How to Fix Secure Link to iTunes Store Failed Error

Wondering how to fix the secure link to iTunes Store failed error?

 

 

iTunes is a software that lets the users add to, organize, and play their digital media collection on a wide range of devices. If you love listening to music or podcasts, the iTunes Store might be one of the most used applications on your iPod, mobile, and even PC. 

Since the iTunes Store offers some nice advanced features in addition to the typical jukebox functions, it is used by millions of users worldwide. However, this in no way means that the iTunes Store is free from errors. 

It is common for users to encounter errors while using the iTunes Store. While some issues can be solved in a jiffy, others might leave you scratching your head to find the solutions. 

One such common error is the ‘Secure Link to iTunes Store Failed’ error, which occurs when the iTunes application fails to establish a secure link to the server. If you are facing this error and have no clue about what to do next, you’re in the right place. 

This guide will walk you through the process of fixing the ‘Secure Link to iTunes Store Failed’ in some simple steps. 

Let’s get started. 

• 1. Check Your Internet Connectivity. 
• 2. Check Apple System Status. 
• 3. Restart your Device. 
• 4. Update Your Operating. 
• 5. Adjust Date, Time, and Time Zone. 
• 6. Disable the VPN Client.
• 7. Reset the Winsock Catalog.
• 8. Enable Use SSL 3.0 or Use TLS 1.0.
• 9. Repair the iTunes Installation. 
• 10. Reinstall iTunes. 

 

1. Check Your Internet Connectivity. 

If you cannot connect your iTunes Store to the server, we suggest checking your internet connection before moving to the troubleshooting steps. A poor internet connection will not allow your device to connect to the iTunes Store and hence, the error. 

If you are using a Wi-Fi connection, try switching to a different Wi-Fi network or an Ethernet connection. If your internet connection is working fine, try disabling the Antivirus and Windows Defender on your PC. There are chances that these apps are blocking the iTunes application on your PC. Disabling them will hopefully solve the issue on your PC. 

 

 

2. Check Your Apple System Status. 

After checking your internet connectivity, head over to Apple’s System Status Page, and check if there are any server related issues. If you see a green dot with the iTunes Store, this means that there is no issue with the server. In this case, proceed to the troubleshooting methods mentioned below. 

However, if the server is down, there is nothing you can do except waiting. Typically, the server related issues are resolved by Apple support in a few hours. After the issue is resolved, you should be able to use the iTunes Store without any errors. 

 

 

3. Restart Your Device. 

It is common for certain software programs to start acting up when kept open for a long time. If your iTunes application has failed to establish a secure link to the server, try restarting your device. Doing so will purge the fragments of previously running programs and give your device a fresh start. 

If you are facing an error on your PC, here is how you can restart your PC:

1. Click the Windows Start button in the lower-left side of the taskbar.
2. Select Power and click on Restart to reboot your PC. 

 

That’s it. Check if doing so resolved the error. If the error persists, see the next method mentioned below. 

 

 

4. Update Your Operating System.

It might be tempting to postpone them, but operating system updates should be installed as soon as possible. 

Outdated versions of operating systems (OS) are prone to errors. If you are using an outdated version of your operating system, we suggest updating it. Updating the OS will improve its performance and solve the underlying errors. 

Follow the steps mentioned below to update your operating system to its latest build:

Update Windows. 

If you are using the iTunes Store on your PC, check your system for pending updates and install them. 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Press both the Windows + R keys simultaneously to open a Run dialogue box. 
2. In the Windows Update section, check for pending updates and follow the on-screen instructions to install them.

 

3. Once done, restart your PC and check if the error is resolved. 

If pending updates were causing the error on your PC, installing the updates will fix it. 

 

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Update iOS.

If you are using the iTunes Store on your Apple device, check your device for pending updates and install them to get rid of the error. 

Here is what you need to do if you are using iTunes on your iPhone:

1. Start charging your phone and connect your phone to a Wi-Fi network. 
2. Go to Settings and tap on your username displayed at the top. 
3. Now select iCloud and click on iCloud Backup. 
4. Press the Backup Now option on your screen. 
5. Once the process is complete, go to the Settings again. 

 

6. Select General and click on Software Update. 

 

7. If an update is available, install it by following the on-screen instructions. 
8. Once done, check if the error is resolved. 

You should be able to use the iTunes Store without any issues on your iPhone now. 

 

 

5. Adjust Date, Time, and Time Zone. 

Several applications, including the iTunes Store, check the system for certificates before performing certain actions. If the time or your PC or phone is incorrect, programs will reject the certificates, considering them as invalid.

If you are facing the iTunes error, chances are that it is caused by the incorrect time or date of your device. In this case, adjust the time and date to solve the error. 

Here is how you can adjust the time on your PC:

1. Type Date & Time in the search bar and select Open to launch the Settings window. 
2. Verify the Time Zone. 
3. Enable the Set time automatically option. 
4. Under Synchronize Your Clock, click on Sync Now.  

 

5. Finally, open the Microsoft Store and see if the error is resolved. 

Hopefully, you will be able to use the Microsoft Store without any errors now. 

 

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If you are using the iTunes Store on your iPhone, follow the steps mentioned below to adjust the device’s time, date, and time zone. 

1. Go to the Settings and click on General. 
2. Select Date and Time and disable the Automatic option. 
3. Now adjust the time, date, and time zone on your iPhone. 
4. Once done, close the Settings and open the iTunes Store to see if doing so resolved the error. 

