They removed the capability to buy music on Apple TV altogether. Now it seems, they are erecting barriers to prevent iTunes music purchases.
Personally, I think music subscription services are great, but they’re not for everyone. If you spend over $120 a year on music, it’s worth it. Otherwise, you are better off buying music a la carte.
I prefer Google Play Music to Apple Music, for several reasons…
Hello my itunes store won’t open it just says open itunes u app and i do and still nothing can you help me please??
huh. I have the same issue. I can not even subscribe to a new podcast. Im not sure what a block on “new music” or what not matter in regards to free podcasts. you literally can not go to the store at all. It’s not a music issue its a tech issue. the guy us saying much like me he CAN NOT go to the itunes store at all and you are going off on some apple tv music rant. that helped literally zero and was relevant in no way at all.
Your reading comprehension seems to be a bit off. I am responding to someone who can’t buy songs because of the new Apple Music redesign in iTunes. This is a user interface issue, which is a tech issue AND a music issue, because the user is trying to purchase music. It has nothing to do with downloading Podcasts, which is your entirely different problem.
This person DOES NOT have the same problem as you. I don’t know how you can just mash up your problem with someone else’s and then complain about relevance. You don’t really seem to know what’s going on.
I don’t think you even bothered to read the article. You just read a few comments and took them out of context.
This has nothing to do with your problem, so you don’t have to opine on the relevance.
Did you read the article and follow any of the steps?
Still can not connect to iTunes store Message says “The certificate for this server is invalid.”
I started having problems logging into iTunes on my desktop, after loading iTunes on my laptop. I have iTunes on my iPad, my iPod, my desktop and now on my laptop. Three work fine but now when I try to access iTunes on my desktop, it flashes the login menu box and freezes up my computer. I need to reboot since I can’t X out of it or do anything else. Is it because I have it on 4 devices? Someone told me you can only have it on 3 devices.
Hye im ipad user, i want to ask,why i cannot use my itunes and app stores.please help me.
Hi – I’m from Aussie. I read and saw your comment somewhere from above in here and I tried and it works fine. I did with everything but I did reset warnings and something else. I can’t remember the other one I did when it’s fixed already, so my log in is working fine. Thanks for the tip or advice I’ve read some from above.
Just received my iPad 3 today. Nice packaging, perfect condition, charger included. I wish it came with an original Apple charger so it would charge faster, but this one seems to work OK.
Thanks,
Yisbridge
iPad 3? Do you live in another solar system or something? That thing came out years ago.
Thanks for sharing!
I cant purchase what I want on a game and it says it cant connect to the i tunes store
I’ve already reset the network setting and it’s still saying “can not connect to iTunes” what else can I do???