How to Download ITunes Music to an IPod

by Kristen Ciccolini

Overview

Transferring music from your iTunes library onto your iPod is a fundamental task for your MP3 player. Think of your iPod as a hard drive; it will hold any files that you download to its memory, whether you choose to manually add the files or allow iTunes to automatically sync your library. Syncing creates an identical list of your library files and downloads them to your iPod.

Step 1

Connet the iPod to your computer via the USB cable that it came with the iPod. Plug this into the USB port. Open iTunes and wait for your iPod to load in the left-hand column under "Devices."
Step 2

Add music to your iTunes library, if you haven't already, by purchasing music from the iTunes Store or by searching for music files on your computer. You can only add files to your iPod that are in your iTunes library.
Step 3

Highlight each song you want to put on your iPod. Highlight multiple items by holding down the Control key.
Step 4

Drag the highlighted songs over to the left-hand column and drop into your iPod folder, labeled "My iPod" by default. The selected songs will now download onto your iPod.
Step 5

Click on "My iPod" and select the "Summary" tab. If you would like to manually put songs on your iPod, check the box that reads "Manually manage music and videos." If you prefer to have your library synced automatically, leave this box unchecked.

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iPod iTunes USB cable for iPod
iPod
iTunes
USB cable for iPod
Do not disconnect your iPod while you are downloading music onto the device; this could harm your iPod and your songs will not be synced correctly. If you automatically sync your iPod, when you delete songs from your library, the next time you connect your iPod to your computer it will delete these songs from its library as well.
Do not disconnect your iPod while you are downloading music onto the device; this could harm your iPod and your songs will not be synced correctly.
If you automatically sync your iPod, when you delete songs from your library, the next time you connect your iPod to your computer it will delete these songs from its library as well.

References & Resources