The original iPod was released in 2001, which is almost two decades ago. Since then, hundreds of millions of iPods have been sold.
Transfer Non-Purchased Music from iPod to iTunes (For Win) If you are using an iPod, you can consider this way here to transfer non-purchased music from iPod to iTunes for free. But it’s more complicated, and it’s not available for iPhone and iPad. If you are using a Mac, this way is not suitable for you. Answer (1 of 2): Easy guide on how to transfer music from iPhone X or iPhone 8 to PC? Tips: iTunes should be installed on your computer beforehand if you want to run the Coolmuster iOS Assistant. Whether you want to add music to a video or send videos to another Android device, transferring music from iPhone/iPad/ iPod to Mac is the best solution. To do this, you need the assistance of some tools or services like EaseUS MobiMover, iTunes, AirDrop, or some cloud services like iCloud, etc.
Many MP3 players had been released way beforethe iPod showed up though, but its debut on the market made the MP3 player amust-have device.
If you’re one of the many privileged people tohave owned an iPod since Apple unveiled it, you probably still have some ofyour favorite music collections stored there, whether or not you still use it.
Your old music may not be readily available in any other form, but you can transfer the music from your iPod to your computer. We’re going to show you different ways of doing it.
You can transfer songs from your iPod to aWindows PC or Mac by connecting it to your computer and following a few stepsas we’ll see below, or by using iPod transfer software.
How to Transfer Music From iPod To Windows PC
The first step is toprevent iTunes from automatically syncing with your iPod so that it doesn’toverwrite the music on the device with the iTunes library collection.
- To do this, disconnect any iOS device from your PC and launch iTunes. Go to Edit > Preferences.
- Click Devices taband click the Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automaticallybox to select it.
- Click OK and exitfrom iTunes.
- Next, connect your iPod to your PC. It’ll appear as a drive in File Explorer. Open its drive and go to iPod_Control > Music folder.
- If the drive comes up empty, you can reveal the hidden folders and files on your computer.
- Still on the iPod_Control > Music folder, select all the folders in it, and then copy and paste them to your hard drive. This way, the music will be moved from your iPod to your computer.
Note: The music files from your iPod have four-letter names, and you can see each of their tags in File Explorer. Once you import the music to a media player of your choice, it’ll reinstate the song titles as they should appear.
- Once the files have been copied to your computer’s hard drive, go to File Explorer and right-click on the iPod drive.
- Select Eject to remove your iPod and disconnect it from the computer.
- You can add songs to your iTunes library on your PC by going to File > Add Folder to Library in iTunes for Windows.
- If you want your music to be copied directly to the iTunes media folder, you can enable this setting by opening iTunes and then clicking Edit>Preferences.
- Under the Advanced tab, find and check the Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library box.
This allows you to movethe original files anywhere else without worrying about losing them. Any filesyou added to the library before enabling the checkbox will still link to theoriginal files.
How to Transfer Music From iPod To Mac
Before you transfermusic from your iPod to a Mac, you need to disable syncing so that the media playerwon’t try to sync with your iPod and overwrite all the data on it. This happensbecause your music library on the Mac computer may not have some or all thesongs and other files that the iPod contains, and you’ll eventually have aniPod with the same missing music or files.
To disable syncing, makesure there’s no iOS device connected to your Mac and open iTunes from the Applicationsmenu.
- In iTunes, select Preferences >Devices and then check the Prevent iPods and iPhones from syncing automatically box and then click OK.
- Exit iTunes and then hold down Option + Command keys. Plug your iPod into the Mac and release the keys when your iTunes launches with a dialog box informing you it’s in safe mode.
- Close it to quit iTunes.Your iPod is now mounted on your Mac desktop without syncing it with iTunes.
- Next, unmount your iPodto make the files visible. If you try to open the iPod icon on the desktop asis, you won’t see the music files. Instead, you’ll see Calendars, Contacts andNotes folders.
