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Apple’s Windows strategy is now split across three Microsoft Store apps: Apple Music for music, Apple TV for video, and Apple Devices for iPhone and iPad management. They first appeared as Windows Insider previews in January 2023 and left preview on February 8, 2024. Apple still directs Windows users to iTunes for podcasts and audiobooks, and for PCs that cannot run the newer apps.
The short version
Install only the app that matches your task, or install all three if you use Apple services and regularly connect an iPhone or iPad.
| What you want to do | Windows app |
|---|---|
| Stream Apple Music, manage music, or play iTunes Store music purchases | Apple Music |
| Watch Apple TV+, purchased movies, or purchased television shows | Apple TV |
| Back up, restore, update, synchronize, or manage an iPhone or iPad | Apple Devices |
| Manage podcasts or audiobooks | iTunes |
| Use an older or incompatible PC | iTunes may still be required |
Apple describes the change in its current Windows guidance: the dedicated apps handle music, video, and device functions, while iTunes remains for podcasts and audiobooks. See Apple’s Windows download and support page and its iTunes for Windows guide.
What came to the Microsoft Store?
Apple Music
Apple Music provides access to an Apple Music subscription, playback and management of an existing iTunes music library, and music bought from the iTunes Store. Video, podcast, audiobook, and connected-device tasks are handled elsewhere rather than in this app. Subscription access and purchased content still depend on signing in with the Apple Account that owns them.
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Apple TV
Apple TV is the Windows home for Apple TV+ and for movies and television programs rented or purchased through Apple. It also provides playback and management of your Apple video library. Apple warns that availability and features vary by country or region, so a title, channel, rental option, or Store feature shown in one market may not appear in another. Details and downloads are listed at Apple’s support page.
Apple Devices
Apple Devices handles the connected-hardware functions Windows users previously associated with iTunes. With an iPhone or iPad connected by USB, it supports manual software updates, local backups, restores, device management, and manual media synchronization. It is not a replacement for every iCloud feature: Apple Devices manages the physical device connected to the PC, while iCloud for Windows handles cloud synchronization such as iCloud Photos.
What happened to iTunes?
iTunes was functionally divided rather than instantly discontinued. Apple moved its major music, video, and device-management jobs into the three dedicated apps, but its current documentation still identifies iTunes as the Windows app for podcasts and audiobooks. It is also the fallback for a computer that does not satisfy the newer apps’ current Microsoft Store requirements.
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| Former iTunes function | Current Windows destination |
|---|---|
| Music playback and library management | Apple Music |
| Apple Music subscription | Apple Music |
| iTunes Store music purchases | Apple Music |
| Movies and television shows | Apple TV |
| Apple TV+ | Apple TV |
| iPhone and iPad backup, restore, updates, and synchronization | Apple Devices |
| Podcasts | iTunes |
| Audiobooks | iTunes |
When the apps became available
Apple’s rollout happened in stages:
- January 2023: preview versions appeared through the Microsoft Store for Windows Insider builds, as reported by The Mac Observer.
- February 8, 2024: coverage from Thurrott reported that the apps left preview and became available for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- September 15, 2025: Apple’s current U.S. support workflow for the dedicated apps was published or updated at Apple Support.
- June 8, 2026: Apple updated its Windows software-update guidance at Apple Support.
The 2024 launch reporting described initial x64-only availability. That was an early limitation, not a reliable statement of every current Store requirement. Check the live listing for your PC’s architecture, Windows release, and other eligibility checks.
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Install Apple Music if you
- Have an Apple Music subscription.
- Keep a local iTunes music library on Windows.
- Need music purchased through the iTunes Store.
Install Apple TV if you
- Subscribe to Apple TV+.
- Buy or rent movies and television programs from Apple.
- Want your Apple video library in a Windows app.
Install Apple Devices if you
- Back up an iPhone or iPad locally.
- Need to update, restore, synchronize, or manage a connected device.
Keep iTunes if you
- Manage podcasts or audiobooks on Windows.
- Use a PC that fails the newer apps’ requirements.
- Depend on a legacy workflow that has not been reproduced in the dedicated apps.
How to install and update them
- Open the Microsoft Store in Windows.
- Search for Apple Music, Apple TV, or Apple Devices.
