Stop Firefox from opening iTunes

March 4, 2009 1:05 PM

Is there a way to stop Firefox from launching iTunes?

There are some links to iPhone apps that, when you click on them, trigger the opening of the iTunes store and thus iTunes itself. Is there a way to block this behavior? I generally don't have iTunes open and don't want it open because it slows down my computer. Yet I'll sometimes follow a link where an app is mentioned and wind up having to wait out the opening and closing of iTunes. Seems to me I should be able to tell Firefox I don't want that to happen, but I can't figure out how. (I haven't even really been able to figure out syntax that would let me know that a link is going to do this - it's not like they end in .itunes or something.)

This is using Firefox 3 and Windows XP.

posted by yarrow to computers & internet (14 comments total)

Could you provide at least one example of such a link, so I can have a go at this?
posted by chudmonkey at 1:07 PM on March 4

http://appshopper.com/link/pop

(From this thread.)

On my work computer, which doesn't have iTunes installed, this brings up a redirect screen from the Apple website saying they couldn't find iTunes on my computer. At home, iTunes just launches.
posted by yarrow at 1:13 PM on March 4

iTunes store links start with itms://. The example the OP gave is actually a redirect to a link of that kind.

You need to change your Firefox preferences. Under Tools->Options->Applications, find the itms content type and change it to 'Always ask.'
posted by jedicus at 1:19 PM on March 4 [1 favorite]

I believe jedicus has it. I'm sorry I got distracted and didn't check out your link sooner, yarrow.
posted by chudmonkey at 1:40 PM on March 4

Hmm. I had looked there, and didn't see anything that seemed relevant. Looking again, I don't see anything referring to an itms content type. (My list goes alphabetically from "JPEG Image" to "MacPaint Image" and I don't see an obvious way to add a new content type.)
posted by yarrow at 1:43 PM on March 4

Looking again, I don't see anything referring to an itms content type.

Wait, are you still on your work computer? When you installed Itunes at home it would've added it automatically I think. So you'll have to check there if you haven't.
posted by inigo2 at 1:53 PM on March 4

Try this:

1 Type in "about:config" (without quotes) into the location bar. (you may have to click a button confirming you want to access the next screen)
2 Type "itms" into the filter bar.
3 Find the preference named "network.protocol-handler.external.itms". Under the value column it should say true.
4 Double click on the entry to change its value to false.
posted by chudmonkey at 1:57 PM on March 4

If what jedicus suggested didn't work then try this:

1. In the Location bar, enter about:config
2. Press the "I'll be careful, I promise!" button (if it appears)
3. In the Filter box, type network.protocol-handler.warn-external.itms
4. Hopefully, they'll be a setting matching that name set to false. Double-click it to set it to true.

You should now be warned whenever Firefox tries to open an iTunes Store link, allowing you to choose whether you want iTunes to open or not on a case-by-case basis. Don't check the "Remember my choice for itms links." checkbox when following an iTunes Store link or you'll be back where you started. Follow both jedicus's steps and mine to fix things again.
posted by kyten at 1:58 PM on March 4

On Windows, associations of applications with URL schemes are stored in the registry. Open RegEdit, expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, find itms and itmss (note: NOT .itms, that's for a filename extension), although you could nix that as well, and delete or rename that key.

It would also be possible to insert a script that asks you to confirm the link or something of that nature before launching iTunes.

Next time you install an iTunes update, this will probably be back again.
posted by kindall at 1:58 PM on March 4

Note that my suggestion works for all browsers, not just Firefox. If you only use Firefox, one of the about:config methods is probably better.
posted by kindall at 2:00 PM on March 4

Durrrr, kyten seems to have corrected my inversion of True and False.
posted by chudmonkey at 2:01 PM on March 4

inigo: you are smart. I am on my iTunesless work computer, and will do this via options or about:config when I get home. (Kindall, I'll stay away from the registry since I only use firefox, but thanks for the universal version.) Thank you all!
posted by yarrow at 2:04 PM on March 4

chudmonkey, we're talking about different prefs. Yours specifies whether Firefox should try to handle the itms protocol internally or externally; mine specifies whether Firefox should warn before handing the itms protocol off to an external handler.

Following your steps will result in iTunes Store links never causing iTunes to be launched; following mine will result in the user being asked what they want to do. Which one is preferable is a decision for yarrow.
posted by kyten at 2:15 PM on March 4

Thank you all for your help. Kyten gets best answer because even on my iTuned computer I'm seeing neither an itms item in Options->applications nor a "network.protocol-handler.external.itms" preference in about:config. (Bunch of other ones but not a .itms one.) I did however have a network.protocol-handler.warn-external.itms preference so I set that and am happy. Much obliged!
posted by yarrow at 4:28 PM on March 4