Congratulations on your new iPod nano! In a few minutes we'll have you uploading music to your iPod nano and ready to roll. More interested in playing videos, games or audiobooks? No worries. Once you're uploading music to your nano you'll know how to upload all the other goodies too.
1) Load the music files onto your computer
Most of us start out with our iPods by loading up the CDs we've collected over the years, so let's start there. Copy the files from your CDs onto your computer's hard disk so it'll be available to your iPod manager. Note: If you use iTunes and have "Copy files to iTunes music folder" selected, you can skip copying the files to the PC -- just having the CD in your computer's CD drive will be enough.
2) Import the music into the iPod manager of your choice
You'll use an "iPod manager" application to handle moving files to and from the iPod. Apple's free iTunes software is the iPod manager most of us use. You're welcome to look at the other options -- Wikipedia has a pretty good list. If you're new to iPods I suggest you start with iTunes. Once you know what you do and don't like about iTunes you'll be in a better position to decide whether you want to look for a different iPod manager.
By the way, using iTunes to manage iPod files does NOT keep you from buying music from other companies -- I buy music downloads from three different vendors but use iTunes to move them back and for from my iPod.
Quick tip: If you want iTunes to put a copy of the file in the main iTunes library directory, choose Edit, Preferences, Advanced from the menu and click the "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library." I like to do this to make it easy to find my music files. I know that music files anywhere else on my hard drive aren't part of the iTunes library and can safely be deleted.
Okay, you're ready to import the music to iTunes. There's several ways to import, but the most common is to click (from the top menu) File, Add Folder to Library, and find and select the directory that contains your music. Click the "OK" button to add the music to the library's music list. You can also use the Control + O keys and select single files to add.
3) Connect up the iPod
Connect your iPod to the computer with the USB cable that came with your iPod. (Yes, I know most of you knew this...just playing it safe.) The iPod should appear on the left-hand menu.
Next you need to decide if you want to let iTunes handle synchronizing with your iPod or if you want to handle things manually. I like the "manually manage" approach -- it lets me decide which files to move to my nano. It also lets me synch up different computers to just one iPod.
4) Upload your music
Are you going to let iTunes manage the uploads? If so, you're ready to start. Click your iPod's icon, select "Sync" in the lower right corner, and iTunes handles the rest.
If you want to manage uploading manually, click your iPod's icon, select the "Manually manage music and videos" checkbox on the iTunes screen. (Don't worry, this is a one-time setup step -- you won't have to do it again.) Now all you have to do is select the music (or play lists) you want from your iTunes library and drag it onto the iPod icon.
5) Eject your iPod safely
Never disconnect your iPod nano without ejecting it first. Not taking that extra minute risks corrupting the files. Eject from iTunes by clicking the button at bottom right of the screen.
6) Go find more music
Okay, you know how to upload music to your nano. Go forth and find more cool games, videos, books, or music for your iPod. See my web site for suggestions of where to find great downloads for reasonable prices.
1) Load the music files onto your computer
Most of us start out with our iPods by loading up the CDs we've collected over the years, so let's start there. Copy the files from your CDs onto your computer's hard disk so it'll be available to your iPod manager. Note: If you use iTunes and have "Copy files to iTunes music folder" selected, you can skip copying the files to the PC -- just having the CD in your computer's CD drive will be enough.
2) Import the music into the iPod manager of your choice
You'll use an "iPod manager" application to handle moving files to and from the iPod. Apple's free iTunes software is the iPod manager most of us use. You're welcome to look at the other options -- Wikipedia has a pretty good list. If you're new to iPods I suggest you start with iTunes. Once you know what you do and don't like about iTunes you'll be in a better position to decide whether you want to look for a different iPod manager.
By the way, using iTunes to manage iPod files does NOT keep you from buying music from other companies -- I buy music downloads from three different vendors but use iTunes to move them back and for from my iPod.
Quick tip: If you want iTunes to put a copy of the file in the main iTunes library directory, choose Edit, Preferences, Advanced from the menu and click the "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library." I like to do this to make it easy to find my music files. I know that music files anywhere else on my hard drive aren't part of the iTunes library and can safely be deleted.
Okay, you're ready to import the music to iTunes. There's several ways to import, but the most common is to click (from the top menu) File, Add Folder to Library, and find and select the directory that contains your music. Click the "OK" button to add the music to the library's music list. You can also use the Control + O keys and select single files to add.
3) Connect up the iPod
Connect your iPod to the computer with the USB cable that came with your iPod. (Yes, I know most of you knew this...just playing it safe.) The iPod should appear on the left-hand menu.
Next you need to decide if you want to let iTunes handle synchronizing with your iPod or if you want to handle things manually. I like the "manually manage" approach -- it lets me decide which files to move to my nano. It also lets me synch up different computers to just one iPod.
4) Upload your music
Are you going to let iTunes manage the uploads? If so, you're ready to start. Click your iPod's icon, select "Sync" in the lower right corner, and iTunes handles the rest.
If you want to manage uploading manually, click your iPod's icon, select the "Manually manage music and videos" checkbox on the iTunes screen. (Don't worry, this is a one-time setup step -- you won't have to do it again.) Now all you have to do is select the music (or play lists) you want from your iTunes library and drag it onto the iPod icon.
5) Eject your iPod safely
Never disconnect your iPod nano without ejecting it first. Not taking that extra minute risks corrupting the files. Eject from iTunes by clicking the button at bottom right of the screen.
6) Go find more music
Okay, you know how to upload music to your nano. Go forth and find more cool games, videos, books, or music for your iPod. See my web site for suggestions of where to find great downloads for reasonable prices.
About the Author:
To learn more, read Lydia Vaughn's review of the best sites to get more downloads for your iPod nano at her website, Nanos Reviewed. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory
