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Updated iTunes for Windows is crashing — unless set to English language

Users of iTunes on Windows 10 are finding that the app crashes on launch, and the only workaround is to set the language to English.

Apple's latest iTunes 12.12 for Windows is causing problems for users who are not already using it in English. Seemingly with any other language set on the users' computers, the app crashes with an error saying some "required files are missing."

According to Portugese-language site Tecnoblog, the iTunes error message recommends reinstalling the app — but that doesn't fix the issue.

"Despite this, when trying to repair and reinstall iTunes, the failure and warning message remain," says the site (in translation), "unless you try to install an older version of the program and prevent the update from the Microsoft Store."

Tecnoblog reports that there is a workaround.

"If we change the Windows settings to English, iTunes works normally," it says. "The bug returns when trying to switch back to any other language."

A thread on Apple's iTunes for Windows support community says that Apple has not resolved the issue. Users there recommend staying on iTunes 12.11 for Windows instead.



2 Comments

davemcm76 268 comments · 13 Years

I think when it says "English" it specifically means "English (US)" as my windows 10 installation is currently "English (UK)" and I've had the exact same error about missing files and ended up manually reinstalling iTunes 12.11 from https://support.apple.com/downloads/itunes

chadbag 2029 comments · 13 Years

Apple needs another quality push.  Between this, the file:// bug (case sensitive instead of non case sensitive) and other stupid bugs recently, Apple is showing that it needs to get good engineers and QA people and set up procedures that will test stuff before release   The file:// should have been caught at the latest during a peer review of code.  And there should be init tests and automated tests and stuff to catch that sort of thing.  The Windows iTunes should have been tested using non English.  And they should have a build system that does not allow the non English resources to not be included.   This is just sloppy work.