How to fix iTunes crashes in Windows 10, 8

Some users who have installed Windows 10, 8.1 have been reporting issues with iTunes crashing, especially with the latest version of iTunes. Here are some potential fixes and further description of the problem.

Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 created a lot of woes for those using Apple products, as we have reported multiples issues in the following posts:

Bluetooth Not Recognized in Windows 10, 8.1 Update for BootCamp Users
Apple Users Ask for Windows 10, 8.1 Boot Camp Support
Windows 10, 8.1 Install Fails on New 2013 Retina MacBook, Users Report

Now, not only those who are using Windows 10, 8.1 through BootCamp are getting issues, but regular users that have installed and running iTunes either on their Apple laptops or any other products running Windows 10, 8.1. This information comes from a thread on Apple's Support Communities, and here are some of the issues the customers have reported:

This is a new computer so I never had a chance to try itunes under windows 8. However when I installed it for windows 8.1 it initially seemed to work until I tried to log in to my account. Since then it's been crashing. Re-install after re-install it seems to keep crashing as soon as I open it up.

Somebody has been having iTunes crashing on Windows 8.1 since the Preview version:

Since installing the Windows 8.1 Previe.w on my Dell Inspiron that had been running Win8 Pro, iTunes ver. 11.0.4.4 will open and then after a few seconds it crashes. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes but the crashes continue.

Fix iTunes crashes in Windows 10, 8

Copy the QTMovieWin.dll file to iTunes
Reinstall Java, Adobe Flash and update your drivers
Scan your computer
Remove recently installed programs
Disable BTTray.exe
Reinstall iTunes

1. Copy the QTMovieWin.dll file to iTunes

Some users were advised by Apple to do the following: copy QTMovieWin.dll from C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAppleApple Application Support to: C:Program Files (x86)iTunes. For most users, this has did the trick and apparently this hasn't been encountered on Windows 10, 8.

RELATED: Best software to fix your iTunes library in Windows 10

2. Reinstall Java, Adobe Flash and update your drivers

If this won't work, try reinstalling Java and the Adobe Flash Player (which also has some issues in Windows 10, 8.1). If the issue persists, update all your computer drivers. Keep in mind that tutdated drivers may cause iTunes to behave strangely and even crash on launch.

3. Scan your computer

Unwanted programs and malware might cause iTunes to crash unexpectedly. Make sure that your antivirus is up-to-date and then run a full system scan. Once your antivirus has scanned your computer, restart your machine and try to launch iTunes again. Also, make sure that your antivirus is not blocking iTunes.

RELATED: How to fix the iTunes exe bad image error in Windows 10

4. Remove recently installed programs

If iTunes started crashing soon after you installed a particular app or software, try uninstalling the respective piece of software. Sometimes, various software solutions may trigger compatibility issues and block iTunes from properly launching.

5. Disable BTTray.exe

Some users suggested that disabling BTTray.exe could fix this problem, espectially if iTunes started crashing after you installed the latest Windows 10 updates on your machine.

Do you have any Bluetooth software on this machine? Disabling BTTray.exe has helped some.

6. Reinstall iTunes

If nothing worked, try reinstalling iTunes. This will solve any file corruption issues that may be causing the app to crash. You can now download iTunes from the Microsoft Store.Let us know in the comments section if this helps and if not, we'll try to work together on a fix.

RELATED STORIES TO CHECK OUT:

Fix: iTunes won't install on Windows 10
iTunes Doesn't Recognize iPhone on Windows 10 [Fix]
Fix: iTunes causes high CPU usage in Windows

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2013 and has been since updated for freshness, and accuracy.

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