Everything You Need to Know About Using iTunes and the iTunes Store

These are the essentials you need for a complete foundation of iTunes features and functions. Whether you use a Mac or Windows PC, you'll learn how to install iTunes, create an account and Apple ID, authorize computers, what files iTunes can use, and the importance of deauthorizing a computer.

• Install iTunes on Mac
• Install iTunes on Windows
• Creating an iTunes Account
• Authorizing Computers
• How to Deauthorize iTunes on old or dead computers/devices
• Using iTunes Gift Cards
• File Compatibility guide

Besides working with your iPod or iPhone, iTunes offers a powerful way to manage your music library. Use these articles to learn how to add songs to your library from CDs, how to burn your own CDs, and some of the hot issues in digital music. You'll also find out what the difference is between AAC and MP3 music files.

• How to Copy CDs to iPod and iTunes
• Burning CDs using iTunes
• Adding Folders of Music to iTunes
• Changing iTunes CD Import Settings
• How do I Convert iTunes to MP3?
• AAC vs. MP3, A sound quality test
• AAC vs. MP3: Which to choose for Ripping CDs
• How to Categorize and Edit Song Information

Part of the fun of iTunes is creating playlists, sharing music with friends and family, and discovering new music with iTunes Genius. You may be unaware that your family can share music between members, for example, or that iTunes can offer suggestions of music you may like based on your tastes. You can even have iTunes build playlists for you automatically.

• Creating iTunes Playlists
• Creating Smart Playlists in iTunes
• Using Up Next in iTunes
• Always Skip or Remove Songs when shuffling in iTunes
• How many times can I Burn iTunes Playlists?
• How and why to Rate Songs in iTunes
• Is shuffle mode in iTunes Truly Random?
• How to use iTunes Home Sharing
• How to set Up iTunes Genius
• Creating Playlists with iTunes Genius
• Using iTunes Genius to Discover New Music
• How to Turn Off iTunes Genius and its sidebar
• How to turn on iTunes Library Sharing
• Using Sound Check with iTunes

One area in which iTunes is pretty complicated is transferring an iTunes library to a new computer or restoring a library from a backup after a crash. This gets especially complex when iPods and iPhones are involved. Do you need special software for this? Can you give away your music on an iPod? These articles sort out some of the confusion for you and help you figure out what to do.

• Transferring iTunes library to Other Computers
• How do I transfer my iTunes music to a New Computer?
• How to backup iTunes to an External HD
• How to Restore iTunes from backup on an external hard drive
• How to Merge iTunes Library from many PCs to one
• Top programs to Transfer iPod to computer
• Recover iTunes after a hard drive crash using iPhone
• Can I Give Away an iPod and let the recipient have the music?

The basics of using iTunes to manage an iPod, iPhone, or iPad will get you listening to your music on these devices. But there are a number of advanced features and tricks that can make life easier and more fun. 

• How to Sync iPhone and iTunes
• How to Backup an iPad
• How to only Sync Certain Songs
• How to Save YouTube Videos to iPhone or iPod touch
• Managing Multiple Devices on One Computer

As anyone with an iOS device knows, the App Store is the thing that makes the platform truly versatile and exciting. While app reviews are one part of using the App Store, there's more to it than that. Learn the basics of installing apps, the costs of downloading apps, and whether you can use those apps across multiple devices — or do you have to buy the app for each device.

• Getting and Installing Programs from the iPhone App Store
• How to Sync Apps to the iPod touch
• How to Remove iPhone Apps
• Can I Get iPhone Apps Without iTunes?
• Do I have to Buy an iPhone App for each compatible device?
• Can iPhone Apps Be Synced to Multiple iPhones and iPod touches?
• Can I Redownload Apps purchased from the App Store?

As iTunes has become more integrated with the internet, making it much more powerful and intelligent. Two of the major features that have enabled this are iCloud and iTunes Match. Learn all about these features, and how to use them, in these articles.

• iCloud Frequently Asked Questions
• What is iTunes Match?
• How to Set Up and Use iTunes Match
• Enabling Automatic Downloads for iCloud on iOS and iTunes

While iTunes may be the first name that springs to mind when you think about buying music downloads, it's far from the only online music store that works with the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Streaming music services like Spotify and Pandora offer different ways to access and discover new music. And iTunes Radio is another option for enjoying music.

• Top iPod-friendly Music Download Services
• Best free iPhone Music Apps
• Using iTunes Radio in iTunes
• Buying Songs from the iTunes Store
• How can I Get Free Music for iTunes?
• Best Online Music Sites for downloading songs

There are few gadgets as popular with today's pre-teens, teens, and young adults as the iPhone. Some parents may have concerns about what their kids can access with these devices. But there are tools that can help manage what they have access to.

• How to set up an iPhone or iPod touch for Kids
• Using iTunes Parental Controls
• How to set up an iTunes Store Allowance
• Tips to avoid iPod and iPhone related Hearing Loss

What does it mean to jailbreak your iPhone, and will that affect iTunes? What can you do about duplicate songs in iTunes? Can you change the album art for music? Here are topics that don't fit the categories above, but offer useful information to round out your knowledge of iTunes.

• All about iPhone Jailbreaks
• Can you use iTunes with other MP3 Players?
• Can I Create an iTunes Account with a gift card?
• Adding album and CD Cover Art to iTunes
• How to Download 1080p HD Movies from iTunes
• Deleting iTunes Duplicates
• How to use iTunes on an External Hard Drive