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How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer

This wikiHow teaches you how to copy music from an iPod to a Windows or Mac computer. You can use the free Sharepod program to move music of of virtually any iPod, or you can use iTunes and your computer's file explorer program to pull...
Method 1 of 3:

Using Sharepod

  1. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 1How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 1
    Enable iTunes sharing. While Sharepod doesn't directly interface with iTunes to move songs from your iPod to your computer, it does require iTunes to be installed and capable of sharing XML:
    1. Open iTunes.
    2. Click either Edit (Windows) or iTunes (Mac) in the upper-left corner of iTunes.
    3. Click Preferences...
    4. Click the Advanced tab.
    5. Check the "Share iTunes XML with other locations" box.
    6. Click OK
  2. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 2How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 2
    Open the Sharepod website. Go to https://www.getsharepod.com/download/ in your computer's web browser. Sharepod is a free program for Windows and Mac that will allow you to transfer songs from your iPod directly onto your computer.
    1. You can use Sharepod with both modern iPods (such as the iPod Touch) and classic iPods.
  3. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 3How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 3
    Download Sharepod. Click either Download for Windows or Download for Mac near the top of the page. The Sharepod setup file will download onto your computer.
  4. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 4How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 4
    Install Sharepod. This process will vary slightly depending on your computer:
    1. Windows — Double-click the Sharepod installation file, then follow the on-screen installation prompts. Sharepod may ask to install QuickTime for you; if so, accept the installation.
    2. Mac — Double-click the Sharepod DMG file, click and drag the Sharepod logo onto the "Applications" folder icon, and follow any on-screen installation prompts. You may need to make an exception for Sharepod in your Mac's security settings.
  5. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 5How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 5
    Put your iPod in Disk Mode. If you're using a non-Touch model of iPod, you'll need to enable your iPod's Disk Mode feature in order for your computer to recognize it. The process for enabling Disk Mode varies depending on the iPod:[1]
    1. iPod Nano 6th or 7th Generation — Press the Sleep/Wake and either Home (7th generation) or Volume Down (6th generation) buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears, then hold down the Volume Down and Volume Up buttons until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    2. iPod with a Click Wheel — Switch Hold on and off, press and hold Menu and Select until the Apple logo appears, release the buttons, and hold down Select and Play until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    3. iPod with a Touch/Scroll Wheel — Switch Hold on and off, press and hold Play and Menu until the Apple logo appears, release the buttons, and press and hold Previous and Next until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    4. iPod Classic — Disk Mode is neither supported nor needed when connecting a classic iPod to your computer.
  6. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 6How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 6
    Attach your iPod to your computer. Plug one end of your iPod's charger cable into one of your computer's USB ports, then plug the other end of the cable into your iPod.
    1. You may need a USB 3.0 to USB-C adapter for your Mac if your Mac doesn't have any traditional USB ports.
  7. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 7How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 7
    Open Sharepod. Once Sharepod is installed, double-click its app icon.
    1. Sharepod may open automatically at the end of the installation process.
  8. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 8How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 8
    Click Done when prompted. This will take you to the main Sharepod window.
    1. At this point, iTunes will re-open if you closed it earlier. You'll need to allow it to run in the background while you use Sharepod.
  9. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 9How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 9
    Select music. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ Command (Mac) while you click each song that you want to select.
    1. If you want to transfer all of your iPod's music onto your computer, skip to the next step's substep.
  10. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 10How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 10
    Select a transfer folder. Once your music is selected, click TRANSFER in the bottom-right corner of the window, click Transfer selected to a folder, select a folder on your computer, and click OK.
    1. If you want to transfer all of your iPod's music onto your computer, click TRANSFER, then click Transfer everything to a folder... in the drop-down menu.
  11. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 11How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 11
    Click GO. It's a green button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Doing so will move your selected music into your preferred folder on your computer.
Method 2 of 3:

