iTunesHelper Not Running: 4 Proven Fixes

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iTuneshelper

iTunes is an essential application in the Apple eco-system that allows you to organize and listen to music, watch movies, backup your data, among other things. In a Windows PC, an iTunes installation comes with iTuneshelper, which is a program that fires up iTunes whenever an app that requires it is opened. If iTuneshelper is not running on Windows PC, there are certain impacts.

iTuneshelper usually runs in the background and it launches the iTunes application when you connect your iPad or iPhone to your PC. Its task is pretty straightforward but sometimes it may not work as expected. If iTuneshelper is not running and you are trying to diagnose the issue, we’ve got some tips for you. Here is what you need to do to address when this issue occurs on Windows 10 or other versions.

Solution 1: Run iTunes diagnostics tool

Before you try anything complex to solve this issue, you should, first of all, run iTunes diagnostics tool to see what the problem is. This diagnostics tool covers all of iTunes’s functions and as such, it is ideal for addressing the challenges of applications associated with iTunes such as iTuneshelper.

To run this tool, you will have to follow these steps.

  1. Launch the iTunes client on your PC.
  2. Click the Help button from the main menu and then select “Run Diagnostics”.
  3. From the window that pops up after this, click “Next” to proceed with the tests presented.

The tests will be able to identify if there is a problem with iTunes or any of its individual suites and address the issue accordingly.

Solution 2: Update iTunes

This is another solution that will help you solve the problem of iTuneshelper not running on Windows. Out of date apps are known to misbehave and this could be the reason why you are experiencing challenges with iTuneshelper. The recent update for Windows has also introduced changes in the Windows shell, thereby, creating a mismatch with the apps that are installed in your PC.

To update iTunes, follow the steps highlighted below.

  1. Launch iTunes.
  2. Click the Help button and scroll to the “Check for Updates” section from the drop-down menu.
  3. Download the most recent version of iTunes and install it.
  4. Restart your computer and check if the problem of iTuneshelper is not running still exists.

Solution 3: Reinstall iTunes

iTuneshelper should be installed correctly for it to function properly and if it is not running the reason could be that iTuneshelper was not installed correctly. iTunes itself, could also not have been installed properly and for you to make sure that everything works properly, you will have to delete the iTunes and reinstall it.

The reinstallation process is a little bit complex than the iTunes update process that we have discussed earlier in the text as it involves deleting everything that is associated with the app. Follow the steps highlighted below to reinstall iTunes so as to regain the proper functionality of iTuneshelper.

  1. Search the control panel from the search button.
  2. From the category view, click “Uninstall a program”.
  3. You will have to uninstall several applications at this stage so as to effectively delete the old version of iTunes installed in your PC. The applications that you will have to uninstall include; iTunes, Apple software update, Apple application support 32-bit, Apple application support 64-bit, and Bonjour.
  1. Go to your directories and delete all the folders that are associated with Apple. These include the iTunes, iPod, and Bonjour folders.
  2. Restart the computer and download the latest version of iTunes.
  3. Check if iTuneshelper is working properly.

Solution 4: Disable iTunesHelper

Disabling iTuneshelper is another solution that will help you with this problem. When you download iTunesHelper, it integrates with your PC systems and starts when you start your PC. This accessibility trait interferes with the functionality of iTuneshelper and you should disable it to regain optimal functionality. It is important to note that there are certain impacts of disabling iTunesHelper on your PC. Here is how to do that.

  1. Launch Task Manager.
  2. Open the Startup Tab.
  3. Disable iTunes.
  4. Restart your PC and check for changes.

iTuneshelper plays an important role in your PC and this article highlights measures that you can adopt when iTuneshelper is not running.