Adjusting the time, date, and time zone will allow the apps to access system certificates without any issues. Hopefully, you will not face the error again. 

 

 

6. Disable the VPN Client.

VPN client allows your device to create a secure and encrypted connection to a VPN server. While it has several advantages, it comes with a few downsides too. For instance, VPN software interferes with the operations of certain applications. As a result, apps fail to respond and your screen displays error codes. 

If you are facing the iTunes error on your device, disabling the VPN client might fix the issue. 

The steps to disable the VPN client may vary depending on the device, but the basic principle is the same. Follow these steps if you want to disable the VPN client on your device:

1. Close the iTunes Store and its relevant processes on your device. 
2. Go to the Settings and select the VPN connection you want to disable. 
3. Click Disconnect. 

 

4. Once done, open the iTunes Store and check if disabling the VPN client solved the error. 

If the VPN client was causing the iTunes error, disabling it will fix the error. Once the error is resolved, you can enable the VPN client. 

 

 

7. Reset the Winsock Catalog.

In a Windows operating system, ‘Winsock’ is a supporting program that handles input/output requests for internet applications. If you face a networking problem and none of the troubleshooting steps are working for you, you can reset the Winsock catalog. This will place the ‘Winsock catalog’ back in its initial state and fix the corruption errors related to networking. 

Here is how you can reset the ‘Winsock catalog’ on your PC:

1. Close the iTunes Store and its relevant processes on your PC. 
2. Type Command Prompt in the search bar and click on Run as administrator to launch the application with administrative rights. 
3. In the elevated Command Prompt, type the commands mentioned below one by one and hit Enter after each. 

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

netsh winsock reset

 

4. Once done, restart your PC. In case you get a prompt to remap LSP, click on NO. 
5. Open the iTunes app and check if doing so resolved the error. 

If a corrupt ‘Winsock catalog’ was causing the error on your PC, resetting it will fix the issue. If the error persists, see the next method below. 

 

 

8. Enable Use SSL 3.0 or Use TLS 1.0.

Security Socket Layer (SSL) and its successor Transport Layers Security (TLS) are security protocols that provide communication security over a computer network. Chances are that you are facing the iTunes error if SSL or TLS are not enabled on your browser. 

You can solve this error by enabling either SSL or TLS (or both) on Internet Explorer. 

Here is how you can do it:

1. Open Internet Explorer on your PC.
2. Go to the Tools menu and click on Internet Options.
3. Now click on Advanced.
4. Under the Security section, look for Use SSL 3.0 and Use TLS 1.0. Select one or both of these options. 

 

5. Finally, click OK to save the changes and check if the error is resolved. 

You should be able to use the iTunes Store without any issues now. 

 

 

9. Repair the iTunes Installation. 

If none of the methods mentioned above works for you, try repairing the iTunes installation. If the installation of iTunes is corrupt, you will not be able to access the iTunes Store. In this case, repairing the iTunes installation will solve the issue. 

Here is how you can repair the iTunes installation on your PC:

1. Go to Settings and click on Apps.
2. Select Apps and Features from the left panel. 
3. Find iTunes and click on Advanced Options under it. 
4. Now scroll down and click on the Repair button. 
5. Once the process is complete, check if the error is resolved. 

Repairing the iTunes app will fix most errors within the application. However, if repairing did not resolve the error, head down to the last method below. 

 

 

10. Reinstall iTunes. 

If repairing the iTunes application did not work for you, try reinstalling iTunes. Doing so will place the app back in its initial state, and resolve the ‘Secure Link to iTunes Store Failed’ error. However, reinstalling the app will delete all its data from your PC. 

Here is what you need to do to reinstall iTunes:

1. Exit the iTunes app. If you want to save any data, make sure to move the contents to a safe place. 
2. Then go to Settings and click on Apps. 
3. Select Apps and Features from the left panel. 
4. Find the iTunes app and click on Advanced Options. 
5. Scroll down and click on Uninstall to uninstall the app. 

 

6. Once done, uninstall the following applications in the exact order as mentioned below.

Apple Software Update

Apple Mobile Device Support

Bonjour

Apple Application Support 32-bit

Apple Application Support 64-bit

 

7. Once done, restart your PC. 
8. Now press Windows + R keys simultaneously to open a Run dialogue box. 
9. Type ‘%programfiles%’ in the dialogue box and hit Enter. 

 

10. Find the folders mentioned below and delete them if found.

iTunes

Bonjour

iPod

 

11. Once done, go to Program Files and open the Common Files folder. 
12. In the Common Files folder, delete the folders mentioned below, if present. 

Mobile Device Support

Apple Application Support

CoreFP

 

13. Now press Windows + R keys simultaneously to open a Run dialogue box. 
14. Type ‘%ProgramFiles(x86)%’ in the dialogue box and hit Enter. 
15. Find the folders mentioned below and delete them if found.

iTunes

Bonjour

iPod

 

16. Once done, go to Program Files (X86) and open the Common Files folder. 
17. Find the folders mentioned below and delete them if found.

Mobile Device Support

Apple Application Support

CoreFP

 

18. Once done, clear the Recycle bin and restart your PC. 
19. After restarting your PC, make sure to check the registry and clear the relevant entries. 
20. Finally, install iTunes and check if the error is resolved. 

Hopefully, this will solve the error once and for all. 

This wraps up our guide on fixing the ‘Secure Link to iTunes Store Failed’ error. We hope our solutions helped you fix the error on your device. If you still have any confusion, please let us know in the comment section below. We will be glad to help you out!

 

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