How To Remove DRM from iTunes Movies and TV Shows
When Apple launched the iTunes Store in 2003, the company helped shape the way we purchase digital media. With its easy to use interface and single-click purchasing ability iTunes added a lot of convenience to the whole process of buying music, movies, and TV shows online.
The only real downside to purchasing digital media content from iTunes was the digital rights management (DRM) technology built in to each and every file. Thankfully, in 2009, Apple was able to convince the record labels to drop the whole DRM thing on music bought from iTunes. That being said, while its music offerings have been DRM free since 2009, the same can’t be said for video content (movies and TV shows) available for purchase or rent via iTunes. But as they say: there’s an app for that. Enter M4VGear.
The software is available for Mac (including OS X El Capitan) and Windows PCs, and costs $44.95 for a license. While it’s not cheap it’s certainly worth the price if you have been searching for an easy, functional DRM removal tool. M4VGear has also been favorably reviewed.
Here’s How It Works
Launching M4VGear will also launch iTunes, so if you’ve already got iTunes running, it’ll ask you to relaunch it.
From there, it’s insanely easy to strip the DRM out of whatever video files you have downloaded from iTunes. That includes rentals, too, essentially acting as a digital version of those old VHS duping machines that let people keep copies of movies they had rented from Blockbuster (hah, remember Blockbuster?). Anyway, yes, doing this might be pretty dubious in terms of living up to your end of iTunes’ User Agreement, so do a little soul searching and let your conscience be your guide there.
Simply add the DRM’d iTunes video files you want to convert, select an output location for the new DRM-free files, and click the big Convert button. It’s really that simple.
Another really nice thing about M4VGear is that it works fast and it features lossless conversions, meaning the video quality doesn’t degrade when you use it. Oh and last but not least, the app also keeps 5.1 audio tracks and subtitles after conversion.
The Benefits
The major benefit to using M4VGear to remove DRM from iTunes video content is the new-found freedom you get. For example, if you use iTunes on a Windows PC and are also an Android user, M4VGear will allow you to watch the videos you buy through iTunes (which may only be available on iTunes, depending on the content) on whatever device you want, as long as it can play the MP4 file format. That also means you won’t be stuck watching those videos in iTunes, either. So if you prefer VLC or even Windows Media Player, now those are options too.
You can download M4VGear for Mac here and M4VGear for Windows here.