The best way to use an previous iPod in 2024

Apple might not all the time be the primary to convey a product to market, however they do typically trigger reputation to skyrocket. The first iPhone was the product that basically impressed folks to make the transition to smartphones, and look the place it is introduced the world now. However earlier than smartphones, the iPod was the product that led to the growth in MP3 players within the early 2000s.

The primary iPod hit the cabinets method again in 2001, and the system went by means of a number of iterations, together with the iPod shuffle, the iPod nano, and the iPod contact — the oddly capitalized model names inflicting English lecturers in every single place to tear out their hair.

When the iPhone arrived, it signaled the demise of the iPod. Why purchase a devoted MP3 participant while you already had one constructed into your telephone? The iPod hung round for some time, however after altering the world, the final iPod was discontinued, and most of our previous MP3 gamers bought thrown away or consigned to the again of a drawer.

I discovered my previous iPod nano lately and was curious to know what music was on it. Attempting to get it going once more was a little bit of a problem, however with a little bit of analysis, I discovered that it was easy sufficient to do, particularly utilizing Home windows. I used to be in a position so as to add new (legally obtained, clearly) music and even export previous stuff that was nonetheless on there. Here is how I bought my previous iPod again up and working and why possibly you need to, too.

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What you may want to make use of your previous iPod in 2024

The place did I put that iPod charger?

There are some things you may want so as to have the ability to get your previous iPod up and working once more. You may want an iPod that is in working situation. You may additionally want the related charging cable in your iPod. For those who’ve misplaced yours, Amazon or eBay ought to have what you want.

You may additionally want a pc with a USB-A port (as a result of USB-C wasn’t a factor in 2001) so you may join your iPod to your pc utilizing the charging cable. The ultimate factor took me the longest to seek out; you may want some wired headphones. Bluetooth headphones weren’t a factor in 2001 both, apparently.

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Set up an previous model of iTunes

Use Home windows for a neater experience

The issue with utilizing an previous iPod is that it will not work with fashionable apps. iTunes was all the time the app you wanted to get music on and off your iPod, however the app no longer exists in its own right. The Music app does not appear to play properly with many older iPods. The most effective plan is to put in an previous model of iTunes, particularly iTunes 12.6.5.3. This appears to be the candy spot for supporting a variety of previous iPod fashions. If it does not work, you may attempt an older or new model of iTunes as an alternative to see you probably have extra success.

The best way to set up iTunes on Home windows

Bizarrely, contemplating that iPods are Apple merchandise, it is simpler to put in an older model of iTunes on Home windows than on Mac. All you might want to do is obtain and run the related installer, and iTunes will likely be put in in your PC.

1. Obtain the related model of the iTunes 12.6.5.3 installer, relying in your {hardware}.
2. Run the downloaded installer.
3. As soon as accomplished, you need to be capable of launch the iTunes app.

The best way to set up iTunes on Mac

Apple

For those who’re on a Mac, attempting to put in an older model of iTunes will convey up an error message stating that the software program is just not supported in your system. Nevertheless, it is attainable to idiot macOS into considering that the app is a more moderen model than it truly is. This entails working an AppleScript, nevertheless it’s not as arduous because it sounds.

1. Obtain the iTunes 12.6.5.3 installer for Mac.
2. Open the Script Editor app in your Mac.
3. Click on New Doc.
4. Copy and paste the next script into the highest pane of the Script Editor:

   set theDMG to decide on file with immediate "Please choose iTunes dmg file:" of kind {"dmg"}do shell script "hdiutil mount " & quoted type of POSIX path of theDMGdo shell script "pkgutil --expand /Volumes/iTunes/Set up iTunes.pkg ~/tmp"do shell script "hdiutil unmount /Volumes/iTunes/"do shell script "cd ~/tmp/iTunesX.pkg; cat Payload | gunzip -dc |cpio -i; ditto ~/tmp/iTunesX.pkg/Purposes/iTunes.app ~/tmp/iTunes.app;"do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleGetInfoString -string 'iTunes 13.9.9' ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Data.plist"do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleShortVersionString -string 13.9.9 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Data.plist"do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleVersion -string 13.9.9 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Data.plist"do shell script "contact ~/tmp/iTunes.app"do shell script "ditto ~/tmp/iTunes.app /Purposes/iTunes.app"do shell script "rm -r ~/tmp"

5. Click on the Run icon to run the script.
6. When prompted, navigate to the situation of the installer you downloaded in step 1.
7. As soon as the script has completed working, you need to discover the iTunes app in your Purposes folder.
8. Run the iTunes app.

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The best way to add music to an previous iPod in iTunes

Get your new tunes onto your previous iPod

After getting the iTunes app up and working, it is time to join your iPod. You possibly can then begin including music, creating playlists, and extra.

