Stop iTunes from asking me to sign in to Store!!

[Jethro!]

I just upgraded my iMac to High Sierra, and the new iTunes (12.7.2) is asking me sign in to the iTunes store every time I launch the app (and makes me hit Cancel 2-3x), and then interrupts and repeats the prompt randomly as long as it's open. Extremely annoying. I'll sign in to the iTunes store when I want to.

Anyone know how to make it stop asking? Hint: It won't let me turn off Automatic Downloads for Music in preferences. Every time I uncheck it, hit OK, then reopen Preferences the Music downloads box is checked on again. Grrrrrrrr

 

[monokakata]

I went into Preferences / Restrictions and disabled iTunes Store. That seems to have done the trick.

Fingers crossed . . . .

 

[Jethro!]

I went into Preferences / Restrictions and disabled iTunes Store. That seems to have done the trick.

Fingers crossed . . . .

I tried it but, it's still doing it. :/

 

[monokakata]

Damn. I don't know, then.

 

[DeltaMac]

(Not trying to be Mr. Obvious here, but) Does it stop happening, after you sign in to the iTunes store?

 

[Number Curtain]

I was being pestered to always enter my password. I got it to stick for a few weeks at time by disableing Avast Mac Security / restarting and then entering the password next time I was asked. Then turning Avast Mac Security back on / and restart. But it has not happened to me for about 2 months now.

 

[mikzn]

I think that window is an advertisement for Apple Music there should be a "not now" button on that screen to get rid of that screen

 

[Jethro!]

(Not trying to be Mr. Obvious here, but) Does it stop happening, after you sign in to the iTunes store?

That's the thing. I haven't signed in and I don't want to sign in.

 

[DeltaMac]

Bu-u-ut...
If you are using iTunes, signing in to the store simply means that you get access to the enormous music library (and the other types of media in the store) available to you. It does NOT obligate you in any way to actually use the Store (and spend some money).

With that in mind, I was just offering a suggestion to sign in, which should clear up your original question. I expect that you could then, immediately, sign out of your iTunes account (if that's your preference), so you would normally be signed out. That should (I think) prevent iTunes from asking later.

Just curious - assuming that you have no interest in what the iTunes Store has to offer, how are you using iTunes now?

AppleID is pretty imbedded with iTunes. That's (IMHO) one of the primary cores of your system. It is also a major reason why Apple makes it quite difficult to remove iTunes, should you wish to do that.

 

[Jethro!]

I have my own massive music catalog I have assembled and created over the years from all kinds of non-Apple sources. I buy actual CD's. I'll go to the iTunes store if I want to. In the meantime, I'd like to use iTunes without constantly being annoyed by multiple pop ups asking me to sign in. It used to be that way. But it appears as though they've designed it so you can't, which is endemic to the post-Jobs era -- "You WILL do it Apple's way, and you'll like it whether you like it or not."

 

[monokakata]

I have my own massive music catalog I have assembled and created over the years from all kinds of non-Apple sources. I buy actual CD's. I'll go to the iTunes store if I want to. In the meantime, I'd like to use iTunes without constantly being annoyed by multiple pop ups asking me to sign in. It used to be that way. But it appears as though they've designed it so you can't, which is endemic to the post-Jobs era -- "You WILL do it Apple's way, and you'll like it whether you like it or not."

My situation exactly. I've never bought anything from the iTunes store, and I don't think it's likely that I will.

However, my banishment of the sign-in is still holding good. If I knew why, I'd tell you.

 

[Jethro!]

Wish I knew your trick, monokakata. iTunes hits me with FOUR dialog login boxes each time I open it, each that I have to cancel out of, before I can even start using it. Then random pop up boxes while it's open. My patience for things Apple is growing thin.

 

[monokakata]

Wish I knew your trick, monokakata. iTunes hits me with FOUR dialog login boxes each time I open it, each that I have to cancel out of, before I can even start using it. Then random pop up boxes while it's open. My patience for things Apple is growing thin.

Well, I tell you what. I'll disable the disabling, and see what happens. Stay tuned.

 

[DeltaMac]

I'm guessing that complaining must be a lot of fun.
There must be something to that, maybe I am missing out on something important in my life (Nah...)

Why could you not (?) --- move to some alternative music library app?
Quick search: https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/...for-mac-best-music-players-for-macos-3653318/

 

[jasnw]

Possibly not the same problem, but it had the same symptom as you are experiencing. When I upgraded to Mavericks (years back) I ran into this very same issue with iTunes. After trying (unsuccessfully) every remedy suggested by people in this and other forums, I fell back on Old Reliable - a complete clean install and manual reinstall of all my apps and data from a backup. Preferably a backup made prior to your new install (which is what I had). That 'fixed' it for me, but it's like replacing an arm to get rid of a hang-nail.

