How to use the iTunes Store for iPhone and iPod touch

With iPhone OS 3.0 or later, you can search for, browse, preview, purchase, and download music, videos, podcasts, audiobooks, and more from the iTunes Store directly to iPod touch or iPhone. Your purchased content is automatically copied to your iTunes library the next time you sync iPod touch or iPhone with your computer.

Note: Some content types are not available in some iTunes Store countries.

To use the iTunes Store, your iPod touch or iPhone must be connected to the Internet (purchasing and downloading content requires access to a Wi-Fi or cellular network¹). For information about joining networks, see the iPod touch User Guide or the iPhone User Guide. You'll also need an iTunes Store account to purchase content. If you don't already have an iTunes Store account, tap Settings > Store > Create New Account to set one up.

Browsing and Searching

You can browse music by featured selections, top-ten categories, or genres. Select a video category (TV shows, movies, or music videos) to view available content. Search the iTunes Store for the content you're looking for by tapping Search, entering one or more words in the search field, then tap Search. Tap on an item to see more details on its information screen.

Purchasing Content

To purchase an item directly from your iPhone or iPod touch:

1. Tap the price, then tap Buy or Rent Now
2. Sign into an existing account, or create a new account if you don't already have one.
3. Your purchase is charged to your iTunes Store account. For additional purchases made within the next fifteen minutes, you don't have to enter your password again.
4. Once your purchase begins downloading, it appears in the Downloads screen (under the More menu).

   

Purchased items are added to a Purchased playlist on iPod touch or iPhone. If you delete the Purchased playlist, iTunes creates a new one when you buy an item from the iTunes Store on iPod touch or iPhone.

Songs and Albums

An alert appears if you've previously purchased one or more songs from an album. You'll have the option to tap Buy to purchase the entire album including the songs you've already purchased, or tap Cancel if you want to purchase any remaining songs individually.

If an album has bonus content in the form of a digital booklet, it will be downloaded to the computer when you sync your device or if you check for available downloads in iTunes on your computer.

Videos

You can purchase movies and TV shows in standard (480p) or high definition (720p) format. When you purchase a high definition (HD) video, a standard definition (SD) version compatible with iPod and iPhone immediately downloads for viewing. The high definition version appears in iTunes on your computer in the Downloads queue. You must be signed in to your iTunes Store account on your computer to view and download items from the Downloads queue.

Rented movies are available in standard definition only. Rented movies won't begin playing until the download completes.

TV shows, movies, and movie rentals are not available in some iTunes Store countries.

Streaming or downloading Podcasts

You can listen to audio podcasts or watch video podcasts streamed over the Internet from the iTunes Store. You can also download audio and video podcasts to iPhone or iPod touch. View this article to learn more about streaming and downloading podcasts.

Learn how to download iTunes U content in this article.

See the status of downloading items

Tap More, then tap Downloads.

To pause a download, tap .

If you need to turn off the device or leave the area of your network connection, don't worry about interrupting the download. The device starts the download again the next time it joins a supported network with an Internet connection. If you open iTunes on your computer, iTunes completes the download to your iTunes library.

See the status of Pre-ordered items

Pre-ordered items appear in a list under Downloads until the date the item is released. Tap the item for release date information. Once the item is available for download, a download arrow icon appears next to the download.

Pre-ordered items don't download automatically when they're released. To download a pre-ordered item, tap the download arrow icon.

Changing the Browse Buttons

You can replace the Music, Podcasts, Videos, and Search buttons at the bottom of the screen with ones you use more frequently.

Tap More > Edit. Drag a button to the bottom of the screen, over the button you want to replace. When you are finished rearranging the buttons, tap Done.

For information on syncing purchases to your computer and verifying downloads, see the iPod touch User Guide or the iPhone User Guide.

Notes

1. 3G recommended for cellular downloads