iTunes download error -8288

After experiencing the same issue on multiple machines with the same operating system and iTunes versions i spoke with an experienced Apple Enterprise Support team member. They provided a solution with seems the be simplicity itself - after two days of careful consultation and screen sharing. By the way, hey couldn't reproduce the problem from their end, hence the feeling the the account itself might be the culprit. It is not an app blocking issue per-se, more an iTunes/Apple Account security 'feature'. If your account details or payment methods have been flagged for 'non-authorised activity' or 'suspicious transactions' it maybe suspended (with out notification or human intervention) until such times as your ID is re-established and the flag removed. Sometimes this can occur well after the said suspicious event. I my case i had multiple Apple accounts in several countries. Only one of which had the 'update error 8288' issue. This one account had been not been flagged as needing ID verification strangely. After changing the account payment method to "NONE' and then re-entering the required credit card details, the Enterprise rep verified my ID using the 3 questions set when the account was first created. Violå. Problem solved in this instance. All updates completed successfully and all machines. The Mac operating version or iTunes version was not really the issue in my case.

FWIW I can update apps in iTunes 12.6.5.3 running on High Sierra with no outstanding updates. Do you have any third party security software? I've been reminded of this old support document which might still have some relevance:

HT203200: If you see ‘There was an error downloading your purchased music‘ when you try to download music from iTunes

(archived).

tt2

I just waited a couple of hours, and now the downloads are processing as normal. Pretty obviously Apple made a certificate update error or something, and now have fixed it. Nice to know they actually listen to us.

Looks like it's an issue on Mac & PC.

Can Anyone verify if you're seeing the same issues I am? https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250154640

Specifically check for a .app file in your mobile applications folder. I had a few of each app that took up over 6GB in space before I deleted them.

I can confirm the same problem exists on my system. From my artoftrail thread, 250152425:

iTunes app update hang is on iTunes 12.6.3.6, followed by 12.6.5.3, MacOS 10.13.6 running on MacBook Pro Retina mid-2014

I deleted ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Downloads folder. Restarting iTunes recreated the Downloads folder, it is empty now. An attempt to Update an app is hung in updating.

Before this I restarted iTunes and deleted several apps that had been hung "updating", and attempted to Install one of them. The downloading failed with unknown communications error 8288.

I am able to access the internet, login to iCloud and login to the discussions forum on the same MacBook.

iTunes 12.6.5.3 installed okay but still got 8288 errors. Then I completely uninstalled iTunes which required turning off SIP and rebooting in recovery mode and executing csrutil disable in order to delete the iTunes.app and delete all files in Preferences beginning with names com.apple.iTunes.* such as the .plist's (followed by rebooting in recovery mode to reenable SIP). I installed itunes 12.6.5.3 again but all download or update app actions result in error 8288 and files of length Zero bytes in ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Mobile Applications. I set permissions to read & write for everyone in ~/Music... but that didn't help.

Note, my Apple devices such as iPad and iPhone perform app updates on their own with no problem. Perhaps Apple has locked up MacOS iTunes app updates??

Thank you for your help.

I wouldn't set too much store by the answer you got from support. iTunes 12.6.5.3 should be able to download app updates at this time, indeed it works for me. Do you have any third party security software that could be holding things up?

tt2

I had tried this solution the other day without success. HOWEVER, I just deleted the certificate and my 17 pending iOS app updates have successfully downloaded. I suspect Apple might have issued new a new security certificate(s) to fix the problem.

It's worth giving it a try to see if it solves the problem for others.

Thank you, DJ Phaze for pointing this out!

I have the same issue, error 8288 not only with updates but downloading new apps too.

Sometime the error becomes 416, but mostly stays at 8288

I guess something is going on on the Apple server ...when you get “friends” with the same errors

the coincidence is too weird or

because I'm able to download the same updates from my i-devices or Apple Configurator

and having itunes 12.6.5

makes me think that Apple has done something blocking iTunes 12.6.5 ?!

Jonnoza “It does seem like apple is blocking iTunes 12.6.5 ( listed by Apple as the Enterprise version) https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208079”

The page you linked is the same page posted a year ago when you could update all apps and iOS

and for it worked till 2 days ago

I know that because I kept the page as reference in case they update iTunes 12.6.5 as they did in the past

I hope it's going to be an uprise among enterprise/business Apple customers. Usually it is what it gets everything back to normal

It happened few times already in the past

I'm getting the 8288 error with all attempts at software downloads and updates after 02/07/2019. The configuration is: iTunes 12.6.5.3 on my MacBook pro Retina mid-2014 running macOS version 10.13.6 and the 2019-01 security update in the USA - all of which seems to be irrelevant given the various platforms and locations that are experiencing 8288 errors.

The Gatekeeper Anywhere option is mentioned in several posts so I set Security to accept Anywhere.

sudo spctl --master-disable

That had no effect, so I've re-enabled it.

I am curious how people know the date for their system's Gatekeeper. I used the following Terminal commands:

$ system_profiler SPInstallHistoryDataType | awk '/Gatekeeper/,/Install/ {$1=$1;print}' | tail -6

Gatekeeper Configuration Data:

Version: 108

Source: Apple

Install Date: 1/25/17, 12:47 PM

This is consistent with the result from About this Mac, System Report, Software Installations but may be back level.

I read that the current version is 162 dated February 7, 2019? Is it worth pursuing an update to Gatekeeper?

I followup with feedback to Apple

I don't think that it's a matter of a corrupted iTunes; yesterday (2/10) I downloaded (from Apple website) and installed 12.6.5.3 onto a Windows 7 laptop that never had iTunes installed on it previously, then I attempted to download an app that I've never downloaded/purchased before--I get the 8288 error there as well.

I also went in and deleted the files DJ PHAZE mentioned. I hadn't restarted my computer yet, then read the post from Lee Moon. I went to iTunes 12.6.3 and clicked update all. Success!!! Things do seem to be back to normal. I had near 50 apps to update. I use 6 different iOS devices. Using iTunes is the only way that I want to update all these apps on so many devices.

Again thank you to everyone here for your suggestions, and I'm sure some folks at Apple listening to us and coming through.

Also see Security Update 2019-001 (High Sierra and Sierra) as this may be related to iTunes 8288 errors..

https://talk.tidbits.com/t/security-update-2019-001-high-sierra-and-sierra/7860

Sent. Also, if you have a Twitter account, tweet @AppleSupport and @Apple.

I'm running iTunes 12.6.2.20 and have the same issue.

After discussing with Apple via Live Chat they have said they were 'blocking old versions of iTunes' to prevent them from backing the device up.

I've noticed this issue on one computer but not another (same iTunes version on both). My partner and I - one of us can back up whereas the other can't.

I'm wondering if this kind of 'blocking' is stretching out to app updates too.

Although with some saying they've updated to the latest version of iTunes and still getting this error i don't know what the deal is.