You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iTunes won't open after updating to 12.3.1

Hi I have OSX 10.11.1 running and I updated my iTunes to 12.3.1. Now all I get is the spinning beach ball when i try to start iTunes. I did a force quit and rebooted but the same thing is happening. I have a huge music library so I thought maybe it was doing some kind of update by after a half hour iTunes is still got the spinning beach ball. Any help would be appreciated.

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Oct 21, 2015 5:08 PM

Reply
145 replies

Nov 6, 2015 9:53 PM in response to GroupWmusic

My iTunes will try to open after I did the update, but it is only a white block where there should be iTunes and menus and such. It's like I cannot see the text and images but they are there. I tried to restart several times and each time I force quit the "white" iTunes, it wants to send a report and such, but nothing changes and relaunching won't actually relaunch.

Nov 14, 2015 11:40 AM in response to GroupWmusic

Thanks for this thread. I've been having this problem for weeks. The changelog for 12.3.1 says "Fixes an uploading issue that may have kept songs pending." then "It also includes improvements to overall stability and performance." They may have fixed the uploading issue I was having with Match, but they definitely made the "stability and performance" worse and not "improved". Apple really needs to fix this.

Nov 14, 2015 12:54 PM in response to GroupWmusic

I have this problem also. I've seen some "fixes" but I don't understand them and I am not comfortable doing something that might screw up something else.

Is Apple going to fix this??????

Just how much longer do we have to wait before they do????

If anyone has an EASY, and foolproof way to correct this, then I am all ears. And it needs to be simple. I am not a coder.

Many thanks.

Nov 14, 2015 1:10 PM in response to GeoffinNYC

I'm no computer expert, but reverted to 12.3 from 12.3.1 fixed the problem for me. Using the directions posted in this thread, i.e., downloading 12.3, using Terminal to delete 12.3.1, and installing 12.3 only takes a few minutes. This was certainly easy for me. The directions are elsewhere in this thread or I can repost them. In less than 10 minutes, the frustration and anger will go away. But…whatever you feel comfortable doing...

Nov 15, 2015 12:33 AM in response to Russell Madden

I've done the same and had to learn that the App Store doesn't like this and at least once a day forced the installation of 12.3.1.

So, at least once a day I had to revert to 12.3.0 - a cumbersome exercise.


Luckily, I've come across something which overcomes all this in very simple and elegant manner - provided you have regularly performed time machine backups.


All you have to do is to go back to the day before 12.3.1 was launched.

Then you restore the iTunes version from this day (presumably 12.3.0) to a place of your choice - except the applications folder, since this is refused by time machine.


Then you simply launch this iTunes version and - voila you have your 12.3.0 back with all functions.

And with 12.3.1 in the applications folder you are safe from any attempts of the App Store to overwrite your 12.3.0, since 12.3.1 is already present.


Try it and enjoy it.

Nov 15, 2015 7:04 AM in response to GeoffinNYC

"If anyone has an EASY, and foolproof way to correct this, then I am all ears. And it needs to be simple. I am not a coder.

Many thanks."


If you can find a copy of iTunes 12.3 on its own, you don't have to delete your current iTunes app using Terminal. For example, if you have a friend or another Mac that hasn't updated yet. You can figure this out by opening iTunes on that machine, navigating to the iTunes menu and clicking "About". If the machine has 12.3 it should say iTunes 12.3.0.xx instead of 12.3.1.xx. On the machine with iTunes 12.3, open the Applications folder and right-click on iTunes, click on "Compress iTunes.app". This will make a file called iTunes.app.zip and will have an archive icon. Move this file onto your computer using AirDrop or Mail or similar, place it on your desktop and double click it. This should put the iTunes 12.3 app on your desktop, which has the familiar beamed notes icon. Quit iTunes and then double click on the new iTunes app on your desktop. You can use this icon to start iTunes from that point forward without the bugs.


Alternatively, if you save Time Machine backups, you can follow those instructions on this thread above to get the older iTunes version.

Nov 15, 2015 5:42 PM in response to Adrian232

I am reposting this again to help all that are having issues with itunes. I resolved it by zapping iTunes 12.3.1 with appzapper, then I proceeded to download iTunes 12.3 and installed that version. Once you do that make sure you uncheck automatic updates of iTunes. Now my iTunes opens and plays with the same sluggishness of 12.3 but it plays my music and after 10 seconds of beachballs to the next song keeps working. Amazing how Apple has screwed up iTunes and won't even acknowledge there is an issue with the app. After you do this then complain to Apple via iTunes or the Apple support page not here they do not read these pages. Also do not call for support they have no answers and will lie about how great the update version is.


This works without using terminal.\

Appzapper

install 12.3 after downloading it,

Then block updates of itunes inside of itunes and the app store.

iTunes won't open after updating to 12.3.1

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.