Effective Ways to Fix the iTunes Error 42408

iTunes enables you to buy apps, music produced by your favorite artists and so much more, which is why it can be very frustrating to see the error 42408 when you try to download something with iTunes.

This error isn’t common, which is the reason why many Mac users are not sure what they should do once it pops up on their screen. So, in this article, we are going to take you through several different solutions to this problem that will enable you to continue downloading apps or content from the iTunes Store.

What Causes the iTunes Error 42408?

In most cases, the error 42408 occurs when iTunes is missing resources or after it encounters a software conflict. As a result, you won’t be able to download or authenticate anything you want to get from the iTunes store.

The issue may occur if you downgraded from the latest version of iOS or iTunes, but it can also be caused by an unstable network connection or even an overloaded cache in your web browser.

Although the issue can be annoying, fixing it shouldn’t take too long, as upgrading to the latest version of iTunes usually does the trick.

In case you don’t want to upgrade to the latest version of iTunes, for whatever reason, there are a number of things you can do to make the iTunes error 42408 error go away. Let’s take a look at some of the ways to fix this problem.

Sign Out From iTunes and Restart the Computer

Although it may seem like an obvious thing to do, signing out of your Apple ID account and then restarting the computer can fix the iTunes error 42408 permanently. After restarting the computer you should launch iTunes and sign back in, to the Apple ID account.

Try to purchase something from the iTunes store in order to check if the error 424208 shows up while you are authorizing the purchase or downloading the content.

Disable the Automatic Syncing Feature Temporarily

A software conflict can occur while different iDevices are synced with iTunes. Although this may not be the reason why you are seeing the error 42408, disabling the Automatic Syncing feature in iTunes will allow you to check if this is the cause of the problem. Here’s how you can disable the Automatic Syncing option in iTunes.

Step 1. Make sure that no iDevice is connected to your computer via a USB cable, and open the iTunes’ Edit menu.

Step 2. Click on the Preferences option in the Edit menu and click on the Devices tab. Click on the checkbox next to the Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically and then hit the OK button.

Step 3. Close the iTunes app, then open it again and head over to the iTunes store to check if the problem is solved.

Clear the Safari’s Cache

A cookie or anything else in Safari’s cache may create problems when you are trying to download anything to your computer, including the items you buy in the iTunes store. So to eliminate the chances that the error 42408 is caused by the cache overload.

Step 1. Close iTunes and open Safari. Click on the Safari menu and scroll down to the Empty Cache option. A prompt will pop up on the screen asking you if you want to empty the cache, click on the Empty button, and wait until the cache is cleared.

Step 2. Open iTunes, and go to the iTunes store. Try to download anything from the store to see if the error 42408 shows up.

Remove the iTunes Preference File from Your Computer

Even though you may never hear of it, iTunes has a preference file that creates problems when you attempt to buy or download something from the iTunes store. Moving this file to another location on the hard drive or deleting it permanently should resolve the error 42408.

Here’s how to move or delete the iTunes preference file:

Step 1. Use the Command+Shift+H keyboard shortcut to gain access to the Home folder. Then scroll down to the Library menu and click on the Preferences submenu.

Step 2. Locate the com.apple.itunes.xxx.plist file and move it to another easily accessible location on your computer. Open iTunes and check if the error 42408 is still showing up when you try to get something from the iTunes store.

Step 3. In case the problem wasn’t solved by moving the com.apple.itunes.xxx.plist file, you should delete it and check again if the error 42408 is displayed when you try to purchase items at iTunes Store.

Ensure Your Computer is Connected to the Internet

An unstable internet connection can be the reason why the error 42408 occurred during a download.

If this was the root of the problem, you should just be patient and wait for the Internet connection to stabilize.

Try purchasing or downloading the same item after your computer is back online and the issue should be resolved.

Fix the iTunes Error 42408 with A Few Clicks

Repairing the iTunes’ corrupted components may be your only option if all other methods of fixing the error 42408 fail. A third-party app like AnyFix – iOS System Recovery can help you deal with this error quickly and efficiently. Click the download box below and follow the steps to get rid of the error 42408 permanently.

Step 1. Download AnyFix on your computer and launch the software on your computer > Select the iTunes Repair option on the welcome screen.

Step 2. Proceed to click on the iTunes Connection/Backup/Restore Errors feature in the iTunes Repair window and then click on the Scan Now button.

Step 3. AnyFix will commence the analysis of your iTunes and display the list of components that have to be repaired afterward. Click on the Fix Now button, and wait until the software completes the process of repairing iTunes.

Step 4. Open iTunes and check if the error 42408 still appears on the screen when you try to download items from the iTunes store.

The Bottom Line

Chances are that you are never going to encounter the error 42408 if you keep the computer’s OS and iTunes updated. All solutions to this problem are fairly simple, since disabling the Automatic Syncing feature or deleting the preference file shouldn’t take more than a few clicks.

What’s more, even restarting your computer can prove to be an effective way to fix this error, but you won’t be able to resolve this issue if you decide to continue using an outdated version of iTunes. Hopefully, this article has helped you fix the 42408 error. Leave a comment and share your experiences with us.