Using Old iPods on Windows

  1. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 12How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 12
    Understand that this won't work with iPod Touch models. Older iPods, such as the iPod Nano and iPods which have click wheels, store their music in a significantly easier to access format than do iPod Touches.
    1. If you want to transfer iPod Touch music onto your computer, use Sharepod.
  2. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 13How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 13
    Open iTunes. Double-click the iTunes app icon, which resembles a multicolored musical note on a white background.
    1. If prompted to update iTunes, click Download iTunes and restart your computer when prompted.
    2. If you don't have iTunes on your computer, install it before proceeding.
  3. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 14How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 14
    Change your iTunes settings. In order to prevent errors or accidental file overwriting, you'll need to change a few iTunes settings before proceeding:
    1. Click Edit
    2. Click Preferences...
    3. Click the Devices tab.
    4. Check the "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically" box.
    5. Click the Advanced tab.
    6. Check the "Keep iTunes Media folder organized" box.
    7. Check the "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" box.
    8. Click OK
  4. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 15How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 15
    Put your iPod in Disk Mode. You'll need to enable your iPod's Disk Mode feature in order for your computer to recognize it. The process for enabling Disk Mode varies depending on the iPod:
    1. iPod Nano 6th or 7th Generation — Press the Sleep/Wake and either Home (7th generation) or Volume Down (6th generation) buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears, then hold down the Volume Down and Volume Up buttons until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    2. iPod with a Click Wheel — Switch Hold on and off, press and hold Menu and Select until the Apple logo appears, release the buttons, and hold down Select and Play until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    3. iPod with a Touch/Scroll Wheel — Switch Hold on and off, press and hold Play and Menu until the Apple logo appears, release the buttons, and press and hold Previous and Next until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    4. iPod Classic — Disk Mode is neither supported nor needed when connecting a classic iPod to your computer.
  5. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 16How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 16
    Attach your iPod to your computer. Plug one end of your iPod's charger cable into your iPod, then plug the other end into one of your computer's USB ports.
  6. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 17How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 17
    Wait for the iPod to display in iTunes. Once your iPod's icon appears in the upper-left side of iTunes, you can proceed.
  7. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 18How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 18
    Open Start
    How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 19How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 19
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  8. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 20How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 20
    Open File Explorer
    How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 21How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 21
    . Click the folder-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start window.
  9. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 22How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 22
    Click your iPod's name. You'll find it on the left side of the File Explorer window, though you may have to scroll down on the left-hand pane of the window to see it.
    1. If you can't find your iPod's name, click This PC on the left side of the File Explorer window, then double-click your iPod's name below the "Devices and drives" heading.
  10. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 23How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 23
    Enable hidden folder viewing. Click the View tab at the top of the File Explorer window, then check the "Hidden items" box. This will allow you to retrieve your iPod's music.
  11. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 24How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 24
    Open the "iPod_Control" folder. Double-click this folder to do so.
  12. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 25How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 25
    Open the "Music" folder. You'll find it inside the "iPod_Control" folder. Doing so will bring you to a list of folders with similar names (e.g., "F00", "F01", "F02", and so on).[2]
  13. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 26How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 26
    Select all folders inside the "Music" folder. Click any folder in the "Music" folder, then press Ctrl+A.
  14. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 27How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 27
    Copy the folders. Press Ctrl+C to do so.
  15. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 28How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 28
    Paste the folders into a folder on your hard drive. Go to a folder in which you want to save the music, then press Ctrl+V to paste in the music.
  16. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 29How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 29
    Add the music to iTunes. Once the music finishes copying onto your computer, you can add it to iTunes by doing the following:
    1. Open iTunes if necessary.
    2. Click File
    3. Click Add Folder to Library...
    4. Select your folder.
    5. Click Select Folder
    6. Since the music will be copied to the "iTunes Media" folder when you do this, you can delete the current folder after the music finishes adding to iTunes.
Method 3 of 3:

