My first iPod touch model A1288 how do I activate or how do I operate it ? It’s a refurbished type.

Although the 2nd generation iPod Touch cannot be updated beyond iOS 4.2.1, which limits the apps that you can install on it, you can still use the iPod for music, synchronised from your iTunes Library. The built-in apps will work, but with limited features.

I don't think that you can access the iTunes Store from that iPod any longer. You also will not be able to use Apple Music, which is a subscription service. Note that Apple Music and iTunes, are separate things, do not conflate the two. Also, music is music; it is not "Apple Music" or "iTunes Music".

But to add music to your iPod, first of all, you need to have iTunes installed on your computer:

• • if you have a Windows 10 (or Windows 11) computer or an older Mac, download iTunes from iTunes - Apple
  • if you have a newer Mac, you use Finder instead of Tunes. Finder should be on those Macs already (I believe)
  • if you still use Windows 7, there is an older version of iTunes for it. Please ask us.

Once you have iTunes on your computer, add music to the iTunes Library. If you need assistance with this, please post here and ask.

Once you have music in your iTunes Library, you need to set Sync options for this iPod that will add the music to the iPod. Again, once you get to this stage, let us know and we can give you the steps required if you need them.

To set up your iPod touch, you need to connect to iTunes on your computer.

A1288 indicates this is a 2nd generation iPod Touch. The maximum supported iOS version is 4.2.1. On iOS devices running iOS 4 or earlier, users had to connect to iTunes on computer. In iOS 5 and later, which is not supported by your iPod touch, users allow to set up the iOS device without computer.

The last software update for your iPod touch is iOS 4.2.1, released November 2010. Your iPod touch is too old to support iOS 5 or later, as the internal hardware is too old to support.

All apps on App Store won't run on your iPod touch. Most websites won't load on your iPod touch as website operators dropped SSL support for the very old browser.

App developers dropped support for 32-bit devices (your iPod touch is 32-bit) and those preceding iOS 11/12/13 in apps, making your iPod touch more limited in usability and utility.

iPod touch is discontinued in May 2022 - and even the last model, iPod touch (7th generation) couldn't support iOS 16. iPod touch is no longer on sale, but you can buy an iPhone SE 3, which is similar to iPod touch.