How to transfer music from an iPod to a computer

Transfer music from iPod to Mac

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1. Mac with only USB-C ports? Connect the iPod's USB cable through a USB-C to USB adapter. On a Mac laptop with Apple silicon, click Allow when the Mac asks about the iPod.
2. On a MacBook Neo, use the rightmost USB-C port as you face the Mac's left side: Apple says to connect USB 2 devices there.
3. Connect the iPod. If a message offers to Erase and Sync (in newer iTunes: Remove and Sync), click Cancel: that replaces every song on the iPod with the music on this computer.
4. On a Mac: in the Finder, select the iPod, click General, untick "Automatically sync when this iPod is connected", tick "Manually manage music, movies, and TV shows", then click Apply.
5. Songs you bought on the iTunes Store: on a Mac, download them again in the Music app from your purchase history (Apple says purchases generally stay available, though some can be removed from the store).

Steps from Apple's own iPod guides and support pages.

Transfer music from iPod to PC

Also searched as move songs from iPod to PC · copy music from iPod to PC

1. On a Windows PC, before you connect the iPod: in iTunes choose Edit > Preferences, click Devices and tick "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically".
2. Connect the iPod. If a message offers to Erase and Sync (in newer iTunes: Remove and Sync), click Cancel: that replaces every song on the iPod with the music on this computer.
3. Songs you bought on the iTunes Store: on a Windows PC, in iTunes choose Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer, then File > Devices > Transfer Purchases from your iPod.
4. iPod Classic, iPod Video, iPod 4th Gen, iPod Photo and iPod Mini 2nd GenAn iPod set up on a Mac can't be used on a Windows PC without a restore, and a restore erases the songs: copy them off on a Mac.
5. iPod Mini 1st Gen and iPod 3rd GenAn iPod set up on a Mac can't be used on a Windows PC without a restore, and a restore erases the songs: copy them off on a Mac.From repair references, not Apple

Steps from Apple's own iPod guides and support pages.

Copy music files from iPod to computer

Also searched as copy music files from iPod to PC · transfer music from iPod to thumb drive

Apple: songs put on the iPod by iTunes don't show up when you open the iPod in the Finder or Windows Explorer. They are in a hidden folder; this is how we copy them on our bench.

1. Turn off automatic syncing (steps above), then turn on "Enable disk use" for the iPod, so that it opens like a USB drive.From our repair bench
2. Show hidden files: on a Mac press Command-Shift-period in a Finder window; on Windows choose View > Show > Hidden items in File Explorer.From our repair bench
3. Open the iPod and copy its iPod_Control > Music folder to the computer. The files have scrambled names, but each song keeps its title, artist and album inside.From our repair bench
4. To keep more than the songs, copy the whole iPod_Control folder. If it clicks or drops off the computer while copying, stop and get it diagnosed.From our repair bench
5. In the Music app or iTunes, choose File > Add to Library and pick the copied folder: the songs come back sorted by artist and album.From our repair bench

Delete songs from iPod

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To remove songs, set the iPod to manage music by hand first. A song you delete from the iPod stays in the computer's library.

1. On a Mac: in the Finder, select the iPod, click General, tick "Manually manage music, movies, and TV shows" and click Apply.
2. Then, in the Music app, select the iPod in the sidebar, select the songs, press Delete and click Delete Song.
3. On a Windows PC: in iTunes, select the iPod, click Summary, tick "Manually manage music and videos" and click Apply.
4. Then click On My Device, select the songs, press Delete and click Delete.
5. To remove every song at once, restore the iPod (How to factory reset an iPod): a restore erases all songs and settings.

Steps from Apple's own iPod guides and support pages.