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iPod TroubleShooting
Last modified Sun, Sep 2, 2007

Find Solutions to your iPod Problems

iPop problems often start when one day you turn your iPod on and you see one of the infamous Sad iPod icon or Folder icon.

**New** - Find out about these icons and many more, **iPod Icons** page

More Troubleshooting Help

Make sure that you've tried the Five R's. They are: Reset, Retry, Restart, Reinstall and Restore. These steps will often whip your iPod back into shape.

If your iPod is frozen and won't turn on or maybe won't respond.

If you think you have hardware problems Run the iPod Diagnostics

Sometimes it is helpful to manually set iPod disk mode and then reset it to normal operation. While we're not sure why this can sometimes correct problems - just walk through the simple steps indicated.

No matter which iPod model you're using, if you're having issues installing iTunes on your Mac or Windows computer select your issue below and follow the steps to try to resolve it.

iPod and iTunes Error Messages

If you have used your iPod for any length of time you may have seen one of these cryptic error messages Error -1418 error unknown. We are now compiling a comprehensive list of all messages. Read more about iPod Error Messages

Installation issues:

Sometimes your iPod and your computer don't seem to want to speak the same language. Your computer may not recognize that your iPod is connected to it (or it may display an error message when connecting), or maybe your iPod doesn't show up in the iTunes Source list. Or maybe you're having trouble syncing or copying music, photos, movies, or other data to your iPod. If these types of issues sound familiar, you've come to the right place. Just select your issue below to get help.

Connection issues:

If you're freaking out about your iPod, don't. More than likely you can perform a few simple steps to get your iPod back into good working order. If your iPod refuses to do anything when you press its buttons, displays a sad iPod or folder icon or an exclamation point icon on its screen (see above). If your iPod won't turn on, won't charge, or won't play certain audio files, this lesson offers some solutions. Just click your issue below to get help.

Troubleshooting iTunes

Can't connect to the iTunes Store
iTunes Store: Error (-50) when downloading purchased videos
iTunes Store: Can't publish a podcast
iTunes Store songs won't transfer to an iTunes-enabled mobile
Can't download or play a podcast from the iTunes Store
Songs from iTunes Store do not copy to your iPod
Music purchased from iTunes Store can't be burned to MP3 CD

Can't transfer videos to iPod
Where did my Music Videos go in iTunes 7?
Videos labeled TV Shows in iTunes don't appear on iPod
Movie sound does not play wirelessly through AirTunes

Troubleshooting issues with 3rd-party iTunes add-ons
My iPod skips to the next song
Resetting iPod warnings
iTunes won't open or unexpectedly quits
"The shared music library is not compatible" message in iTunes
No music shows up in iTunes after updating
I don't see some of my songs when browsing by artist on my iPod
Smart Playlists stop updating dynamically on iPod
iTunes does not download streaming songs
I can't import copy-protected audio discs
My podcasts playlist in iTunes is empty
iTunes quits unexpectedly when optimizing photos using iPod photo:
iTunes download button isn't visible on the Download webpage
Operating System or iTunes Reports the Disk is Full, But.....
Both of your computers think they "own" your iPod
Album art does not download properly
Smart Playlist window is too long to fit onscreen
Receipt displays incorrectly in some email programs
Some songs in iTunes won't copy to iPod
Troubleshooting inactive and invalid iTunes Music Cards
Troubleshooting songs and audiobooks that won't play

Additional problems:

For an easy to follow QuickTime movie, view the Troubleshooting & Extras section of the iPod Tutorials.

iPod Video Tutorials on Apple iPod support website.

Apple iPod Support - Main Page - If you need more than go here, Apple provides plenty of help. Make sure you make use of the search functions to drill down to the information you need.

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