Ubuntu is one of the most popular flavors of the Linux operating system. Its devoted users give it praise for its user-friendly interface and superior graphics. If you want to download and install iTunes on Ubuntu, you’ll need to take a few extra steps because a Linux version isn’t currently available.
<strong>Step One: Find and Install an Emulator</strong>
Linux developers have created a series of programs called emulators that allow you to install and run popular Windows-based programs in the Linux environment. One such emulator is called PlayOn, and it’s available at no cost from a variety of open-source download sites. To tell your Linux system to install PlayOn, you’ll need to enter this command:
<blockquote>sudo apt-get install playonlinux</blockquote>
<strong>Step Two: Install and Set up iTunes</strong>
Once PlayOn finishes installing, open the program and click “Install” for a list of available programs you can run with this emulator. Find and select iTunes from this list and click “Install” one more time to get the needed iTunes files to load on your machine. It’s highly recommended to select the latest available version of iTunes for the best results. Once the iTunes installation process finishes, agree to the terms of service and sign in to your existing iTunes account or create one if you need to do so.
<strong>Step Three: Import and Manage Your Music Library</strong>
If you already have an iTunes library, your music tracks should automatically import once you’ve signed in. This process might take a while if you have a large music collection. Make sure you’re connected to the Internet in order to make new iTunes store purchases. Create any desired shortcuts or desktop icons to iTunes on your Ubuntu system.
If you’re running the latest version of iTunes on your Ubuntu system, you should be able to plug in and sync your iPod or iPhone without any issues. If this step doesn’t work, you need to install an add-on for mobile syncing by typing in this command:
<blockquote>yum install gtkpod</blockquote>
Once this download finishes and installs, restart iTunes and you should be able to sync your Apple devices. Since Apple releases new versions of iTunes on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to check Ubuntu Linux help forums on occasion for any known iTunes compatibility issues and how to fix them.