- The folders with youriPod music files are hidden, but you can make them visible using the OS XTerminal command line interface.
- To do this, go to Applications/Utilitiesand open Terminal.
- Type the command belowand press the return key after entering each line.:
Ipod To Mac Copy
defaults writecom.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall Finder
The first line is acommand to display all the files, while the second one refreshes Finder for thechanges to be effected. Your desktop may disappear and reappear duringexecution of these two commands, so don’t worry when that happens; it’s normal.
By entering these twolines, the Finder on your Mac will display all the hidden files on thecomputer.
You can now locate yourmusic files from your iPod through Finder by clicking the iPod’s name or bydouble-clicking the iPod icon mounted on your desktop.
- Open iPod Controlfolder and then open the music folder that contains your music and othermedia files on the iPod. Like Windows, the names of the files may not berecognizable, but their internal ID3 tags are intact, so any program includingiTunes that can read such tags can reinstate the song titles for you.
- Copy the music to yourMac using Finder, and drag-and-drop them to your preferred location or a newfolder on the desktop.
- Next, unmount your iPodfrom the desktop and then add the music files to your iTunes library. To dothis, click on the iTunes window once, and click Cancel on the iTunesdialog box.
- Click the Ejectbutton in the iTunes sidebar next to your iPod’s name to unmount your iPod.Disconnect the iPod from your Mac.
- To transfer your musicto the iTunes library on your Mac computer, select Preferences from theiTunes menu and then click the Advanced tab.
- Check the boxes Keep iTunes Music folder organized and Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library and click OK.
- In the iTunes File menu, click Add to Library, and go to the folder with the iPod music files you copied from the device.
- Click Open. The files will now be copied to the iTunes library, plus read the ID3 tags that will reinstate the song titles and other details like album, artist, genre and more.
- Once you’re done, make all the hidden files and folders invisible by using the Terminal command below and pressing the return key after entering each line
defaults writecom.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
killall Finder
Note:Apple’s FairPlay DRM system is still intact so authorize any music you bought from iTunes store before playing it.
TransferiPod Music to Your Computer Using iPod Transfer Software
There are severalsoftware programs you can use to transfer your iPod music to a computer, butfiguring out which one to use can be a daunting task. You need to find one thatcombines the features you need, and good transfer speed at a reasonable price.
Some of the best iPod transfer software programs you can try for this purpose include CopyTrans, iRip, or TouchCopy. CopyTrans offers an all-round experience when transferring your songs and other content on your iPod to your computer. It’s relatively fast when moving files, and it copies metadata.
- iRip can also help you move your music files from iPod to computer. Plus, you can move iBooks files, videos, podcasts and more. It’s also fast and can handle metadata.
- TouchCopy is a feature-packed that can help you transfer your music and other media files and data though its transfer speeds aren’t that good.
When you want to transfer the music on your iPod to another device or to the computer, you need a reliable solution that will help you do that easily and quickly. The go-to solution for most people is usually iTunes. But iTunes can only do so much and sometimes you may experience iTunes issues that could lead you to find an alternative solution.
If you are looking for a number of options to help you with iPod transfer, this article shares a variety of options that are both free and paid. You can select a solution from either category depending on your needs. Let’s take an in-depth look at each transfer solution to help you decide.
Part 1: 4 Best Free iPod Transfer Software to transfer music between iPod and Computer
The following are some of the best free solutions when looking to transfer data from your iPod to computer or another device.
1. iTunes
As much as most people look for an alternative to iTunes, it is still one of the best transfer tools for iOS devices. But Apple has recently replaced iTunes with three separate apps in MacOS Catalina although it is still useful if you have earlier versions of MacOS. One of the biggest advantages of using iTunes apart from it being completely free is that it is easy to use. It will also allow you to create a full backup of the data on the iPod and easily restore the data back on to the device or another device. The fact that it is a great source of new music is another advantage.