1. Plug the charging cable in your iPod into your pc.
2. Plug the opposite finish into your iPod.
3. If issues go nicely, your iPod ought to join and seem in iTunes.
4. If they do not, you may even see a message that you might want to restore your iPod so as to use it. Click on OK after which click on the Restore iPod button to return your iPod to manufacturing facility settings. It will delete any music already on the system.
5. As soon as your iPod seems within the left-hand menu in iTunes, click on it to see what’s inside.
6. Relying on the kind of iPod you’ve gotten, you would possibly see folders for Music, Movies, TV Exhibits, Motion pictures, Audiobooks, and extra, in addition to any playlists you created again within the day.
7. Any music you need to hold you may depart in place. To take away music, right-click a music and choose Delete from Library. You can too export music out of your iPod as defined within the subsequent part.
8. If you’re prepared so as to add new music, click on File > Add File to Library so as to add particular person songs or File > Add Folder to Library so as to add whole folders of music.
9. Proceed including as a lot music as you want (or till your iPod is full).
10. If you’re prepared to begin listening, hover over the identify of your iPod within the left-hand menu and click on the Eject button.
11. Now you can take away your iPod from the cable and begin listening.

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The best way to get music off an previous iPod

Use disk mode to show your iPod into a tough drive

In case your previous iPod has songs on it that you do not have copies of any longer, then you may extract music out of your iPod by placing it in disk mode. This lets you learn the arduous drive in your iPod like several removable disk, permitting you to repeat your music out of your iPod.

The best way to put an iPod with a click on wheel into disk mode

In case your iPod has the traditional click on wheel, by which the controls are on the scroll wheel itself, you should use the next steps to place your iPod into disk mode.

1. Toggle the Maintain change on and off.
2. Press and maintain the Menu button and the Middle button.
3. When the Apple emblem seems in your iPod display screen, press and maintain the Play/Pause button and the Middle button.
4. The display screen ought to present that it’s in disk mode.
5. If it does not, repeat the steps once more.

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The best way to put an iPod nano (sixth or seventh gen) into disk mode

Apple / Pocket-lint

The later fashions of iPod nano did not embody the enduring scroll wheel. When you have certainly one of these fashions, you may use the next methodology to place your iPod into disk mode.

1. For the sixth gen iPod nano, press and maintain the Sleep/Wake button and the Quantity Down button.
2. For the seventh gen iPod nano, press and maintain the Sleep/Wake button and the Residence button.
3. When the Apple emblem seems, press and maintain the Quantity Up button and the Quantity Down button.
4. Your iPod ought to enter disk mode.
5. If it does not, repeat the steps once more.

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The best way to put an iPod with a contact or scroll wheel into disk mode

Apple / Pocket-lint

For those who’re actually old style, you are rocking an iPod with a scroll wheel that has separate buttons both round it or above it. On this case, you may want to make use of the next steps to place your iPod into disk mode.

1. Toggle the Maintain change on and off.
2. Press and maintain the Menu button and Play/Pause button.
3. If you see the Apple emblem, press and maintain the Earlier button and the Subsequent button.
4. Your iPod ought to enter disk mode.

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As soon as your iPod is in disk mode, you may copy information straight out of your iPod’s arduous drive. This will likely be seen in File Explorer or Finder in your pc, though chances are you’ll have to make hidden information seen so as to see your music.

1. Open File Explorer on Home windows or Finder on Mac.
2. Choose your iPod from the detachable gadgets within the left-hand pane.
3. Open the folder referred to as iPod_Control.
4. If you cannot see this folder on Home windows, click on View > Present > Hidden Objects.
5. If you cannot see this folder on Mac, press Cmd+Shift+Interval to make hidden information and folders seen.
6. Contained in the iPod_Control folder, choose Music.
7. You may see an inventory of folders.
8. Now you can copy these folders to any location in your pc you want.
9. Alternatively, open the folders to see the person information. You possibly can copy whichever information you want to export.

The draw back to this methodology is that these information are given bizarre four-character names and are not all the time saved in an apparent method, so it might take some time to determine which information are which. There are third-party apps that may extract songs out of your iPod, so that you would possibly need to attempt certainly one of these you probably have loads of music you need to get off your iPod.

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Escape distractions along with your previous iPod

No interruptions, simply you and the music

When you have a telephone and an app akin to Spotify or Apple Music, you have already got entry to hundreds of thousands of songs, so why would you hassle utilizing your previous iPod? Effectively, there’s one thing very calming about having the ability to hearken to music with out worrying about notifications popping up in your telephone or getting the urge to shortly scroll by means of Reddit.

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An old-school MP3 player helps you to focus purely on the music for a short time, and it is also a good way to cease your self from attempting to hearken to all of the music that exists. You have got a restricted variety of songs to select from, so that you would possibly get to know a few of your favourite songs or albums quite a bit higher, or give your self an opportunity to lastly perceive why the remainder of the world appears so obsessive about Taylor Swift’s discography. Why not crack out your previous iPod and provides it a attempt?