What Authorizing Your Computer Does

Authorizing your computer in iTunes lets you play music, movies, TV shows, and audiobooks you bought from the iTunes Store on that specific machine. Without authorization, iTunes will block playback of content you purchased with your Apple ID, even though the files are on your hard drive. Authorization ties your computer to your Apple account so iTunes can verify you own the rights to play that content.

You can authorize up to five computers at the same time under one Apple ID. If you reach that limit and want to use a sixth computer, you must deauthorize one of the existing computers first. This system prevents unlimited sharing of purchased content across many machines.

Key Takeaways

  • Authorization connects your computer to your Apple ID so iTunes recognizes you own the content you purchased.
  • You can authorize up to five computers per Apple ID; reaching that limit requires deauthorizing an old computer before adding a new one.
  • The authorization process takes less than one minute and requires only your Apple ID and password.
  • Deauthorizing a computer removes it from your account and stops playback of purchased content on that machine.

How to Authorize a Computer on Windows or Mac

Open iTunes on the computer you want to authorize. Click the Account menu at the top of the window (on Windows, this is under the menu bar; on Mac, it is in the top menu). Select Authorization, then click Authorize This Computer.

A dialog box will appear asking for your Apple ID and password. Enter both and click Authorize. iTunes will confirm that your computer is now authorized. The process is when ready—you do not need to restart iTunes or your computer.

If you do not see the Account menu, make sure you are using iTunes version 12.1 or later. On older versions, the menu location may differ slightly, but the authorization option is always under Account or a similar menu heading.

What Happens When You Authorize

Once authorized, your computer can play any content you purchased with that Apple ID. This includes music bought from the iTunes Store, movies, TV episodes, audiobooks, and podcasts marked as paid content. The authorization stays active until you manually deauthorize the computer or until you change your Apple ID password.

Changing your Apple ID password does not automatically deauthorize your computer, but it is a good security practice to deauthorize machines you no longer use regularly. If someone gains access to your password, they could authorize their own computer under your account and play your purchased content.

Deauthorizing a Computer

To remove a computer from your authorized list, open iTunes, click Account, select Authorization, and click Deauthorize This Computer. Enter your Apple ID and password when prompted. The computer will no longer be able to play content you purchased through iTunes.

You can also deauthorize computers remotely through your Apple ID account on Apple's website. Log in to appleid.apple.com, go to Devices, find the computer you want to remove, and select Remove from Account. This is useful if you no longer have access to the physical computer or if you sold it and forgot to deauthorize it first.

What to Do If You Have Reached Your Authorization Limit

If you try to authorize a sixth computer and iTunes tells you that you have reached your limit, you must deauthorize one of your existing computers before you can authorize the new one. Check which computers you currently have authorized by logging into appleid.apple.com, clicking Devices, and reviewing the list.

Deauthorize the computer you use least often or one you no longer own. Once you deauthorize it, you can when ready authorize your new computer. Apple allows you to deauthorize all computers at once through your Apple ID account, but this will require you to re-authorize every machine you still use, so use this option only if you have lost track of which computers are authorized.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

iTunes says your password is wrong: Make sure you are entering your full Apple ID (usually an email address) and the correct password. If you have recently changed your password, use the new one. If you cannot remember your password, visit iforgot.apple.com to reset it.

You cannot find the Account menu: On some versions of iTunes, the menu bar is hidden by default. Press Ctrl+B on Windows or Command+B on Mac to show it. If you are using a very old version of iTunes, the authorization option may be under a different menu—check the Help section or update iTunes to the latest version.

iTunes says you have already authorized this computer: Your computer is already authorized under your Apple ID. You do not need to authorize it again. If you want to switch to a different Apple ID, deauthorize first, then authorize with the new account.

You sold your computer and forgot to deauthorize it: Log into appleid.apple.com, go to Devices, find the old computer, and select Remove from Account. This frees up one of your five authorization slots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to authorize my computer if I only stream music from Apple Music?

No. Authorization is only required for content you purchased and own. Apple Music is a streaming service, so you do not need authorization to listen to it. However, if you have any purchased songs or videos in your library, you will need authorization to play those.

What happens to my authorized computer if I change my Apple ID password?

Your computer stays authorized and can continue playing purchased content. However, for security reasons, you should deauthorize any computers you no longer use regularly after changing your password. Changing your password does not automatically log you out of iTunes on authorized machines.

Can I authorize a computer that belongs to someone else?

Yes, but that person will be able to play all content you purchased with your Apple ID on that computer. Only authorize computers you trust. Each authorized computer can play your entire purchase history, so be cautious about authorizing shared or public machines.

How long does authorization last?

Authorization lasts indefinitely until you manually deauthorize the computer or change your Apple ID password. You do not need to re-authorize every year or after a certain period. Once authorized, a computer stays authorized unless you remove it from your account.

What if I lost access to one of my five authorized computers?

Log into appleid.apple.com, go to Devices, and remove the computer from your account. This frees up the authorization slot so you can authorize a different machine. You can do this even if you no longer have physical access to the old computer.