Ever since the days of Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6.8), I have found that each new version of iTunes is more cluttered, counterintuitive, and unwieldy than the last. I am now running OS X 10.10.3 and iTunes 12.1.2.27. I would like to try downgrading iTunes as many versions back as I can. Does anyone know which earlier versions will work with 10.10.3 (if any) and where they can be obtained?
Thanks.
MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), 13-inch, Early 2011, 2.3 GHz
I don't know how far back you can push it. Perhaps version 10? I have always kind of wondered if version 7.5 (the one I currently use with my G4 under Tiger and which is universal application) would still run under a much newer OS but I may have to answer that myself some day. Of course if you own any Apple mobile devices they will also restrict which versions you can use, as well as if you purchase media from the iTunes Store (there I seem to vaguely recall 10 may be it). Mobile devices require the version of iTunes that was current at the time of device purchase (if you plan on syncing them of course).
General search for available iTunes versions - http://support.apple.com/downloads/#itunes
I don't know how far back you can push it. Perhaps version 10? I have always kind of wondered if version 7.5 (the one I currently use with my G4 under Tiger and which is universal application) would still run under a much newer OS but I may have to answer that myself some day. Of course if you own any Apple mobile devices they will also restrict which versions you can use, as well as if you purchase media from the iTunes Store (there I seem to vaguely recall 10 may be it). Mobile devices require the version of iTunes that was current at the time of device purchase (if you plan on syncing them of course).
General search for available iTunes versions - http://support.apple.com/downloads/#itunes
Update: I was able to install iTunes 10, which is much more to my liking than 12 (I originally went from 10 to 12 so I don't know 11 at all).
For those who are interested in downgrading, it is very easy but you need to do it in a specific way, which is clearly laid out in this MacWorld article. Note that you must use Pacifist for this. Also note that you will lose your playlists and may need to reimport all your media, but since your media all still be in your iTunes folder the process of reimporting is fairly quick. I have about 18,000 songs and it took only about an hour.
An okay article but it omits at the end you should be able to import the .xml version of the library file you just used. That will restore your content and playlists and everything except ratings, date added and play counts.
Really? How? I would love to do that to get playlists back.
After you drag the .itl to the desktop (or wherever), start iTunes. Now I use an older version of iTunes (7.5) so I don't know if the menus are exactly the same with 10 but in mine under File there is an import option. Select the .xml version of the library file. Now note, the .xml has a bunch of path listings so what it is doing is importing a list which points to files in particular locations. You say you already added media again. To keep things short I am basically hoping this hasn't affected those paths. Anyway, tuck that .itl you just created someplace safe and try rebuilding the library with the .xml. If things don't work out 100% we can try to fix it or at worst revert to using the .itl you just created.
iTunes: How to re-create your iTunes library and playlists - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1451
There are two xml files: "iTunes Music Library.xml" and "iTunes Library.xml"
What's the difference?
I suspect one is much older than the other (probably the Music one which may date from iTunes 9 days and didn't get replaced because iTunes changed the naming of its files so the old one never was overwritten). Choose the newest.
Update: After much bafflement with problems with the App Store refusing to download anything, I determined that installing iTunes 10.7 was to blame. So if you're running Yosemite, iTunes 10.7 is really no longer a viable option.
Yes, well it is kind of to be expected. Apple probably can't fathom somebody wanting to run such old, icky software. Seriously, if you want to run old software then you have to lock your whole system into the time period you want to use and not expect features requiring interfacing with Apple services to last for long. I run iTunes 7.5 perfectly happily on my OSX 10.4.11. Of course no iTunes Radio, no iTunes Store, no buying new Apple gadgets requiring newest iTunes syncing. On the other hand multiple playlist windows, sidebar, coverflow, none of the myriad syncing and Store interface hassles that are 75% of the topics here. 🙂
Downgrade options?