Using Old iPods on Mac

  1. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 30How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 30
    Understand that this won't work with iPod Touch models. Older iPods, such as the iPod Nano and iPods which have click wheels, store their music in a significantly easier to access format than do iPod Touches.
    1. If you want to transfer iPod Touch music onto your computer, use Sharepod.
  2. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 31How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 31
    Open iTunes. Click the iTunes app icon, which resembles a multicolored musical note on a white background, in your Mac's Dock.
    1. If prompted to update iTunes, click Download iTunes and restart your computer when prompted.
    2. If you don't have iTunes on your computer, install it before proceeding.
  3. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 32How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 32
    Change your iTunes settings. In order to prevent errors or accidental file overwriting, you'll need to change a few iTunes settings before proceeding:
    1. Click iTunes in the upper-left corner of the screen.
    2. Click Preferences...
    3. Click the Devices tab.
    4. Check the "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically" box.
    5. Click the Advanced tab.
    6. Check the "Keep iTunes Media folder organized" box.
    7. Check the "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" box.
    8. Click OK
  4. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 33How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 33
    Put your iPod in Disk Mode. You'll need to enable your iPod's Disk Mode feature in order for your computer to recognize it. The process for enabling Disk Mode varies depending on the iPod:
    1. iPod Nano 6th or 7th Generation — Press the Sleep/Wake and either Home (7th generation) or Volume Down (6th generation) buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears, then hold down the Volume Down and Volume Up buttons until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    2. iPod with a Click Wheel — Switch Hold on and off, press and hold Menu and Select until the Apple logo appears, release the buttons, and hold down Select and Play until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    3. iPod with a Touch/Scroll Wheel — Switch Hold on and off, press and hold Play and Menu until the Apple logo appears, release the buttons, and press and hold Previous and Next until the Disk Mode screen appears.
    4. iPod Classic — Disk Mode is neither supported nor needed when connecting a classic iPod to your computer.
  5. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 34How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 34
    Enable hidden folder viewing. Click Spotlight
    How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 35How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 35
    in the top-right corner of the screen, then do the following:
    1. Type in terminal
    2. Double-click
      How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 36How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 36
      Terminal
    3. Type in defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true ; killall Finder
    4. Press ⏎ Return
  6. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 37How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 37
    Attach your iPod to your computer. Plug one end of your iPod's charger cable into the iPod, then plug the other end into your computer.
    1. If your Mac uses USB-C ports instead of USB 3.0 (rectangular) ports, you will need a USB 3.0 to USB-C adapter to do this.
  7. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 38How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 38
    Wait for the iPod to display in iTunes. Once your iPod's icon appears in the upper-left side of iTunes, you can proceed.
  8. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 39How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 39
    Open
    How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 40How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 40
    Finder. Click the blue, face-shaped Finder app icon in the Dock.
  9. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 41How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 41
    Click your iPod's name. It's in the lower-left side of the Finder window. Doing so will open your iPod's window.
    1. If you can't find your iPod's name, click This PC on the left side of the File Explorer window, then double-click your iPod's name below the "Devices and drives" heading.
  10. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 42How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 42
    Open the "iPod_Control" folder. Double-click this folder to do so.
  11. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 43How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 43
    Open the "Music" folder. You'll find it inside the "iPod_Control" folder. Doing so will bring you to a list of folders with similar names (e.g., "F00", "F01", "F02", and so on).
  12. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 44How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 44
    Select all folders inside the "Music" folder. Click any folder here, then press ⌘ Command+A to select the entire folder's contents.
  13. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 45How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 45
    Copy the folders. Press ⌘ Command+C to do so.
  14. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 46How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 46
    Paste the folders into a folder on your hard drive. Go to a folder in which you want to save the music, then press ⌘ Command+V to paste in the music.
  15. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 47How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 47
    Add the music to iTunes. Once you've moved the music onto your computer, you can add it to iTunes by doing the following:
    1. Open iTunes if necessary.
    2. Click File
    3. Click Add to Library...
    4. Select your folder.
    5. If you don't see the music folders listed (e.g., "F00", "F01", "F02", and so on), you'll need to use the Terminal to make them visible to iTunes. In Terminal, change the directory to the folder where you pasted the music folders (e.g., cd the_name_of_the_folder_you_pasted_into). Then type xattr -c *. This will remove the attributes that are preventing iTunes from seeing the music folders.
    6. Click Open
  16. How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 48How to Copy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer Picture 48
    Make hidden files not visible in Finder again if you want. After successfully importing your music, you can type defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean false ; killall Finder in Terminal to make hidden files be no longer visible again in Finder.
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