With the increasing popularity of Linux, particularly Ubuntu, it’s becoming easier to install new apps. However, not everything can be installed natively on Linux, including iTunes. This guide will show you how to install and use iTunes on Ubuntu using Wine, a tool that enables Windows applications to run on Linux. Although iTunes will have limited features on Ubuntu, it’s still possible to get it up and running.
Contents
hide
Can You Install iTunes on Linux?
Apple has released versions of iTunes for macOS and Windows, but there is no official version for Linux systems. The workaround is to use Wine, a free compatibility layer, to run the Windows version of iTunes on Linux.
It’s important to note that many features, such as the “Sync” feature when connecting your iPhone to your PC, will not work. So, while you can install iTunes on Ubuntu and most Linux distributions, don’t expect the same experience as on Windows or macOS.
Installing Wine on Ubuntu
Wine is now available in the official Ubuntu repository and can be installed directly with APT. You can also install a more recent release from the WineHQ repository. We will go through both methods in this guide.
How to Install Wine Stable from the Official Ubuntu Repository
First, you will need to open Terminal and make sure that APT is updated:
sudo apt update
Then you can go ahead and install Wine with its prerequisites:
sudo apt install --install-recommends wine-stable
There are a lot of dependencies with Wine, so this part could take a while.
If you have followed this method, you can scroll past the next part and go straight to the section on installing iTunes.
Installing the latest Wine version from WineHQ
First, you will have to add the Wine repository to APT:
sudo wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/winehq-archive.key
https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
Then add the repository to the source files:
sudo wget -NP /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/dists/jammy/winehq-jammy.sourcesThis is the command to use for Jammy, if you are using a different version, simply replace “jammy” with the codename of your Ubuntu version. You can find this by using the following command:
lsb_release -aMake sure that you check that your version is supported by clicking this link.
Once you have done this, follow these steps to install the latest version:
sudo apt updatesudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-develNow you are ready to start installing iTunes.
Installing iTunes on Ubuntu
The latest version of iTunes only works on Windows 10, however by default, Wine is configured for Windows 7 so you will need to change that first.
Use terminal to open the Wine config:
winecfgNavigate to the drop-down at the bottom of the window that shows the Windows version and change it to Windows 10. Once you have done that, close the window and proceed to download iTunes.
Download and Install iTunes for Windows
You can download iTunes from the Apple website here. If you followed the above instructions to install Wine, the 64-bit version of iTunes should work. However, if Wine was already installed on your computer, you might need to download the 32-bit version of iTunes instead.
Once you have downloaded it, use terminal to move it to your downloads folder and start the installation:
cd Downloadswine iTunes64Setup.exeIf you have done this correctly, iTunes should install as if you were using a Windows machine, simply follow the installation wizard to finish the installation.
I highly recommend that you disable these features to ensure there are no compatibility issues.
Once it is installed on your system, it will be available in your applications with your other programs.
Simply click on the application to launch iTunes and use it as you would on any other computer. However, be aware that not all features will function perfectly. The performance might be slower, and some key features, such as syncing with an iPhone, might not work at all.
As a Linux user, you might face some limitations, but following these steps should help mitigate most issues. I successfully used this method with Ubuntu Jammy and the most recent version of iTunes available at the time of writing. If you encounter any significant issues, you might want to try this tutorial with an older version of iTunes or a newer version of Wine.
Final Thoughts on Installing iTunes on Ubuntu
I hope this guide has helped you get iTunes up and running on your PC, despite Apple’s lack of support for Linux systems.
For an alternative approach, you could consider running a virtual machine with Windows on Ubuntu. For example, you can follow my tutorial on installing and using QEMU for this purpose. While I haven’t tested iTunes specifically in this setup, the installation should proceed natively, and you might be able to access more features through the USB bridge.