# adding folders to an ipod



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Why don't you use the Apple Music icon on the screen? That's what I use and download music to it for my truck.


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## That Guy (Aug 19, 2017)

what apple music icon? I am on windows 7... using itunes... and supposedly, this cant be done... goggle has proven to be completely useless... I am so aggravated right now... 

From my stand point right now: I can not add any music to my ipod via itunes.... makes the ipod useless to me.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I do it all the time. You download the music to Itunes on the computer, then make a physical connection between the two and sync them. Which model of ipod do you have. 160 GB is a monster, IMO.


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## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

I also am old school. Have some older iPods (the ones with no wi-fi). Most enjoyable.

I have most of my older music and a library of CDs that I rip and put on an iPod, also enjoy podcasts which I download from iTunes.

My advice: Attach iPod to computer. When iTunes opens, check settings: Edit--> Preferences--> Devices--> Prevent iPod from syncing automatically. Then you have full manual control.

There used to be a setting for allowing device to be used (also) essentially as an external hard drive. I couldn't find it but iTunes doesn't seem to need it now.

You should be able to see your iPod in Windows Explorer, when iTunes is off, with its standard folders (Calendars, Contacts etc, iPod_Control where the music is in 50 encrypted folders under Music). Here, you can add as many other folders as you like but iTunes won't 'see' them. I have one I created for Software where I keep old programs I want. It's a convenient thumbdrive with monster size.

To create 'folders' on the iPod that it will recognize under normal use, easiest way for me is: Get the music into iTunes. For me since I have mostly content on old drives, I just pull in by: File--> Add file (or folder) to Library. After highlighting songs and selecting, they're in my iTunes Library (on computer). 

Make sure MUSIC is selected on top left iTunes. Click Library and songs and they should be there. Here's what I do next, easiest for me: In iTunes on computer File--> New--> Playlist. That's equivalent of a folder in Applespeak. A playlist will pop up with the blue background allowing you to change the name of the playlist from 'Playlist' to say 'Beatles'. You hit enter and now you have a playlist named Beatles on your computer. To Apple, iTunes is just a database to keep track of content. The old pre streaming assumption was music was 'yours' or something you paid for from Apple.

Now, with Songs selected in Library on left side and Library highlighted just under Apple logo at top center, drag each (Beatles) song into the Playlist you created on computer. Use Shift and Ctrl keys as necessary to select more than one at a time.

Last step: with trusty iPod Classic connected, drag the playlist (ie Beatles) from the Library (on computer) to where you see your iPod and its icon under Devices, anywhere in vacinity of device name, and drop. iTunes should start the manual transfer of Beatle songs onto iPod but organized also in a Playlist named Beatles.

Hope this works for you.

Last tip: If you are ripping CDs and want mp3s to be created by iTunes, here's the path: Edit--> Preferences--> General When you inset a CD: ASK TO IMPORT IT. Check box to retrieve track names. Then click box Import Settings. Import Using dropdown box: do you want mp3s maybe? If you want MP3 Encoder, also select quality of rip. 160 is very good and saves space. 128 was standard in old days of Napster and computers. Say OK.

OK


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

diyorpay said:


> I also am old school. Have some older iPods (the ones with no wi-fi). Most enjoyable.
> 
> I have most of my older music and a library of CDs that I rip and put on an iPod, also enjoy podcasts which I download from iTunes.
> 
> ...



maybe on older ipods this works, but not on newer ones. There are only a selct few folders you cans see with windows explorer. Apple has most of the folders locked out.
I really hate Apple for this reason. Plug in a droid and it's all there for you. No hoops to jump, no extra programs required, but apple....... uhg! You MUST use itunes. Everything has to go through itunes.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Bob, the only problem I have had with trying to use music on Android is that it streams it from a cloud. Get into an "iffy" Wifi spot and the music skips or stops all together until it buffers. Do you encounter that problem, too?


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

chandler48 said:


> Bob, the only problem I have had with trying to use music on Android is that it streams it from a cloud. Get into an "iffy" Wifi spot and the music skips or stops all together until it buffers. Do you encounter that problem, too?



I don't really stream. I rip mostly from CD and drop it into my music folder. In the jeep all my music and movies are on stick.


I would guess though that if you do stream, your music is only as good as the connection you have.


Android is by far the easiest to deal with though. Connect it to the computer and ALL the folders are there. No need for an 'itunes like' program... just drag and drop, create folders at will....
The android automatically picks up on it and catalogs it all.



My daughter's Apple stuff drives me crazy. They make music and file transfer far more complicated than it needs to be. Part of that of course is the profit Apple wants to collect from you so they do their best to channel you through itunes. That and the fact that they have your machine's software wrapped up pretty tight. They really don't want you in areas of the device where they believe you should not be.


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## user_12345a (Nov 23, 2014)

I've found apple products to be the most difficult of any manufacturer's to use - not having access to the file system directly, stuff tough to find, needing proprietary software to get access.

Everything is locked down. 

When you're sick of it, just take a hammer to the pos and get something non-apple.



> They really don't want you in areas of the device where they believe you should not be.


This includes the battery compartment, they want you to throw it away and buy a new one every 18 to 24 months.


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