Computer & music
iPod won't play music
Songs won't play, stay at 0:00, or stop right away? Pick your model to see Apple's checks first, then the likely causes and what each fix costs.
What exactly happens?
Which iPod do you have?
Most common causes, by model
Apple's checks first: Hold off, the headphone plug pushed all the way in, the volume up, and Play/Pause pressed. Songs that stay at 0:00 or skip without playing mean the hard drive can't read them (on the 4th Gen and Photo, check its cable first) or the song files are damaged: check the drive in Diagnostic Mode. A restore can sometimes fix it.
Free checks first
- Put the Hold switch firmly in the unlocked position. A locked iPod ignores every button.
- Push the headphone plug in all the way.
- Make sure the volume is turned up.
- iPod Video (Late 2006) and iPod Classic: a lock next to the volume bar means a volume limit is set; change it in Settings > Volume Limit.
- Press Play/Pause: it may only be paused.
- Hold the iPod up to your ear: unusual clicking patterns are a strong sign that the hard drive is failing.
- Check the hard drive's health in Diagnostic Mode: a high number of reallocated sectors (reallocs) or pending sectors means the drive is failing.
iPod Classic (A1238) won't play musiciPod Classic 6th Gen (A1238) won't play musiciPod Classic 7th Gen (A1238) won't play music
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Most likely
Failing hard drive
Repeated clicking (the click of death: click, whir) or the sad iPod face usually mean the hard drive is failing. Flash storage is the silent alternative to a new drive.
Flash Mod Kit (SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
Replacement Hard Drive 160GB (Late 2009)
Flash Mod Kit (Flash Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
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Next most likely
Loose or damaged hard drive cable
A loose or damaged hard drive cable can make the drive click, drop out or show the sad iPod face.
Free check first Push the cable back in first; replace it only if that does not help.
Hard Drive ZIF Ribbon Cable
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Also possible
Damaged song files
Damaged song files skip, stop or won't play. Check the songs on your computer for damage: if only the same few songs are affected, delete them from the iPod and sync them again. If that doesn't help, restore the iPod and sync your music back (a restore erases the songs on the iPod).
iPod Video (A1136) won't play musiciPod Video 5th Gen (A1136) won't play music
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Most likely
Failing hard drive
Repeated clicking (the click of death: click, whir) or the sad iPod face usually mean the hard drive is failing. Flash storage is the silent alternative to a new drive.
Flash Mod Kit (Flash Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
-
Next most likely
Loose or damaged hard drive cable
A loose or damaged hard drive cable can make the drive click, drop out or show the sad iPod face.
Free check first Push the cable back in first; replace it only if that does not help.
-
Also possible
Damaged song files
Damaged song files skip, stop or won't play. Check the songs on your computer for damage: if only the same few songs are affected, delete them from the iPod and sync them again. If that doesn't help, restore the iPod and sync your music back (a restore erases the songs on the iPod).
iPod 4th Gen or iPod Photo (A1059 and A1099) won't play musiciPod 4th Gen (A1059) won't play musiciPod Photo (A1099) won't play music
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Most likely
Loose or damaged hard drive cable
On the 4th Gen and Photo, an iPod that seems too weak to spin up its hard drive often has a hard drive cable problem. A loose or damaged hard drive cable can make the drive click, drop out or show the sad iPod face.
Free check first Push the cable back in first; replace it only if that does not help.
Hard Drive IDE Ribbon Cable
Hard Drive IDE Ribbon Cable
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Next most likely
Failing hard drive
Repeated clicking (the click of death: click, whir) or the sad iPod face usually mean the hard drive is failing. Flash storage is the silent alternative to a new drive. On the 4th Gen and Photo we can often fix the hard drive without replacing it, and in most cases all songs are saved.
Hard Drive Repair Service
Mail it in: we repair your drive, and in most cases your songs are saved
Hard Drive Repair Service
Mail it in: we repair your drive, and in most cases your songs are saved
Flash Mod Kit (IDE Flash Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
Replacement Hard Drive
20GB · 30GB · 40GB · 60GB
Flash Mod Kit (IDE Flash Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
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Also possible
Damaged song files
Damaged song files skip, stop or won't play. Check the songs on your computer for damage: if only the same few songs are affected, delete them from the iPod and sync them again. If that doesn't help, restore the iPod and sync your music back (a restore erases the songs on the iPod).
iPod Mini (A1051) won't play musiciPod Mini 1st Gen (A1051) won't play musiciPod Mini 2nd Gen (A1051) won't play music
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Most likely
Failed microdrive (the Mini's hard drive)
When the Mini's tiny hard drive (the microdrive) fails, it shows the sad iPod face or a folder icon, or makes clicking noises. Replace it with a used original microdrive or a flash card.
