itunes 12 wont start unless 'run as administrator'

If iTunes is apparently installed correctly try the following in turn until iTunes opens/closes/reopens normally:

• Remove any SD card that might be in a card reader.
• Exit the BTTray.exe Bluetooth utility if installed.
• Locate the shortcut for iTunes, right-click on it, and select Run as administrator. Doing this once may fix certain launch issues. Some users were finding that with the 12.6.1.25 build they had to use this method every time and modified the shortcut accordingly.
• Try holding ctrl+shift as you launch iTunes so it opens in safe-mode. Again doing this once may sometimes help.
• Try disconnecting your computer from the Internet before running iTunes.
• Delete the iTunes shortcuts from the start menu, desktop, task bar, or similar, then repair iTunes from the programs and features control panel.
• Try Fix unexpected quits or launch issues in iTunes for Windows - Apple Support and test the behaviour in a different user profile or with a different library. If the problem only exists in your profile it may be possible delete some of the iTunes preference files which it would seem that iTunes may be choking on. We can go into details later if the issue is limited to your own profile.
• Temporarily disable any non-Microsoft anti-virus and see if that has any impact on the behaviour.
• See the second box in Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates for detailed tear down and rebuild advice. Disable any non-Microsoft anti-virus software when reinstalling and run the installer as the administrator.
• Or see the iTunes installers section of the troubleshooting tip and reinstall the last version that worked correctly for you.

tt2

It would only work for me if I set the program to run as an administrator. I have already re-installed the program 2 times but it would not automatically launch after I have connected my iphone.

The bigger problem is that my OS is still the same which is windows 10. I dont know whether it was an update for OS or itunes which caused this problem.

I closed the BTTray.exe and it fixed the issue! My biggest complaint now is that I would really like to not have to close one application all the time just to run iTunes. What is the hard fix to this issue, if you think you would know?

I honestly don't know. I don't have the BTTray utility, since I have no Bluetooth devices for my PC, so I cannot do any troubleshooting on this. I'd alter the shortcut to run iTunes as the administrator, since that works. I don't think that doing so presents any real risk.

tt2

Setting the shortcut to run as an administrator takes the privilege of it running automatically after I have connected my iphone. I tried Apple support today and they had asked me to completely remove itunes and then re-install it. After I did that, I still had to launch it as an administrator. Then they advised me to contact Microsoft for windows/drivers issues. I dont see anything wrong with my windows at this point in time as everything else works perfectly fine.

a_zee wrote:

Setting the shortcut to run as an administrator takes away? the privilege of it running automatically after I have connected my iphone.

I'm assuming you left out a word. Personally I don't hold with sync on connect. I've heard too many stories of people losing the data they wanted to restore because the backup was updated automatically. I charge my phone from the computer every night, but I don't need to update the media as often. That said I quite understand why you should want to be able to carry on the way that you are used to, however I don't have anything else to suggest.

tt2

Compatibility mode didn't help me but disabling BT did - I don't have "BTTray.exe" but there was another BT function. I've now lost all BT functionality though which isn't ideal. Either Apple or Microsoft need to find a fix for this though!