iTunes version 12.12.0.6 only works on English-language Windows, crashes on startup when Windows UI is in a different language

※ Languages ​​in which iTunes currently does not work : Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, French, Japanese, Chinese

Additionally, Korean doesn't work either.

I'm experimenting with major languages(like Spanish, Chinese, etc.) ​​to see if they work.

+ In addition to German, Italian, and Korean, I have confirmed that Spanish, French, Chinese, and Japanese do not work.

Note that it's English (United States) that is specifically required as well. The other versions of English also don't work. I have English (United Kingdom) and that won't load either, giving the same error message. I've switched my Win10 20H2 build to English (United States) and am now back in business with this as a workaround until Apple fix this problem and I can switch my language back.

I went to "my library" and re-downloaded it from there. It downloaded a newer version (12.12.1.1) that has fixed the issue. My PC's language is set to English (Canada) and the new version works properly. After downloading the new version, my PC showed a notification that it was installing optional Windows features with a language icon. I'm not sure what it did since it didn't install any new languages. These are the steps I used in case anyone else wants to try this:

1. Open Microsoft Store
2. Click the three dots in the top right corner
3. Click on "My Library"
4. Click on "All Types" at the top and select "Apps". Then click on "Sort by most recent" and change that to "Sort by name." These filters make it easier to find iTunes.
5. Scroll the list of apps and find iTunes.
6. When you find it, click the "Install" button beside it.
7. Let it install. After it installs, launch it and it will ask you to agree to the user agreement. After you agree to it iTunes should finish starting and work again.

It has been confirmed elsewhere that is specifically affects Windows users if the language is set to anything other than US English (so UK English will not work either).

There is another solution though, which is to roll back to the 12.11.4.15 release - which is the latest version prior to 12.12 (the one with the problem). This is what I did, prior to discovering the language setting issue.

You can download a 12.10 release here: https://support.apple.com/downloads/itunes which is dated December 2020. I'm sure I had a link to the 12.11.x release, but I can't find it now! Anyway you can then either stay with that 12.10 version for now, until Apple release a fixed 12.12.x, or run Apple Software Update after installing it and it will offer you the 12.11.4.15 update.

Saying "nothing else will work at the moment" is not technically true!

While it is correct that is currently the only solution IF you want to stay on the 12.12 release of iTunes, more accurately what you can say is that users can roll-back to an earlier release. At least this way non-English speakers can stay with their native language.

This link: https://support.apple.com/downloads/itunes will get you to a 12.10 installer (Dec 2020), from there you can choose to stick with that version or run the Apple Software Update which will offer the latest pre-12.12 release - which is 12.11.4.15.

Going from one 12.x release to another should be non-destructive. To restore functionality you can simply reinstall an older version of iTunes and it will pick up the pointer to your .itl library file. Link is here (Apple Support): https://support.apple.com/downloads/itunes

Struggled with issue for hours on Windows 10 Pro (Hebrew). This solved the problem:

1. Go to compuer's Settings > apps
2. Select iTunes and click on the Advanced Options link.
3. Click on Repair
4. You MUST Reatart your PC

Hope that helps all x

Thank you so much. This is correct, I was not able to run the iTunes App installed from Microsoft Store till I tried your trick and made sure my this below, found under Windows 10 language settings, was set exactly like:

( I was using English - Canada before )

Great work in finding this out. Can I just ask though? I am in the (UK) and have this error. Could it be that it only works for Windows UI English US? I assume this isn’t something a user can easily change themselves ?

So I have checked my Windows UI and it was set to English (United Kingdom). But I am still getting the missing required files message. I have uninstalled and re-installed. I really don't want to have to delete every trace of iTunes from my machine and tehn start over from scratch. Surely that can't be the only answer.

I am German and wasted three hours of my lifetime deinstalling, deleting files, installing again, deleting again, installing old version, did not work. I need iTunes only for transfering Audible books to the old iPod nano of my blind wife. Please Apple fix it soon!!!

I confirm that the secret is to change language to English (U.S). My default language was EN (Sweden) which is where I first saw the issue. I also have EN (New Zealand) and EN (U.K) installed, neither of which worked either. INstalled the U.S. version and now iTunes opens fine. Shame I went and uninstalled / reinstalled it before learning of this bug... will probably lose my hard-earned history forever now ...