If you didn't do a clean install initially this might do the trick. Or it might not. Typical case of Apple Roulette. Have you tried asking on the Apple forums?

 

[Jethro!]

I'm guessing that complaining must be a lot of fun.
There must be something to that, maybe I am missing out on something important in my life (Nah...)

As much fun as it is responding to this thread?

Why could you not (?) --- move to some alternative music library app?
Quick search: https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/...for-mac-best-music-players-for-macos-3653318/

Thanks, that's what I'm leaning toward.
[doublepost=1516129593][/doublepost]

If you didn't do a clean install initially this might do the trick. Or it might not. Typical case of Apple Roulette. Have you tried asking on the Apple forums?

Not yet. But I've found that questions that tend toward grilling the "Apple ethos" often get ignored. May be worth a shot anyway.

 

[DeltaMac]

I do have lots of fun responding.

But, some folks seem to just enjoy complaining. I don't particularly understand that view, and amazingly enough, I STILL try to answer. It takes a REAL doofus to take me out of the game (You don't have THAT attitude, thankfully!)
It's good to hear that you are already considering a suggestion that I put forth.
It's way better than thinking that your Mac fights against you every step of the way
(Hope springs eternal - there's ALWAYS a solution! hint: you may not necessarily appreciate some solutions )

 

[mikzn]

DeltaMac said: Why could you not (?) --- move to some alternative music library app?
Quick search: https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/...for-mac-best-music-players-for-macos-3653318/

Thanks, that's what I'm leaning toward.

Yeah - it would be nice to have an alternative to iTunes and even more the music app on iOS - music app has been going down hill for a long time - keeps losing features and seems more aimed at switching everyone from their own music to joining Apple Music.

For me it's time to start looking at something that is more cross platform - Amazon?

 

[IPadNParadise]

I have this “Sign In to iTunes Store” popping up on my Apple TV 4, every time I turn it on. I can hit cancel and go on and use the ATV but very irritating. And no, I haven’t signed in to see if that makes it go away, I don’t want to use the remote to do that.

 

[Jethro!]

Yeah - it would be nice to have an alternative to iTunes and even more the music app on iOS - music app has been going down hill for a long time - keeps losing features and seems more aimed at switching everyone from their own music to joining Apple Music.

For me it's time to start looking at something that is more cross platform - Amazon?

I predict Amazon acquires the world in 2019, unless people stop using them.

The thing about iTunes is when it was introduced, it was pretty innocuous and Apple (Computers) talked us into ripping our CD's to make it a convenient hub for our music. Ok, Apple. But once that settled, it's bloated into this obnoxious thing that "highly discourages" you from using it per its original purpose. Maybe I'll just go back to listening to CD's on an actual stereo systems cutting Apple out of the picture entirely.

 

[Jethro!]

UPDATE -- I think I've found the solution.

You have to completely, totally, absolutely "Sign out" of all things iTunes Store/account by going to Account > Sign Out. Until then, even though you may not be actually "signed in", it thinks you are kinda signed in, or want to be. Which is annoying (but probably intentional, knowing Apple these days). Then it finally stops prompting to sign in all the time.

 

[Brookzy]

This isn’t some grand conspiracy to make you buy stuff.

If you’ve authorised iTunes at some point - as OP had - then iTunes will occasionally need your password. If you deny it, it will keep asking for it because otherwise it can’t stay authorised.

If you don’t want to provide a password, de-authorise and sign out.

Or just do what everyone else does, and give it your password, and everything’s fine.

 

[Jethro!]

It may not be a grand conspiracy to MAKE me buy stuff, but it is to "highly encourage" everyone to join the Apple matrix and stay joined by being annoying until you get with the plan.

Staying signed in has nothing to do with a computer being authorized to play songs bought on iTunes. It needs no sign in beyond that.

Doing what everyone else does is for sheep. If that's you, then Baaaaaa. No griping when you get shorn.

 

[DeltaMac]

And, yet you still seem annoyed because an operating system doesn't seem to accept your opinion about "how things are supposed to work."
It's software that you did not design.
It does its job reasonably well, and one of those areas is security, which is the basic functionality behind all those (evil) login windows. You get to use the system, and using the system entitles you to certain levels of security. Some of those security "entitlements" leave you very little room for personal interpretation - and where security is concerned, that's a Good Thing™
Very little of this points at a "Apple won't allow that, because Apple knows better than you" direction - and also not a "We use Apple, so we are sheep" issue at all. I think of it as a "work better by trying to understand why it works that way".

 

[Jethro!]

This thread isn't about an operating system (though that could be another discussion), it's about an annoying "feature" of iTunes. Maybe review the thread before chiming in again about your Good Thing™.