Replacement Microdrive (4GB)
Flash Mod Kit (CF-to-SDXC Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
Flash Mod Kit (CF-to-SDXC Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
-
Next most likely
Loose or damaged hard drive cable
A loose or damaged hard drive cable can make the drive click, drop out or show the sad iPod face.
Free check first Push the cable back in first; replace it only if that does not help.
Hard Drive Cable
Hard Drive Ribbon Cable
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Also possible
Damaged song files
Damaged song files skip, stop or won't play. Check the songs on your computer for damage: if only the same few songs are affected, delete them from the iPod and sync them again. If that doesn't help, restore the iPod and sync your music back (a restore erases the songs on the iPod).
iPod 3rd Gen (A1040) won't play musiciPod 3rd Gen (A1040) won't play music
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Most likely
Failing hard drive
Repeated clicking (the click of death: click, whir) or the sad iPod face usually mean the hard drive is failing. Flash storage is the silent alternative to a new drive.
Replacement Hard Drive
10GB · 15GB · 20GB · 30GB · 40GB
Flash Mod Kit (ATA1 Flash Adapter + SD Card Included)
Replaces the hard drive with flash memory: silent, no moving parts
-
Next most likely
Loose or damaged hard drive cable
A loose or damaged hard drive cable can make the drive click, drop out or show the sad iPod face.
Free check first Push the cable back in first; replace it only if that does not help.
Hard Drive IDE Ribbon Cable
-
Also possible
Damaged song files
Damaged song files skip, stop or won't play. Check the songs on your computer for damage: if only the same few songs are affected, delete them from the iPod and sync them again. If that doesn't help, restore the iPod and sync your music back (a restore erases the songs on the iPod).
Started after a repair or part swap
It stopped playing music after the iPod was opened or a part was swapped.
iPod Classic 6th and 7th GeniPod Classic 6th GeniPod Classic 7th Gen
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Most likely
Hard drive cable not fully in, or a latch left open
After the iPod has been opened, a hard drive cable that isn't pushed fully in, or a drive or cable latch left open, stops the drive from working.
Free check first Open it again, push the hard drive cable fully in and close every latch.
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Next most likely
A connector not seated after the repair
After a battery or part swap, a connector that is not fully seated can leave the iPod dead or half-working. We can also look at it: the free diagnostic finds the issue and whether it can be fixed without new parts.
Free check first Open it again and push every connector you touched fully back in.
iPod Video 5th GeniPod Video 5th Gen
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Most likely
Hard drive cable not fully in, or a latch left open
After the iPod has been opened, a hard drive cable that isn't pushed fully in, or a drive or cable latch left open, stops the drive from working.
Free check first Open it again, push the hard drive cable fully in and close every latch.
-
Next most likely
A connector not seated after the repair
After a battery or part swap, a connector that is not fully seated can leave the iPod dead or half-working. We can also look at it: the free diagnostic finds the issue and whether it can be fixed without new parts.
Free check first Open it again and push every connector you touched fully back in.
iPod 4th Gen and iPod PhotoiPod 4th GeniPod Photo
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Most likely
Hard drive cable not fully in, or a latch left open
After the iPod has been opened, a hard drive cable that isn't pushed fully in, or a drive or cable latch left open, stops the drive from working.
Free check first Open it again, push the hard drive cable fully in and close every latch.
-
Next most likely
A connector not seated after the repair
After a battery or part swap, a connector that is not fully seated can leave the iPod dead or half-working. We can also look at it: the free diagnostic finds the issue and whether it can be fixed without new parts.
Free check first Open it again and push every connector you touched fully back in.
iPod Mini 1st and 2nd GeniPod Mini 1st GeniPod Mini 2nd Gen
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Most likely
Hard drive cable not fully in, or a latch left open
After the iPod has been opened, a hard drive cable that isn't pushed fully in, or a drive or cable latch left open, stops the drive from working.
Free check first Open it again, push the hard drive cable fully in and close every latch.
-
Next most likely
A connector not seated after the repair
After a battery or part swap, a connector that is not fully seated can leave the iPod dead or half-working. We can also look at it: the free diagnostic finds the issue and whether it can be fixed without new parts.
Free check first Open it again and push every connector you touched fully back in.
iPod 3rd GeniPod 3rd Gen
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Most likely
Hard drive cable not fully in, or a latch left open
After the iPod has been opened, a hard drive cable that isn't pushed fully in, or a drive or cable latch left open, stops the drive from working.
Free check first Open it again, push the hard drive cable fully in and close every latch.
-
Next most likely
A connector not seated after the repair
After a battery or part swap, a connector that is not fully seated can leave the iPod dead or half-working. We can also look at it: the free diagnostic finds the issue and whether it can be fixed without new parts.
Free check first Open it again and push every connector you touched fully back in.
Not sure — free diagnostic
Mail us your iPod and we test it and send you a free repair quote. If you don't like the price, we ship it back at our expense.
Free