Q: How do I stop iTunes from automatically downloading Apps and Videos that are not already on my computer?

Oh my goodness...this is insane!  Every time I open ITunes, auto download starts...

I recently switched from IPhone to Android (HTC One M8 rocks), and the way this is going, my MacBook is about to be turned into a target for shotgun.  So fed up with Apple...Microsft, soooooo sorry for ever trying anything else.

Wow.

The reason iTunes keeps trying to download all of the apps from you iPhone is because it's creating a Backup. The solution is actually quite simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Go to iTunes>Preferences, then click on the Store tab. Uncheck Apps under the Automatic Downloads section. Note: This will only stop iTunes from downloading Apps to your computer that you purchased on other devices using your Apple ID. This will have no affect on the syncing that takes place when you plug in your iPhone to your computer (or start charging it nearby if you have Wi-Fi syncing enabled).
2. Plug your iPhone into your computer. If the syncing process begins, click on the "X" in the status window to stop it.
3. In iTunes, click on the icon that represents your iPhone. This should reveal a Settings menu on the left (in the latest version of iTunes).
4. Click on Summary.
5. In Summary, scroll down and uncheck "Automatically sync when the iPhone is connected" under the Options section.
6. Also in Summary, locate the Backups section and look under the area titled "Automatically Back Up." Chances are very good the radio button for "This computer" is selected. If you notice underneath this selection, it says in grey type "A full backup of your iPhone will be stored on this computer." That's exactly what it's doing. It's copying everything from your iPhone to your computer—including all of your apps.
7. Unselect "This computer" by selecting "iCloud." This will only back up the most important data on your iPhone to your iCloud—not every single app—so it shouldn't take up too much space.
8. Be sure to save your settings by click on the button labelled "Apply" at the bottom of the page.

That should solve your problem. If you have other issues with iTunes trying to sync all of your music, videos or photos, you can fix that in the individual settings. Hope this works for you.

So, I guess Apple has some reason for not solving this issue. They don't even address it! No response from Apple Techs to any of this other than the same obvious solutions that never work, which is why there are 100s or 1000s of complaints about this issue on multiple threads. Most of the users are not idiots, so freaking fix this issue. Nothing works! It is ridiculous! And it is shameful that apple is choosing to ignore this "ABSOLUTELY REAL ISSUE"!!!

You posted this problem in 2012. It's now 2015 and I am having the same stupid problem with iTunes. Well done Apple, for making things so utterly stupid.

Every time I open iTunes it tries to download 25GB of data onto my laptop - films, extra content etc that I don't want at all.

I have disabled automatic downloads but it still does it.

Sick of this.

Yes this is happening to me in August 2015!

Just don't understand how this is so difficult for Apple.  Have tried all the suggestions above and it still downloads stuff that I don't want. 

Not happy.

try this link;

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/110034/how-to-stop-itunes-from-automati cally-downloading-purchased-tv-shows

I have this exact problem. It's 2015, Apple!??? Haven't you fixed this????

I'm seeing the same issue; it usually happens after I need to re-sign in to itunes due to my icloud session expiring (once every few weeks). I'm running OS X 10.8.5 with iTunes 12.2.2.25.

On Windows, I found what (I assume) were incomplete downloads.

I had the same issue, iTunes would continually try to download some 5GB movie that must have been a free purchase at some stage.

Anyway, I found and deleted 3 folders  with the name of the movie from my C:\users\<username>\Music\iTunes\iTunes\Downloads folder

That MAY stop it..

Fingers crossed.

I was the same, I'd turned off all automatic download settings but  still it persisted....

iTunes really is a pile of rubbish, get more confusing every version IMHO...

Still happening in June 2016. Latest version 10.11.5 El Cap and iTunes 12.4.1.6. I keep my iTunes library locally on a server and use home sharing to pump that to ATV4 or MacBooks in the house. Last night my MacBook Pro decided it needed to download my whole TV library in HD. Blew through 81GB filling my SSD before it stopped due to lack of space on my SSD. On hold with Apple Support now to try to discover why.

Of course all automatic download options are deselected so that ain't it.