What Happened to iTunes in macOS 13?

If you are looking for the standalone iTunes application in macOS 13 (macOS Ventura), you will not find it. Apple officially retired the all-in-one iTunes application starting with macOS Catalina (10.15) and continues this architecture in macOS 13. Instead of a single monolithic program, the original iTunes features have been divided into dedicated media apps—Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books—while iPhone and iPad device management tasks have moved directly into the macOS Finder.

iPhone and iPad Management in Finder

In older versions of macOS, connecting an iPhone, iPad, or iPod automatically launched iTunes to manage backups, restores, and local media syncing. In macOS 13, this functionality is integrated directly into the operating system.

When you connect your iOS or iPadOS device via USB or Wi-Fi, it appears in the sidebar of any Finder window under the "Locations" section. Clicking on the device brings up the familiar management interface where you can:

  • Back up and restore your device locally to your Mac.
  • Update or reinstall iOS/iPadOS software.
  • Sync local music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and photos.
  • Manage file sharing between Mac applications and mobile apps.

Music and the iTunes Store

Local music libraries and the iTunes Store are now housed inside the Apple Music app. You do not need a paid Apple Music streaming subscription to use the app for your existing library.

  • Local Library: Your personal MP3, AAC, and lossless audio files are stored and managed inside the Apple Music app.
  • The iTunes Store: The storefront to purchase individual songs and albums is hidden by default. You can enable it by opening the Apple Music app, navigating to Music > Settings > General, and checking the box next to iTunes Store.

Movies, TV Shows, and Home Videos

Video playback and purchasing have moved to the Apple TV app. This app hosts:

  • Your existing library of purchased movies and TV episodes.
  • Personal home videos imported from older iTunes libraries.
  • The digital store to buy or rent new releases.
  • Apple TV+ streaming content.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

Spoken-word media is handled by two distinct applications:

  • Apple Podcasts: Manages your podcast subscriptions, downloads, and streaming playback, with syncing across iCloud for your other Apple devices.
  • Apple Books: Stores and plays all audiobooks previously housed in iTunes, alongside your digital EPUBs and PDFs.

Can You Install iTunes on macOS 13?

Standalone iTunes cannot be installed natively on macOS 13. Modern versions of macOS require 64-bit applications and lack the legacy system frameworks that iTunes relied on. While third-party open-source utilities like Retroactive previously allowed modified versions of iTunes to run on newer macOS versions, macOS 13 breaks many of these workarounds due to deeper core system modifications. Users on macOS 13 must rely on the native replacement apps and Finder integration to manage their media and devices.