Pros
- • iTunes has a clean user interface that makes it very easy to manage the data on the iPod
- • It provides details of the music on the iPod including the lyrics, album cover and more
- • It can rip music directly from CDs and add them to the iTunes library
- • You can use it to sync iPod music to the computer very easily
Cons
- • You can’t use it to delete the music on the iPod
- • Your iPod can only sync with a single iTunes library
- • You may experience iTunes errors during use
2. MobileTrans - Backup
MobileTrans - Backup is another free tool that you can use to transfer the data on your iPod to your computer. As the name suggests, it works by allowing you to back up all the files on your device to the computer. One of the biggest advantages of using this program is that it can be used to back up various types of data to the computer including music, photos, messages, and more. It is also an ideal solution when you want to backup other iOS devices and Android devices.
Pros
- • Works on both Android and iOS devices
- • It is completely free to use
- • You can use it to back up most types of data from the device to your computer. It can backup photos, music, messages, videos, contacts and more.
- • It is very easy to use, allowing you to back up all the data on the iPod in a single click
Cons
- • It may not be useful when you want to transfer data from the iPod to another device
3. Wondershare Tunesgo
Wondershare Tunesgo has long been useful as an iTunes alternative. Unlike iTunes, it offers a wider array of tools that make the transfer of data from your iPod to computer or another device that much easier. It is ideal for the transfer of data from the iPod to other devices and even Android devices. It has unique features and interface that makes the process of managing the data on your device that much easier.
Pros
- • It has a simple user interface
- • It offers a number of options for downloading free music and media files
- • It can be used to transfer data across devices even when the devices run on different platforms.
- • You can use it to burn music to CD
Cons
- • It can’t be used to edit some of the playlists and formats that you imported from the iPod
4. PodTrans
You may also want to use PodTrans to transfer data from your iPod to computer. It is designed for the specific purpose of helping you transfer music stored on the iPod to the computer and vice versa. The program is very easy to use, not to mention that it is completely free.
Pros
- • It is very simple to use, with a straightforward interface
- • Completely free to use
Cons
- • It can only manage data on the iPod and doesn’t support other devices
- • It hasn’t been updated in a while
Part 2: 2 Best Paid iPod Transfer Software to transfer music between devices
Since free tools are often limited, you can get more options in terms of features from the following paid solutions;
1. MobileTrans - Phone Transfer
MobileTrans-Phone Transfer is one of the best tools for managing the data on your iPod and all devices. It supports all iOS device and most Android device models, allowing you to transfer the data from one device to another irrespective of the platform that the device runs on. This means that you can essentially use this tool to transfer data from the iPod to an Android device just as easily as you would to another iOS device. It is very easy to use, allowing even beginner users to easily manage the data on their iPods.
Pros
- • It can be used to transfer data between devices even if the devices run on separate platforms
- • It is very easy to use with a simple and easy to use interface.
- • It can be used to manage and transfer all types of data one device to another including music, photos, messages, videos, and contacts among others.
- • It is also useful when you want to view the data in an iTunes backup and even selectively restore some of the data to the device.
Ipod To Mac Transfer Review
Cons
- • You can’t use it to edit the details of the music you transfer from the iPad
2. dr.fone - Phone Transfer
dr.fone is another great solution when you want to transfer data from the iPod to the computer or to another device. This tool is easy to use since all you have to do is connect both devices to the computer to begin the transfer process. Unlike free tools, it can transfer numerous types of data from one device to another and it supports the transfer of data even across operating systems.
Pros
- • It has numerous features to make data management and transfer very easy
- • It supports numerous iOS devices and Android devices
- • It is very easy to use
Cons
- • You can’t edit the music information for the songs you transfer from the iPod to the computer
The above are 6 of the best iPod Transfer tools. Each one enables the easy transfer of data from the iPod to the computer, but some of them also allow you to transfer data from the iPod to another device. Therefore, the tool that you choose depends on what you want to do with the data on the iPod. Select a tool based on your needs and then use the instructions provided by the manufacturer to use it. Share you experience with us in the comments section below.