Exercise you lot have an old iPod that's sitting effectually gathering grit? It might still have music on it that you no longer possess in any other grade. If that'south the case, grab your old music histrion, because y'all can transfer the music from your iPod to your computer.

To practise so, y'all just need to consider your iPod as an external drive that you lot can take music from. Once extracted from the iPod, you can add music to your iTunes or Apple Music library and even sync it with your iPhone. We'll show you how below.

Pace 1. Preclude iTunes From Automatically Syncing With Your Device

Starting time, you'll need to make sure you lot tin can transfer the music on your iPod without iTunes or the Music app erasing it while syncing.

When you connect a device to iTunes or the Music app, the music in your library automatically syncs to your device. Yous cannot download music from an iPod (or iPhone or iPad) into iTunes or Music. And then if you connect an iPod to your estimator, the music on the device volition exist overwritten with what's in your iTunes or Music library.

The method for preventing iTunes from automatically syncing with your iOS device is more often than not the same for Windows and Macs running Mojave or earlier:

  1. Make sure to disconnect all iOS devices from your calculator. And then, open up iTunes.
  2. In Windows, go to Edit > Preferences. On a Mac, get to iTunes > Preferences.
  3. On both platforms, click the Devices tab and check the Forestall iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically box.
  4. Then click OK and close iTunes.

However, Macs running macOS Catalina and newer use Finder instead of iTunes to sync iOS devices. Considering of this, yous'll demand to open up your device in Finder and uncheck the Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected box.

Pace 2. Re-create Music From Your iPod to Your Reckoner

Now, you can connect your iPod to your computer. It should show up as a drive both in File Explorer on Windows and Finder on a Mac. Open the iPod drive and navigate to the iPod_Control > Music folder. Yous'll encounter many folders labeled with an F and a number.

iPod music in File Explorer

If your iPod bulldoze appears empty, you demand to reveal hidden files and folders on your reckoner.

Windows 7, viii, and x users tin can first use Alt + 5 to bring up the View tab. Afterwards, press the H key two times to reveal hidden items. You can and so either uncheck the Hidden items box or repeat the process to hide your files.

For those using macOS, agree down Cmd + Shift + Period to toggle hidden folders on or off. Select all the folders in the iPod_Control > Music folder and copy and paste them to a location on your hard drive. This volition transfer your music from your iPod to your computer. The files all take random 4-letter file names.

If you're using a Windows PC, you can run into the tags for each music file in File Explorer. You won't run across the tags in Finder on a Mac. Later, we'll testify yous how to easily change the file names using the tags.

music on iPod Tags

Once y'all've copied the files, yous can eject the iPod and disconnect information technology. On a Windows PC, right-click on the iPod drive in File Explorer and select Eject. Mac users should Command-click on the iPod icon on the desktop and select Squirt.

If you don't desire to use iTunes or Apple Music, you tin can too try these tools to manage your MP3 drove.

Pace 3. Add the Music to Your iTunes Library

After transferring the music from your iPod to your calculator, you tin start making adjustments. Showtime, add the music from your iPod to your iTunes library on your Windows PC or Mac. Note that on macOS Catalina and newer, your music library appears in the Apple Music app since iTunes is gone.

By default, on Windows, adding items to your iTunes library creates a reference to the file's current location. The original file remains in the current location. Thus, if you were to motility the original files, iTunes would no longer run into them.

You tin can take iTunes for Windows make a copy of each file and place them into the iTunes media folder. Moving the original files would and then not affect the music in your iTunes library.

How to Centralize Your iTunes Music on Your Calculator

Open up iTunes for Windows and go to Edit > Preferences. Click the Advanced tab and check the Copy files to iTunes Media folder when calculation to library box. This option is checked by default in iTunes for Mac (on Mojave and earlier). Once enabled, all media added to your iTunes library from so on volition copy straight to the iTunes media folder.

Now you won't have to worry about moving the original files anywhere else. But remember, media added to your iTunes library earlier enabling that checkbox still links to the original media files.

How to Organize and Expand Your iTunes Library

To organize your iTunes Media folder into artist and album folders, bank check the Go along iTunes Media folder organized box. Once more, iTunes or the Music app for Mac enables this option by default.

If yous have space, information technology's a adept idea to copy all your media files to the iTunes Media folder. That style, they're all in ane location and like shooting fish in a barrel to back upward.

To copy the remaining media files linked to in your iTunes library, go to File > Library > Organize Library. On the Organize Library dialog box, bank check the Consolidate files box and click OK.

iTunes consolidate files

To add together some or all of the music from your iPod to your iTunes library, go to either File > Add File to Library or File > Add Folder to Library in iTunes for Windows. If you're using a Mac, go to File > Add to Library. Then select the files or binder you want to add. You can also add music to iTunes past dragging music files from File Explorer or Finder to the iTunes window.

If you need to change or fix tags on your recently added music, you tin do so straight in iTunes or the Music app. You can change or fix tags for either a single vocal or multiple songs as needed.

