Unlock your devices in 3 steps
Recover data in 3 steps
Feb 21, 2025 • Filed to: Manage Device Data • Proven solutions
"Is there a way to extract music from my first generation iPod nano to my iTunes Library? It seems that all the songs are stuck in the iPod. I don't know how to solve the problem that has bothered me for a long time. Please help. thanks!"
Now many Apple device users have switched to iPhone or the latest iPod touch to enjoy music, read books, or takes picture. However, there are still many people asking the question ‘how to extract killer songs from their old iPod to put in the new iTunes Library or new devices'. It's really a headache because Apple doesn't provide any solution to solve the problem. Actually, it isn't very hard to extract music from an iPod. It only takes a little elbow grease. Follow the info below to free your songs from your old shabby iPod.
Let's put the easiest way first. Using Dr.Fone - Phone Manager (iOS) to extract music from an iPod is extremely easy. It will help you extract all songs and playlists from your old iPod directly to your iTunes Library and PC (If you want to backup them on PC) with ratings and play counts, including iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic and iPod Touch.
Manage and Transfer Music on iPod/iPhone/iPad without iTunes
Below are the steps to extract music from an iPod with Dr.Fone - Phone Manager (iOS). Download the free trial version of the iPod Transfer tool to have a try!
Install Dr.Fone iPod Transfer on your PC and launch it right away. Choose "Phone Manager" among all functions. Connect your iPod to your PC with the USB cable it comes. And then Dr.Fone will display it on the primary window. It might take a few more seconds the first time it detects your iPod, here we make iPod nano for example.
On the primary window, you can click "Transfer Device Media to iTunes" to extract songs and playlists from your iPod to your iTunes Library directly. And no duplicate will appear.
If you would like to select and preview music files, click "Music" and right click to select "Export to iTunes". It will transfer all your music files to your iTunes library. You can easily enjoy your music now.
If you would like to extract music from iPod to PC, simply click "Music" to select music files, then right click to select "Export to PC".
If your iPod is iPod nano, iPod classic or iPod shuffle, you can try Solution 2 to extract music from the iPod manually.
Launch iTunes Library on your Mac and connect your iPod to your Mac via a USB cable. Please make sure your iPod appears on your iTunes Library. Click iTunes in the ribbon and click Preferences. And then, in the new window, click Devices on the popped-up window. Check the option "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically."
Launch Terminal which is located in the folder Applications/Utilities. If you can't find it, you can use the spotlight and search for "applications". Type "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE" and "killall Finder" and press the reture key.
Double-click the appeared iPod icon. Open the iPod Control folder and find the Music folder. Drag the music folder from your iPod to a folder on the desktop that you've created.
Enter the iTunes Preference window. From here, click Advanced tab. Check the options "Keep iTunes music folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library". In iTunes File menu, select "Add to library". Choose the iPod music folder you've put on the desktop and add the files to iTunes Library.
Step 1. Disable the auto syncing option in iTunes
Launch iTunes Library on your PC and connect your iPod to your Mac via a USB cable. Click iTunes in the ribbon and click Preferences. Click Devices and check the option "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically."
Step 2. Extract Music from the iPod on PC
Open "Computer" and you can see your iPod is displayed as a removable disk. Click Tools > Folder option > Show hidden files and folders on the ribbon and click "OK". Open "iPod-Control" folder in the removable disk and find the music folder. Add the folder to your iTunes Library.
You might have the question ‘why should I use Dr.Fone to extract iPod music? Are there other tools available?' To be honest, yes, there are. For example, Senuti, iExplorer, and CopyTrans. We recommend Dr.Fone - Phone Manager (iOS), mostly because it now supports almost all iPods. And it works quickly and hassle-freely.
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