Can't add songs to iPod. HELP! Greyed out songs with dotted circle.

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Level 1

1 points

Can't add songs to iPod. HELP! Greyed out songs with dotted circle.

Hi, I've been trying to resolve this issue for days now. Nothing works. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, restarted, renamed folders, installed older versions of iTunes. Everything except restored my iPod, which is not an option because I do not have access to all of my music files at the moment. I can't add any songs- songs downloaded from the internet OR songs bought on iTunes. I drag them to my iPod (yes, I have manually add checked. Always have.), it says it's processing and shows the striped bar (the one when it's not actually loading...?), then never actually shows the loading bar. When I check my iPod, the songs are greyed out with a dotted circle next to them. I have enough memory and I have reset my iPod multiple times (home button/power button style). What gives?

Please help! 😟

iPod touch, iOS 6.1.4

Posted on May 17, 2013 10:50 PM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

May 18, 2013 2:27 AM in response to princessorbz

See:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4934227

What does the gray dotted circle in...: Apple Support Communities

what does the dotted circle mean?: Apple Support Communities

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Answer 2

princessorbz Author

Level 1

1 points

May 18, 2013 8:25 AM in response to lllaass

Hi, thanks for the links, but I've read those topics and they haven't provided a solution. I haven't tried the unchecking and syncing... because if I sync, won't it delete what is already on my iPod? Again, I do not have my music files ATM and I can't access them anytime soon.

If I can sync without deleting anything, I will try that. I'm totally Apple illiterate though, so sorry if that's a stupid question!! :') I guess I could always back it up and restore if it does delete anything!

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

May 18, 2013 8:32 AM in response to princessorbz

Note the that iPod backup that iTunes makes does not included synced media like apps and music.

You can copy media from the iPod to the your computer by:

Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device: Apple Support Communities

However the greyed songs may be corrupted files and may not be recoverable.

You can redownload iTunes purchases by:

Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store

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Answer 4

JLE499

Level 1

4 points

Jul 27, 2013 11:32 AM in response to princessorbz

Just purchased 43 songs from iTunes store on my PC running iTunes. assigend new smart playlist called BIKE and I'm thinking I'm ready to rock and roll. BUT the songs wont syn to my brand new 16GB iPod. They are greyes out and none of the new smart playlists show up either. The songs are greys out with the grey circles and I can even select them (put the little check mark buy them). So I google thinking I must be missing some small trick. Well there are tons of people jumping through all sorts of hoops. Even the No 10 expert has several places to send you and that doesn't work. 43 Tunes I now can not play without spending some long time trying to figure it out and ...well there went my bike ride and the time is just not worth it. These kinds of things will give the google people a great toe hold in the music market. iTunes what a looser. I've had nothing but buggy experiences.

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Answer 5

Dec 29, 2013 1:59 PM in response to JLE499

I too had this problem but I managed to resolve it. Like others, I prefer to manage my music manually (mainly so that I can delete songs from my iPod while I am jogging, and not worry about them coming back when I plug it into my computer) so syncing is not an option.

I unchecked all of the songs in my library, then quit itunes and disconnected my ipod. When I reconnected it, I got a warning that unchecked songs cannot be synced and can't be added to my iPod. So, I checked the new songs I wanted to add, then added them and it worked. I hope this helps. I don't know why they wouldn't add before, but in my experience iTunes is horrible, glitchy and confusing software, vastly inferior to WMP, and the only reason I use it is because Apple gives us no choice.

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