How to manage downloads in iTunes 11

The next time you go download a movie, TV show, or an app in iTunes 11, you might have some trouble finding the Downloads manager. Here's where you find it.

When iTunes 11 was first released I had a few apps with updates available, so I started the downloads. In the previous version(s) of iTunes you could manage active downloads in the sidebar, but after revealing the sidebar in iTunes 11 I noticed that the downloads category was missing. I could see that the downloads were still active from the progress bar along the top of iTunes, but I had no way of viewing all of the downloads at once.Last week Apple released the much anticipated, and delayed, update to iTunes.iTunes 11 has a new look and feel, as well as some new features such as "Up Next." Along with the new look and feel comes new methods of interacting and accomplishing once familiar tasks in iTunes. One of those tasks, managing downloads, isn't as obvious as it used to be.

I looked through all the different menu items to no avail. Then I noticed a download icon, similar to the Download All button on the app update page, next to the search bar.

Clicking on it revealed the app updates, and the traditional methods for managing them. Keep in mind the downloads icon will only appear while you have an active download. Once your downloads are finished, the icon disappears.

Why the downloads section was moved -- and almost hidden -- is beyond me. It would be nice if Apple added it back to the sidebar view, or at least made it a bit more clear where it could be found.