Apple may not always be the first to bring a product to market, but when they develop their own version, popularity usually follows – and quickly.The first iPhonewas the product that really inspired people to make the transition to smartphones, and look where it’s brought the world now. But before smartphones, the iPod was the product that led to the boom inMP3 playersin the early 2000s.
The first iPod hit the shelves way back in 2001, and the device went through several iterations, including the iPod shuffle, the iPod nano, and the iPod touch – the oddly capitalized brand names causing English teachers everywhere to tear out their hair.
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When the iPhone arrived, it signaled the death of the iPod. Why buy a dedicated MP3 player when you already had one built into your phone? The iPod hung around for a while, but after changing the world, thefinal iPod was discontinued, and most of our old MP3 players got thrown away or consigned to the back of a drawer.
After I dug up my old iPod nano, I was curious to know what music was on it. Trying to get it going again was a bit of a challenge, but with a bit of research, I found that it was simple enough to do, especially using Windows, oddly enough. I was able to add new (legally obtained, obviously) music and even export old stuff that was still on there. Here’s how I got my old iPod back up and running and why maybe you should, too.
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What you’ll need to use your old iPod in 2024
Where did you put that iPod charger?
There are a few things you’ll need in order to be able to get your old iPod up and running again. You’ll need an iPod that’s in working condition. You’ll also need the relevant charging cable for your iPod. If you’ve misplaced yours, Amazon or eBay should have what you need.
You’ll also need a computer with a USB-A port (becauseUSB-Cwasn’t a thing in 2001) so you can connect your iPod to your computer using the charging cable. The final thing took me the longest to find; you’ll need some wired headphones.Bluetooth headphonesweren’t a thing in 2001 either, apparently.
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Install an old version of iTunes
Use Windows for an easier ride
The problem with using an old iPod is that it won’t work with modern apps. iTunes was always the app you needed to get music on and off your iPod, but the appno longer exists in its own right. The Music app doesn’t seem to play nicely with many older iPods. The best plan is to install an old version of iTunes, specifically iTunes 12.6.5.3. This seems to be the sweet spot for supporting a wide range of old iPod models. If it doesn’t work, you can try an older or new version of iTunes instead to see if you have more success.
How to install iTunes on Windows
Bizarrely, considering that iPods are Apple products, it’s far easier to install an older version of iTunes on Windows than on Mac. All you need to do is download and run the relevant installer, and iTunes will be installed on your PC.
How to install iTunes on Mac
If you’reon a Mac, trying to install an older version of iTunes will bring up an error message stating that the software is not supported on your system. However, it’s possible to fool macOS into thinking that the app is a newer version than it really is. This involves running an AppleScript, but it’s not as hard as it sounds.
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How to add music to an old iPod in iTunes
Get your new tunes onto your old iPod
Once you have the iTunes app up and running, it’s time to connect your iPod. you’re able to then start adding music,creating playlists, and more.
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How to get music off an old iPod
Use disk mode to turn your iPod into a hard drive
If your old iPod has songs on it that you don’t have copies of any longer, then you can extract music from your iPod by putting it in disk mode. This allows you to read the hard drive in your iPod like anyremovable disk, allowing you to copy your music from your iPod.
How to put an iPod with a click wheel into disk mode
If your iPod has the classic click wheel, in which the controls are on the scroll wheel itself, you’re able to use the following steps to put your iPod into disk mode.
Try pressing further toward the outer edge of theMenuandPlay/Pausebuttons if you can’t get these steps to work.
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How to put an iPod nano (6th or 7th gen) into disk mode
The later models of iPod nano didn’t include the iconic scroll wheel. If you have one of these models, you’ll use the following method to put your iPod into disk mode.
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How to put an iPod with a touch or scroll wheel into disk mode
If you’re really old school, you’re rocking an iPod with a scroll wheel that has separate buttons either around it or above it. In this case, you’ll need to use the following steps to put your iPod into disk mode.
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How to extract music from an iPod in disk mode
Once your iPod is in disk mode, you may copy files directly from your iPod’s hard drive. This will be visible in File Explorer or Finder on your computer, although you may need to make hidden files visible in order to see your music.
The downside to this method is that these files are given weird four-character names and aren’t always stored in an obvious manner, so it may take a while to figure out which files are which. There are third-party apps that can extract songs from your iPod, so you might want to try one of these if you have a lot of music you want to get off your iPod.
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Escape distractions with your old iPod
No interruptions, just you and the music
If you have a phone and an app such as Spotify orApple Music, you already have access to millions of songs, so why would you bother using your old iPod? Well, there’s something very calming about being able to listen to music without worrying about notifications popping up on your phone or getting the urge to quickly scroll through Reddit.
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Anold-school MP3 playerlets you focus purely on the music for a little while, and it’s also a great way to stop yourself from trying to listen to all the music that exists. You have a limited number of songs to choose from, so you might get to know some of your favorite songs or albums a lot better, or give yourself a chance to finally understand why the rest of the world seems so obsessed with Taylor Swift’s discography. Why not crack out your old iPod and give it a try?
