What authorizing a computer in iTunes means

Authorizing a computer in iTunes means telling Apple that you own or regularly use that machine, so you can play music, movies, and TV shows you've bought through your iTunes account on it. Without authorization, you can download purchases to the computer but not actually play them.

Apple limits each account to authorize up to five computers at once. This prevents one person from sharing their entire iTunes library across dozens of machines. When you authorize a computer, iTunes stores your account credentials locally so playback works without asking for your password every time.

You only need to authorize once per computer. The authorization stays active until you deauthorize it, switch accounts, or reinstall the operating system. If you sell or give away a computer, deauthorizing it first frees up one of your five slots for a new machine.

Key Takeaways

  • Authorizing a computer lets you play iTunes purchases on that machine; you can authorize up to five computers per account.
  • Open iTunes, go to Account menu, select Authorize This Computer, and sign in with your Apple ID to complete authorization in under a minute.
  • You must authorize each computer separately — authorization does not carry over between machines or accounts.
  • Deauthorize a computer before selling or giving it away so your account credentials are removed and you free up one authorization slot.

Steps to authorize a computer in iTunes

Start by opening iTunes on the computer you want to authorize. Make sure you are signed out of any Apple ID first — if you see an account name in the top menu bar, click it and select Sign Out.

Once you are signed out, click the Account menu at the top of the screen. On Windows, this appears in the menu bar; on Mac, it is in the top menu. Select Authorize This Computer from the dropdown. iTunes will ask you to sign in with the Apple ID that owns the purchases you want to play.

Enter your Apple ID email address and password, then click Authorize. iTunes confirms the authorization immediately. You can now play any music, movies, or TV shows bought under that account on this computer. The authorization remains active until you manually deauthorize the computer or change your Apple ID password.

What happens if you reach your five-computer limit

If you try to authorize a sixth computer, iTunes shows an error message saying you have reached the authorization limit. You must deauthorize one of your existing computers before you can authorize a new one.

To deauthorize a computer you no longer use, open iTunes on that machine, go to Account menu, and select Deauthorize This Computer. Sign in with your Apple ID and confirm. That computer loses access to your iTunes purchases, and your account frees up one authorization slot. If you no longer have access to an old computer, you can deauthorize all five computers at once through your Apple ID account settings on Apple's website, but this can only be done once per year.

Authorizing on a Mac versus Windows

The authorization process is nearly identical on both Mac and Windows. The main difference is where the Account menu appears. On a Mac, the Account menu is in the top menu bar next to File and Edit. On Windows, it is also in the menu bar but may be hidden until you press Alt if you are using a newer version of iTunes.

Both systems store authorization the same way and count toward the same five-computer limit. An account can have some computers authorized on Mac and others on Windows without any issue. The authorization works across both operating systems as long as you use the same Apple ID.

When you need to deauthorize a computer

Deauthorize a computer if you sell it, give it away, or stop using it regularly. Leaving old computers authorized wastes your five slots and means you cannot authorize new machines you actually own. Deauthorizing removes your Apple ID credentials from that computer so the new owner cannot access your iTunes purchases.

You should also deauthorize if you change your Apple ID password for security reasons. Deauthorizing clears the old credentials, and you can then re-authorize with your new password if you want to keep using that computer.

If you have a computer that broke or was lost and you cannot access it to deauthorize manually, you can deauthorize all five computers at once through your Apple ID account page on Apple's website. Keep in mind this option resets your entire authorization list, so you will need to re-authorize any computers you still actively use.

Troubleshooting authorization problems

If iTunes says you are already authorized but you cannot play purchases, try signing out and back in. Go to Account menu, select Sign Out, wait a few seconds, then sign back in with your Apple ID. This refreshes your authorization without requiring a full deauthorization.

If you see an error during authorization, check that you are using the correct Apple ID — the one that actually made the purchases. Purchases bought under one account cannot be played on a computer authorized to a different account. Also confirm your internet connection is stable, as authorization requires a live connection to Apple's servers.

If you have forgotten which Apple ID you used to buy your iTunes content, check the purchase history on your device or visit appleid.apple.com and look at the purchase section. You must authorize with that same account to play the content.

How authorization differs from Family Sharing

Authorization and Family Sharing are two separate features. Authorization ties iTunes purchases to a specific computer and Apple ID. Family Sharing lets up to six people in the same household share purchases across all their devices without needing to authorize each computer individually.

If you set up Family Sharing, you still need to authorize computers to play content, but the process is simpler because all family members can access shared purchases on any authorized computer. Family Sharing is useful if multiple people in your home buy iTunes content and want to share it. Authorization alone is better if you are the only person using your iTunes account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I authorize the same computer twice with different Apple IDs?

No. Each computer can only be authorized to one Apple ID at a time. If you want to switch accounts, you must deauthorize the computer first, then authorize it again with the new Apple ID. This counts as one authorization slot for each account.

What happens to my authorization if I reinstall my operating system?

Reinstalling your operating system erases the authorization. When you reinstall iTunes and sign in, you will need to authorize the computer again. This does not count as a new authorization — it is the same computer being re-authorized to the same account.

Can I authorize a computer without iTunes installed?

No. You must have iTunes installed and open on the computer to authorize it. iTunes stores the authorization locally on that machine, so the software has to be present. If you uninstall iTunes later, the authorization is lost.

Do I need to authorize a computer to download iTunes purchases?

No. You can download purchases to any computer using your Apple ID, even without authorization. You just cannot play them without authorizing first. This is why authorization is a separate step from downloading.

How do I check how many computers I have authorized?

Open iTunes, go to Account menu, and select View My Account. Sign in if prompted. Scroll down to the iTunes in the Cloud section — it shows how many computers are currently authorized and lists them by name. From this page you can also deauthorize computers remotely if needed.