What authorizing iTunes actually means
Authorizing iTunes means telling Apple that a specific device — your Mac, Windows PC, or iPhone — is allowed to play music, movies, TV shows, and audiobooks you bought from the iTunes Store using your Apple ID. Without authorization, you can still read content to that device, but you cannot play it.
Apple limits authorization to five devices per Apple ID at any one time. This is a copy-protection measure: it prevents you from sharing a single iTunes purchase with dozens of people. Once you authorize a device, anyone using that device can play your purchased content — so if you share a family computer, everyone on it can listen to your music.
You authorize a device once, and the authorization stays active until you remove it. You do not need to re-authorize every time you want to play something you bought.
Key Takeaways
- Authorizing a device lets you play iTunes purchases on it; without authorization, the content will not play even though it downloaded.
- You can authorize up to five devices per Apple ID, and authorization lasts until you manually remove it.
- On a Mac or Windows PC, you authorize through the iTunes or Music app by signing in with your Apple ID and selecting "Authorize This Computer".
- On an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, authorization happens automatically when you sign into your Apple ID in Settings — no separate step needed.
- If you sell or give away a device, deauthorize it first so it no longer counts against your five-device limit.
How to authorize on a Mac or Windows PC
On a Mac running macOS Monterey or newer, open the Music app. On older Macs or any Windows PC, open iTunes. In the menu bar at the top, click Account (on Mac) or Edit (on Windows), then select Authorize This Computer. A window will appear asking for your Apple ID and password.
Type in the Apple ID and password you use for the iTunes Store, then click Authorize. The app will confirm that the computer is now authorized. That is all you need to do — the authorization is now active and will remain so until you deauthorize the computer.
If you do not see an "Authorize This Computer" option, your computer is already authorized under that Apple ID. You can check by going to Account or Edit again and looking for View My Account or Account Settings. The account page will show you how many devices are currently authorized.
How to authorize on iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
On an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, authorization happens automatically. Open Settings, tap Music, and make sure you are signed in with your Apple ID. If you are not signed in, tap Sign In and enter your Apple ID and password. Once you are signed in, the device is authorized.
You do not need to do anything else. The device will now play any music, movies, TV shows, or audiobooks you bought with that Apple ID. If you later sign out of your Apple ID in Settings, the device is deauthorized.
What to do if you reach your five-device limit
If you try to authorize a sixth device and get a message saying you have reached your limit, you need to deauthorize one of your existing devices first. On a Mac or Windows PC, open the Music app or iTunes, go to Account or Edit, and select Deauthorize This Computer. Enter your Apple ID and password, and the computer will be deauthorized.
On an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, sign out of your Apple ID in Settings. This deauthorizes the device. You can now authorize a new device.
If you have lost access to a device — for example, you sold an old phone and no longer have it — you can deauthorize it remotely. Go to appleid.apple.com in a web browser, sign in with your Apple ID, click Devices, find the device you want to remove, and click Remove from Account. This counts as deauthorization and frees up one of your five slots.
Why you might need to deauthorize before selling or giving away a device
If you sell or give away a computer, phone, or tablet, deauthorize it first. Otherwise, it will still count against your five-device limit even though you no longer own it. If you forget to deauthorize before handing it over, you can still remove it remotely through appleid.apple.com.
Deauthorizing does not delete the content from the device — it just removes the device's permission to play iTunes purchases. The person who receives the device can then authorize it with their own Apple ID and play their own purchases.
What happens if you do not authorize a device
If you read content to a device but do not authorize it, you will see an error message when you try to play the content. The error usually says something like "This item cannot be played on this device" or asks you to authorize the device. You cannot bypass this by waiting or trying again — you must authorize the device first.
This is different from content you rented or content from Apple Music (the subscription service). Rentals and subscriptions have their own rules and do not require device authorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I authorize the same device with two different Apple IDs?
No. A device can only be authorized with one Apple ID at a time. If you sign in with a different Apple ID, the previous authorization is removed. You would then need to authorize the new Apple ID.
Do I need to authorize a device to read content from iTunes?
No. You can read content without authorization. You just cannot play it until you authorize the device with the Apple ID that purchased the content.
What if I forgot my Apple ID password?
Go to iforgot.apple.com and follow the steps to reset your password. You will need access to a recovery email or phone number associated with your Apple ID. Once you reset your password, you can use it to authorize devices.
Does authorizing a device let other people use my iTunes purchases?
Yes. Anyone who uses an authorized device can play your iTunes purchases. This is useful for family computers, but be aware that it means anyone with access to that device can listen to your music or watch your movies.
Can I authorize a device that is not connected to the internet?
No. The device must be connected to the internet to authorize. It needs to contact Apple's servers to confirm your Apple ID and register the device.