How to deauthorize a dead computer for iTunes
Posted by shannonclark on March 27, 2007
Or yet another in the set of things you may need to do when your laptop gives up the digital ghost.
Apple does not hide the information on how to do this, but neither do they make it all that obvious to find. Here is the direct link to their support page on deauthorization.
In essence – on a machine with iTunes, go to the iTunes store, login with your account (note, if you are using a friend’s computer be sure to log out of their account first), select the “view account” option, then there will be an option to “deauthorize all” – select this and ALL of your authorized computers will be deauthorized.
This means that if you have to take this route, you will need to then RE-authorize each of your other machines.
A better solution – if you have the chance before your computer dies (or you recycle it/sell it/give it away) be sure to open up iTunes on that machine, connected to the Internet, and deauthorize JUST that machine.
Amanda said
I just went to “account” under the Itunes store, and there was no option to “deauthorize all.” Did they take that option away? PLease email me back as my laptop died, rendering my ipod useless with my new laptop.
Caroline said
Not sure if this helps, Amanda, but I just upgraded to iTunes 7.5 and logged into my account, by clicking on my Apple ID near top right and the deauthorize all option was available. Very glad to have found this tip.
Caroline said
Sorry, also saw this on the linked page, “Note: You may only use this feature once per year. The Deauthorize All button will not appear if you have fewer than 5 authorized computers or if you have used this option within the last 12 months.” maybe why you do not see this feature.
Rich said
Thank you so much…this worked great!
Becky said
Thank you so much!!! I was so frustrated that I couldn’t figure it out until I found this website.
brock said
thanks just found this link…worked great
Todd Hiestand » Blog Archive » Friday Links - 3/29/08 - A pastor and web designer living missionally in suburbia said
[...] Ever wonder how to de-authorize a computer on iTunes? I needed to do this after my computer crashed last week. Here’s a little help. [...]
Chad said
awesome. worked great and can finally listen to my music again! (just reformatted)
j said
just call mac support if you need to have them do it for a lost computer, and they will, even though you don’t have 5 machines which is what you need to see the deauthorize all button. just call them!
sarah said
i havent used up to 5 computers yet, only 2. but i just bought a new macbook and the itunes on my macbook wont let me play songs from my ipod. it says i have to authorize the computer. and after i authorize the computer, it keeps saying the same thing over and over again. i cant use the deauthorize all button since i havent used 5 computers yet, and my last computer is dead. idk what to do! im so confused. help!
Jenny said
Hey! If you deauthorize all 5 computers will you lose those songs on that account on the computers???? Is there a way to deauthorize one of the five computers without deauthorizing all of them even if you don’t have access to that one computer???
cass said
jenny-
if u deauthorize all 5 computers, no, you will not lose any of your songs. and about deauthorizing one computer without actually being on that computer, i dont think you can.
hope i helped.
cass
Tiffany said
WOW thanks SO MUCH, this worked amazingly and it’s so simple! I was so annoyed that I couldn’t play my new songs
Marc said
Great post. Still helpful more than a year later. Thanks! (iTunes version 7.7.1.11)
dave said
Great post! i just got a ton of my music back!
thanks a ton!
Jason said
just another reason why itunes is the biggest piece of garbage ever. thanks for the help on listening to music I paid for.
John said
Great advice, and thanks! I had four now-defunct computers and could not play a lot of my music and also could not figure out how to deauthorize the old ‘puters. I knew I’d find out how once I Googled it. Your post came up first, and now I’m good to go….
Thanks a bunch!
Melanie said
This is awesome, thank you SO MUCH! I’ve been wondering about this forever. This thread is invaluable!
Ben said
Best. Thread. Ever. Thank god for this thread.
Amy said
Hello.
I have iTunes 8.0 or 8.2 or something, but I only have 1 computer authorized.. I don’t know how to authorize my laptop. There is no “authorize” button . .
shannonclark said
I replied to Amy privately but to reiterate my answer here for anyone else who is puzzled – to authorize any track which needs to be authorized in iTunes attempt to play it on the new computer. Do this while that machine is connected to the Internet and iTunes will prompt you to login to your iTunes account. This will authorize that machine.
You only need to authorize a machine to play content you have purchased from the iTunes store (i.e. which has DRM) – so non-iTunes Plus music, videos, TV shows, movies (purchased or rented). iPhone/iTouch and iPod applications are a somewhat special case.
Hope this helps everyone, glad this post is still helping people!
mattuch said
You may only use this feature once per year. The Deauthorize All button will not appear if you have fewer than 5 authorized computers, or if you have used this option within the last 12 months.
ramone said
wow. Even in 2009 this post freakin rocks my world. You changed my life. bless you.
Britta said
this was unbelievably helpful. thank you a thousand times over.
colin said
help! im going crazy here. i just got a macbook, and im trying to rent a movie on itunes. everytime i try to rent it, it tells me that my computer isn’t authorized. The message tells me to go to the store menu and click “authorize computer”. Help?
shannonclark said
on macs when you have iTunes open there is a menu on the top which is the Store menu – between controls and advanced – that has the Authorize Computer menu option. You need to have an iTunes account and can only authorize 5 different machines.