- Install the app or apps that match your needs.
- Open each app and sign in with the relevant Apple Account.
- For an iPhone or iPad, connect it by USB, unlock it, and approve the trust prompt if Windows or the device shows one.
- Return to the Microsoft Store’s update area to check for updates. Microsoft Store apps can update automatically or be updated manually.
Apple says older Apple Windows software, including some Windows installations running through Boot Camp, may also require Apple Software Update in addition to Microsoft Store updates. Follow the instructions in Apple’s update guidance.
Compatibility, regional limits, and missing listings
The apps were reported as supporting Windows 10 and Windows 11 at the February 2024 release, but current requirements can change by app version, hardware architecture, and Microsoft Store eligibility. Treat the live Store compatibility message as authoritative rather than relying on the original launch specification.
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If a listing is visible but cannot be installed, check these possibilities:
- Your Windows release is unsupported or not fully updated.
- Your processor architecture or hardware does not meet the current requirement.
- The Microsoft Store catalog or the service differs in your country or region.
- The app has a newer requirement than the one reported in 2024.
Apple explicitly notes that Store availability, Apple Music availability, and Apple TV features vary by country or region. The Microsoft Store is only the distribution channel; Apple operates the apps, accounts, subscriptions, and media services.
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“I installed Apple Music and cannot find podcasts.”
That is expected under Apple’s current division of functions. Keep or reinstall iTunes for podcasts and audiobooks; Apple identifies iTunes for Windows as the app for those libraries.
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“My iPhone backup controls are missing.”
Apple Music does not provide device backup and restore. Install Apple Devices, connect and unlock the iPhone or iPad, accept the trust prompt, and use its device-management controls.
“My iTunes library is missing.”
Distinguish among locally stored music, Apple Music cloud-library items, iTunes Store purchases, and files stored on an external or non-default drive. Apple Music is documented to manage an iTunes music library and iTunes Store purchases, but the result can depend on the library’s location and the Apple Account signed in. Check the original library folder and attached drive before concluding that content was deleted.
“Apple TV works, but a program is unavailable.”
Catalogs and features vary by region. Also check whether the item is included with Apple TV+, purchased, rented, or supplied through an Apple TV Channel; those are different availability paths.
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“The Store says my PC is unsupported.”
- Run Windows Update.
- Open the Microsoft Store and install pending Store updates.
- Read the current system-requirements message on the app listing.
- Confirm the Microsoft account’s country or region.
- Use iTunes for podcasts, audiobooks, or legacy compatibility.
- Use Apple Music or Apple TV on the web when you only need streaming, while remembering that browser access cannot replace Apple Devices for local backup or restore.
Early preview reports warned that installing Apple Music or Apple TV could interfere with the old iTunes installation. Those reports described preview-era behavior, not a universal rule for the current release. Apple’s present guidance supports using the dedicated apps alongside iTunes where each is needed.
Alternatives and what they do not replace
Apple Music and Apple TV on the web
Browser access is useful when the native apps are unavailable or you do not want additional installations. It does not provide Apple Devices’ local iPhone and iPad backup, restore, firmware-update, and synchronization controls, and browser features may differ from the installed apps.
iCloud for Windows
iCloud for Windows is suited to iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, and other cloud synchronization features. It is not a full replacement for Apple Devices’ local backup and restore workflow. Apple’s iCloud information is at apple.com/icloud.
Other music and video services
Spotify (spotify.com), YouTube Music (music.youtube.com), and Amazon Music (music.amazon.com) can replace the streaming part of Apple Music, but they do not automatically provide access to an Apple music library or Apple video purchases. Other video services likewise do not replace the Apple TV app’s purchased and rented content.
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Subscriptions are separate from the apps
The Windows applications may be downloaded through the Microsoft Store, but installing them does not make Apple Music or Apple TV+ content free. Check current terms and pricing on Apple’s official pages: Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple TV app. Prices, trials, and promotions can change by country and date.
The Bottom Line
For most Windows users, Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices are the modern replacements for iTunes’ music, video, and iPhone/iPad functions. Do not uninstall iTunes if you manage podcasts or audiobooks, or if your PC cannot run the newer Microsoft Store apps.
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