Editing a Single Tag

To edit tags on Windows, correct-click on the song and select Song Info. If using a Mac, hold Control and click to select Album Info.

In the dialog box that displays, you'll meet several tabs containing information nigh the selected song. You lot can edit items like the song title, artist, album, and genre. Click the buttons at the top to view and change the different data. To go to the next song in the list, click the arrows at the bottom of the dialog box. When done editing the tags, click OK.

iTunes edit tags

Editing Multiple Tags

You can also edit common information for multiple songs at the same fourth dimension. Utilize the Shift or Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) keys to select the songs you want to edit. Then right-click on the selected songs and select Get Info.

A confirmation dialog box displays. If you lot don't want to encounter this dialog box every time, check the Practice non ask me once again box.

Click Edit Items to continue. Just the tags that apply to all the selected items display in the window. Click the buttons at the top to access the different types of information. Edit tags every bit you lot desire and click OK.

iTunes manage multiple tags

Stride v. Create a Playlist in iTunes

If you utilise playlists on your iPhone, yous can create them in iTunes, and they'll sync to your iPhone. Whether using Mac or Windows, the process is the same. To create a playlist, select the songs you lot desire in the playlist. Then right-click on the selected songs and select Add to Playlist > New Playlist.

iTunes create playlist

For similar songs (such as an album), the playlist is created using artist and album title every bit the name. If you create a playlist from various songs, you'll need to enter a custom name. To change the name of the playlist, click on the title and type a new title. You can also rearrange the songs in the playlist by dragging and dropping them to different positions.

Stride 6. Transfer Music to Your iPhone

To transfer the added music to your iPhone, brand sure iTunes or Finder is open and connect your device to your computer. Then click the device icon at the top of the iTunes window (or select the device in Finder on macOS Catalina and newer).

iTunes sync music library

If you want to chop-chop sync content to your iPhone, y'all can use iTunes to sync your entire music library. Alternatively, if you only desire to sync selected items, just the chosen playlists, artists, albums, and genres volition sync.

In case you see a Supplant and Sync message, remember that the iTunes library replaces everything on your iPhone.

To sync your entire library, click Music in the sidebar on the left under Settings. Then make certain to select Sync Music on the correct and select Unabridged music library. Now press the Employ button in the lower right. If syncing doesn't begin, you can press the Sync push button.

Meanwhile, if you don't like iTunes, check out the best music managing director apps for iOS.

Stride 7. Rename the Music Files

In one case you've transferred your onetime iPod music, you tin rename the copied files. The random iv-letter file names assigned to the files copied from your iPod aren't descriptive at all. On a Mac, you won't know what the songs are without calculation them to iTunes or utilizing another app.

You tin can manually rename the files, but at that place's an easier way using a free tool chosen Mp3tag. It's a Windows program, simply Mac users can use information technology via a workaround.

Rename Your Files With Mp3tag on Windows

On Windows, download Mp3tag and install it. To add Mp3tag to the File Explorer menu, check the Explorer Context Menu box on Choose Components screen during installation. To rename music files from your iPod, select the files in File Explorer. So right-click on the files and select Mp3tag.

MP3tag file explorer

Within the program, highlight your songs. Go to Convert > Tag - Filename or printing Alt + one. In the Tag - Filename dialog box, enter a Format string using placeholders to set upward your filename scheme. For case, await at the Format string in the image beneath. It creates a file name with a two-digit track number, song championship, artist name, and album proper noun.

Mp3tag format string

If you want to construct your ain file name, y'all tin use dissimilar format string placeholders available. Go to Help > Contents to get more info nearly them. Subsequently the manual opens in your browser, click Renaming files based on tags under Working with tags and file names. Yous'll discover a list of placeholders you can utilize in the Format string. Use these to create custom file names for your music files.

Alternatives and How to Employ Mp3tag on Mac

There are music tagging apps for Mac like Kid3, merely they aren't every bit easy to apply as Mp3tag. If you have macOS ten.xiv.6 Mojave or later, the developer of Mp3tag has a full version. However, Mac users either take to opt for a brusk-term trial or pay for the full app.

You lot tin download Mp3tag for Mac from the programmer website. If you choose to buy the full version, it'll cost you $19.99.

After it's finished downloading, add it directly to the Applications binder on your Mac and run the prepackaged application. Use the aforementioned steps listed above to rename music files using Mp3tag on your Mac.

If this all seems also much, endeavour these alternatives to the Mac Music app and iTunes.

Animate New Life: Transfer Music from an Old iPod to Your Reckoner

If your old iPod still charges plenty to utilize, yous tin can easily transfer music from that iPod to your computer. After transferring music from your iPod to iTunes or your iPhone, requite it a new purpose. Consider reusing your old iPod as an eBook reader or a secondary music drove holder.

What to Do With Your Onetime iPod: half-dozen Great Ideas

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