Deleting a playlist from my ipod

Question

Level 1

49 points

Deleting a playlist from my ipod

When I follow the Help instructions, to delete a playlist from my ipod while it is connected to my computer, nothing happens! I cannot see that the amount of free space on my Ipod has changed at all, even when I 'delete' several things.

What I am doing is opening the playlist triangle that shows what's on my ipod, and then highlighting one entry and pressing the delete key. When I do that, there is no response except the disappearance of the playlist from my ipod's contents list. I do not see the 'synching' message at the top of the screen, which is how I usually see that something is actually happening on the ipod.

What am I missing here?

Intel iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.6), 4GB RAM

Posted on Feb 1, 2011 5:19 PM

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Answer 1

ed2345

Level 9

62,492 points

Feb 1, 2011 6:41 PM in response to bobgoldstein

Deleting a playlist does not free any space. It simply removes a listing, and the songs will still be there.

If you don't want those songs any longer, delete them.

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Answer 2

bobgoldstein Author

Level 1

49 points

Feb 1, 2011 10:04 PM in response to ed2345

I am not sure what you mean in your last sentence by 'then delete them'. Do you mean that once I click on a playlist, then I have to highlight all of its songs, and THEN press the Delete key?

I tried that, and the playlist name remained in the list.

This whole thing arises when I want to add something new to my iPod (managing music manually), and I know I need to make some room for it.

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Answer 3

ed2345

Level 9

62,492 points

Feb 2, 2011 5:51 AM in response to bobgoldstein

Correct, deleting a playlist does not delete its songs from the library (perhaps those songs are already used in other playlists), and deleting songs does not delete any of the playlists they are in (for obvious reasons).

As you may have noticed, manually managing an iPod is an uphill battle. Why not start using automatic sync, which is much easier? To solve the problem of not everything being able to fit, use the "sync selected playlists" feature. See this support document: iPhone and iPod touch: "Not enough free space" alert when trying to sync.

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Answer 4

bobgoldstein Author

Level 1

49 points

Feb 2, 2011 7:30 AM in response to ed2345

Thanks again. I am beginning to understand (after several years!) But my question was about deleting songs/playlists from my iPod, not from my music library. And that's the way the Help file is worded-- e.g. ”To delete a playlist from your iPod, ...“

But you're right. I think I have to use the Sync selected option from now on. I'll leave this question open for a day or so more, to see if someone can explain why it works this way. In general, iTunes seems to be the weirdest software Apple has ever written.

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Answer 5

PSavigny

Level 1

6 points

Feb 19, 2011 2:45 PM in response to bobgoldstein

I was searching for the same solution. I wanted a "one click - get rid of playlist and songs" button. I dragged the playlist in with songs, why can't I delete it that way?

Seems the above answer is the right one. A playlist is like an invisible folder. If you delete it, the songs go back to being found only under music in general. If you delete the songs, the folder remains, empty.

The best way to clear an ipod playlist manually is to select the playlist, then do CMD>A or drag the cursor over all of the songs, or choose Select All from the edit menu (all the same function) to highlight the songs. Then hit "delete". It will ask you to confirm. THEN, go to the playlist title again and hit delete. The playlist will then go away. OR, you could rename it and add different songs to it. Up to you.

Logical, but not easy to figure out until you make a lot of mistakes first.

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