What Authorizing Your Computer Means

Authorizing your computer with iTunes means linking it to your Apple ID so you can play music, movies, TV shows, and audiobooks you've bought from the iTunes Store. Without authorization, you can still use iTunes to listen to music you own or stream from Apple Music, but you cannot play any purchased content on that computer.

Apple limits each person to authorize up to five computers at once. This protects against unauthorized sharing of purchased media. When you authorize a computer, iTunes stores your Apple ID credentials on that machine so it can verify you own the content you're trying to play.

You only need to authorize once per computer. After that, the computer stays authorized until you manually remove it or until you deauthorize all computers at once from your Apple ID settings online.

Key Takeaways

  • Authorization links your Apple ID to a specific computer so iTunes can verify you own the content you purchased.
  • You can authorize up to five computers per Apple ID, and authorization lasts until you remove it.
  • The authorization process takes less than a minute and requires only your Apple ID and password.
  • If you reach five authorized computers, you must deauthorize one before you can authorize a new one.
  • You can deauthorize computers one at a time from iTunes, or all at once from your Apple ID account online.

How to Authorize a Computer in iTunes

Open iTunes on the computer you want to authorize. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Account (on Windows) or Account under the iTunes menu (on Mac). A dropdown menu will appear.

Select Authorize This Computer from the dropdown. A dialog box will open asking for your Apple ID and password. Type in the email address associated with your Apple ID and your password, then click Authorize. iTunes will connect to Apple's servers to verify your account.

Within a few seconds, you should see a confirmation message saying your computer is now authorized. The dialog will close, and you're done. You can now play any content you've bought from the iTunes Store on that computer.

What to Do If You've Reached Your Five-Computer Limit

If you try to authorize a sixth computer and see an error message, you've hit Apple's five-computer limit. You must deauthorize at least one computer before you can authorize the new one.

The fastest way is to deauthorize a computer you no longer use. Open iTunes on that computer, go to Account in the menu bar, and select Deauthorize This Computer. Enter your Apple ID and password when prompted. That computer is now deauthorized, and you can authorize your new computer.

If you no longer have access to one of your five authorized computers—for example, if you sold it or it broke—you can deauthorize all five computers at once from your Apple ID account online. Go to appleid.apple.com, sign in with your Apple ID, scroll to Devices, and look for the option to deauthorize all computers. After you do this, you can authorize up to five new computers.

Deauthorizing a Single Computer

To remove authorization from just one computer without affecting the others, open iTunes on that machine. Click Account in the menu bar, then select Deauthorize This Computer. Enter your Apple ID and password. iTunes will remove the authorization from that computer only.

After deauthorization, you won't be able to play any iTunes Store purchases on that computer unless you authorize it again. You can re-authorize the same computer at any time by following the steps in the earlier section.

Deauthorizing All Computers at Once

If you can't access one or more of your authorized computers, or if you want to start fresh, you can deauthorize all five at the same time through your Apple ID account online. Visit appleid.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID and password.

Once you're logged in, look for a section labeled Devices or Security (the exact location varies depending on your account settings). Find the option that says something like Deauthorize All Computers or Remove All Authorizations. Click it and confirm when prompted. All five computers will be deauthorized when ready.

After you deauthorize all computers, you can authorize up to five new ones. This is useful if you've upgraded your devices or want to remove old computers from your account for security reasons.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

You see an error message during authorization. This usually means your Apple ID or password is incorrect. Double-check that you're using the correct email address and that your password is typed correctly. If you've forgotten your password, go to iforgot.apple.com to reset it before trying again.

iTunes says you've already authorized this computer. This means the computer is already linked to your Apple ID. You don't need to authorize it again. If you want to switch it to a different Apple ID, you must first deauthorize it, then authorize it with the new ID.

You can't find the Account menu. On newer versions of iTunes for Windows, the menu bar may be hidden. Right-click near the top of the iTunes window and look for an option to show the menu bar. On Mac, the menu bar should always be visible at the top of the screen.

You've deauthorized all computers but can't authorize a new one. Wait a few minutes—Apple's servers sometimes take a moment to process the deauthorization. Then try authorizing again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to authorize my computer if I only use Apple Music?

No. Authorization is only required to play content you've purchased from the iTunes Store. If you only stream music through Apple Music or listen to music you've imported yourself, you don't need to authorize. However, authorizing doesn't hurt and takes less than a minute.

Can someone else use my authorized computer to play my iTunes purchases?

Yes. Anyone who uses a computer authorized with your Apple ID can play the content you've bought. This is why Apple limits authorization to five computers—to prevent widespread sharing. If you share a computer with family members, they can all play your purchases on that machine.

What happens if I sell my computer without deauthorizing it?

The new owner won't be able to play any of your iTunes purchases on that computer. However, your Apple ID will still be linked to it, which is a security risk. Always deauthorize a computer before selling it or giving it away. If you forget, you can deauthorize it remotely by deauthorizing all computers from your Apple ID account online.

How long does authorization last?

Authorization lasts indefinitely until you manually remove it. You don't need to renew it or worry about it expiring. The computer stays authorized as long as you want it to be, even if you don't use iTunes for months.

Can I authorize a computer on a different operating system with the same Apple ID?

Yes. You can authorize Windows computers and Mac computers with the same Apple ID, and they all count toward your five-computer limit. For example, you could authorize three Macs and two Windows PCs, or any other combination that adds up to five or fewer.