Configure iTunes To Be Secure And Use Less Memory

The most secure and memory efficient way to configure iTunes is to essentially disable all of the internal features it uses. It is safest to disable all of the following:

  • Podcasts
  • Radio
  • iTunes Store
  • Shared Libraries
  • iPhone Auto-sync

If you do not use any of these features, it is best to turn them off. This will prevent your computer from make connections to Apple's servers that it does not need to and also saves some memory by reducing internal activities.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to do this:

  1. Open iTunes
  2. Click "Edit" in the menu at the top, this opens a list
  3. Click "Preferences" which is the last option. This opens the screen used for the main configuration.
  4. Click the "Parental Control" tab at the top.
  5. Under "Sources:" make sure the following boxes ALL have check marks in them:

    Disable Podcasts
    Disable Radio
    Disable iTunes Store
    Disable Shared Libraries

  6. If you use an iPhone, skip to step 8 now. If you do not use one, click the "iPhone" tab at the top.
  7. Place a check mark in the box next to where it says "Disable automatic syncing for all iPhones"
  8. Click "OK"

If you use a firewall it is suggested that you block iTunes from accessing the Internet for privacy purposes. This is because it is known to send data back to Apple.