iTunes 8 was released today (well yesterday, but who’s counting?) with new features like Genius sidebar/playlists, HD TV show and a new visualiser. (wow :rolleyes: )
However, they have removed two of the UI options I used, namely hiding the genre in the browser and links to the iTunes store. I don’t find browsing by genre useful; only a handful of my songs have genre tags. I’ve never thought to myself “Self, I really wish I could browse for a specific genre.” Add to that you are limited add one genre to a particular song and for me at least they are completely pointless (tags, on the other hand, would be awesome 
)
Searching Google, there are solutions for both of these issues, but they are Mac only :hmm: . However, I’ve found the solution for Windows (which works for me anyway).
- Ensure iTunes is not open. Browse to the iTunes Application Data folder (C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes on XP, C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes on Vista, substituting the drive letter and the user profile name where necessary.
- Backup and open the iTunesPrefs.xml with a half decent text editor (ie not Notepad, my personal preference is Notepad++)
- Find the User Preferences key, and below the <dict> tag insert:
- <key>show-genre-when-browsing</key>
<data>
AA==
</data>to disable the genre column in the browser, and:
- <key>show-store-arrow-links</key>
<data>
AA==
</data>to disable the links to the store.
- Start iTunes.
Tags: apple itunes
Dude. Thanks. It’s hard to believe that Ap;;e would choose to make their programs even less granular. Someday I think this will come back to haunt them.
For Mac:
1. Open Terminal
2. Enter this command and then hit Enter:
defaults write com.apple.itunes show-genre-when-browsing -bool FALSE
3. Close and reopen iTunes
Obviously, you can reverse these changes with the following command:
defaults write com.apple.itunes show-genre-when-browsing -bool TRUE
thats fantastic, thanks so much. worked perfectly with win Vista 64, so long as I used notepad++.
great info man! thought i would be reverting back to v7. saved me on that one.
Thank you. There was no good reason for Apple to make us do this.
Awesome, worked perfect! Thanks!
Thanks a lot… So much better now! I can’t stand Genre! I just hate it…
hey, i was really hoping to get rid of these arrows with your help.
unfortunately its not working for me. im doing everything as you explained, but iTunes keeps deleting the stuff i added when i start it. what am i doing wrong?
im running vista home premium 32bit and editing with notepad++
thank you for your help in advance
Thanks a million! It works!!
Thanks a lot. Personally I need the genre tags on my iPod, and don’t mind them in iTunes, but the store link arrows were killing me.
BRILLANT!
I found I had to tab the AA== in to line it up with all the other AAAAA’s or it didn’t work for some reason
Using notepad++ makes it very simple.
I HATE THOSE ARROWS!
I hope Apple wises up and listens to their customers more.
this was nearly the straw that broke the camel’s back… had it not been for your fix, i’d have made the move to songbird. what a shameless trick!
Thanks – this works perfectly.
w00tage! Thanks. I spent probably 20 minutes looking through the settings, figuring I just missed it.
Thanks a bunch. I switched to Windows because I had to for certain programs, but it also seems like Apple has lost its way. This kind of s— would never have happened five or ten years ago.
Haha! I got it to work. Great fix, thanks! It should probably be stated explicitly, however, that the tag should be pasted under “User Preferences” for n00bs like me.
Great job!
Apple really grinds my gears!! i don’t know why do they try to oversimplify everything to the point of absurdity and unoperability!! however, i took the time to organize my music by genre and i find this the best way to use my ipod (the genres i used are personalized and according to my own opinion and taste)… stupid software, it should work for me! not the other way…
Superb. I was really regretting installing the new ITunes when I found I couldn’t remove genres, but this sorted it. Thanks!
Thank you :] I dislike the Arrows to the iTunes store…. if I already have the song, why in the world would I want to buy it from them again?
Thanks
Many Thanks,
I’ve finally got this to work no more bloody arrows!
:-D
Works like a charm… LEGEND
You.
Are.
My.
Hero.
awesome tip
worked like a charm
Now i just need to know how to enable “play songs while importing”, another feature that was was gotten rid of in version 8. anyone have any ideas?
Perfect fix. Thanks for taking the time to post it for the rest of us!
How *did* you find this?
Hardcore.
Nice work. Genre is a pointless feature. So is the itunes store, for that matter.
Thank you!
thanks, man
god bless.
excellent tip! Thank you very much!
Great, this is such a simple solution. Thanks for the fixes!
Thanks for the great tip!
Fatastic!! Just found this, I never use Genre, VERY useful!!
Thank you!!!
Nice one! Genre was beginning to annoy me.
I’ve done this before, and every time I’ve tried it it’s been stubborn, but I get it to work eventually. This time, however, I have been working on it for a good half an hour, even restarting my computer multiple times, but to no avail. I’m doing everything exactly the same way that I always have–the store links just won’t go away.
Any suggestions?
email: reilly.mcallister@gmail. com
Much appreciated!
Thank you. Why Apple needs to make things this tough is beyond me.
Thanks man! This rocks
THANK YOU
I was having so much frustration before because I went into the “Local” folder not the “Roaming” folder, I did all the changing the preferences in Notepad++ and it still didn’t work!
Roaming is the way to go, thanks man you saved me.
Patrick
Good tip and works a treat, thanks you.
Perfect! Why they removed this option I can’t understand!!?? Thanks for this great tip!
Hi
Thanks so much for this, it worked! However, the latest version of iTunes -> 8.0.2.20 does not all for this to happen. The iTunesPrefs.xml file does not have the above entries to edit.
Please help, as this above fix worked perfectly for my older iTunes 8 and i’ve been forever grateful!
Mark
Im going to make you all cry now, i found the most simple way to turn off the arrows, go to prefrences/parental control, and click turn off itunes store:) problem solved
thanks a ton, why would they delete a preference like that?
Thanks a lot! Worked perfectly for me. I also found another way to turn off the links. Go to Preferences on iTunes and then on Parental Control under Disable click “iTunes Store” and that solves it. The problem is I use the iTunes store once in a while so I didn’t want to get rid of it, but the links were really getting annoying, but now thanks to this quick step…I’m good.
Worked like a charm. Thanks a million, that thing is so annoying.
DanielHarra is a genius. Noobs.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Thx Daniel, worked a treat and didn’t have to mess about with any XML files.
you are a genius