How to import music to iPod classic 7.gen

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Level 1

4 points

How to import music to iPod classic 7.gen

I'm slowly beginning to get mad over here, after getting a long wish fulfilled, owning an iPod classic of the 7th generation.

Actually it's even one with iFlash mod and larger battery, but 256gb of memory.

After recently changing from windows and android to iOS and Sonoma, getting Apple Music to use on AirPod Pro and building up a library of music, want to copy that library to the iPod, but absolutely NOTHING works.

I searched for workarounds, solutions and whatever, but simply copying mp3s to the iPod won't work, Apple Music does nothing (since it's secured by license), side load via 3rd party apps is impossible because none runs on Sonoma and formatting the iPod to exFat so it can be used on windows makes the everything even worse, so needed to restore it multiple time that at least the iPod runs as supposed to.

iTunes only runs on windows, won't recognize the iPod there, and since the abstinence of iTunes on Sonoma, replaced by Apple Music there is no way to sync music to it, even after adding a bunch of mp3s to the library.

I'm aware there is something like RockBox, but since having severe issues when formatted to exFat, that's also no option.

is there any way to get any music onto this iPod on macOS or do I have I to toss it into the junk?

Posted on May 9, 2024 1:20 PM

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Answer 1

May 9, 2024 3:18 PM in response to scha264

To sync content to the iPod on Sonoma you need to use the Finder.

click here ➜ Sync content between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch over Wi-Fi - Apple Support

Your iPod should show up on the Finder's side bar.

The instructions apply to all iPods, not just iPod Touch.

Make sure the "CDs, DVDs and iOS devices" option is checked in the Finder Settings under Side Bar.

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Answer 2

scha264 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 9, 2024 9:13 PM in response to Phil0124

Phil0124 wrote:

To sync content to the iPod on Sonoma you need to use the Finder.

click here ➜ Sync content between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch over Wi-Fi - Apple Support

Your iPod should show up on the Finder's side bar.

The instructions apply to all iPods, not just iPod Touch.

Make sure the "CDs, DVDs and iOS devices" option is checked in the Finder Settings under Side Bar.

that's not the problem, it appears in finder, obviously, since I restored it several times that way, and synced it, but it always tell me that Apple Music content cannot be synced to this iPod since it's licensed m4a data, and a 2009 iPod classic 7th gen, no iPod touch 7th gen.

Used a tool to get mp3 of these m4a's on my hdd, but even cannot sync these to the iPod, and even after just copy these to the iPod manually, nothing shows up in library.

but how can you use it if you're new to macOS.

even the apple official support guide does not mention that it won't work with m4a data from Apple Music to anything older than iPod touch 6/7, but how can I even use it?

I'm just looking for a clear guide that works in 2024 on Sonoma, without access to iTunes, but I'm trying for a week now and get tired of this.

I'm not buying another, way older MacBook just to get iTunes on a Mac, or is there any way to run/install iTunes on Sonoma?? tried it, but only says it runs only on older systems...

[Edited by Moderator] (edited it myself so the sentence at least makes sense again, thx...)

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Answer 3

May 10, 2024 7:59 AM in response to scha264

Apple Music is DRM protected. You cannot sync those tracks to the iPod because they are tied to the Apple Music subscription and require an active subscription.

Not sure how you converted protected tracks to MP3, but if your broke the copyright protection, that is piracy and obviously not supported by Apple or these forums.

However, once broken, those tracks should have been copied successfully to the iPod, whether they play or not would depend on how they were converted.

If you still get the error, then you are still trying to sync some songs that are part of the Apple Music subscription service. Make sure no songs you sync come from the Apple Music subscription service.

There is no way to add the songs to the iPod outside of the Finder's interface. You cannot simply drag songs to it like it was a USB drive. It is not.

You must use the Sync option in the Finder as explained, and you must be syncing non-Apple Music subscription services tracks to it.

I have an iPod Classic and syncing works as explained with it.

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Answer 4

scha264 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 11, 2024 10:08 PM in response to Phil0124

So, finally got that thing working, after chatting with the former owner of my iPod.

What in no guide everywhere else, even in the official Apple guide, is telling something very particular: You have to import the mp3-files first, using Apple Music App, then syncing the iPod using finder, ignoring the report about the non-syncable drm music content.

Why is it so difficult to add that most important detail about it to the official page in the first place?

Not everyone natively grows up in Apple's environment...

Anyways, now it seems to work as supposed.

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