HT201253: Sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iTunes on your computer using USB

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bisquitqueen
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: 5th Generation I pod Nano does not play music loaded from computer

New iPod Nano does not play music loaded from MacBook Pro. When connected with USB, all songs show up on computer screen in Nano folder, but nothing shows up on Nano when it is disconnected from computer. Why do songs not show up on Nano?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Feb 27, 2016 5:05 PM

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bisquitqueen

Q: 5th Generation I pod Nano does not play music loaded from computer

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  • by Kenichi Watanabe,Helpful

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Feb 28, 2016 4:30 PM in response to bisquitqueen
    Level 8 (38,416 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 28, 2016 4:30 PM in response to bisquitqueen

    Are you loading the songs on the iPod using iTunes?  "Nano folder" sounds like you may be using Finder to copy song files to the iPod directly, instead of using iTunes.  You need to run iTunes, and use iTunes to manage songs on the iPod.  iTunes stores the song files in a special way (when it "syncs" the iPod), to optimize the iPod's performance in running its onboard software. 

     

    Please reply back to clarify your current situation.  Also, a 5th gen iPod nano is not NEW.  The current iPod nano model is 7th gen.  Is that the model you have?

  • by bisquitqueen,

    bisquitqueen bisquitqueen Feb 28, 2016 4:33 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 28, 2016 4:33 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

    Yes, this worked! I needed to stay in the iTunes program. Found then that the button to check to sync was not checked there under the Music tab of the nano. Wow, it took me 4 days of frustration to find this check box!!! Thank you for focusing me on staying inside the iTunes program. It is finally working fine.

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Feb 28, 2016 4:43 PM in response to bisquitqueen
    Level 8 (38,416 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 28, 2016 4:43 PM in response to bisquitqueen

    If you previously copied song files to the iPod using Finder, they are just sitting there taking up space on the iPod.  Make sure you go back and delete them (using Finder), and remember to Empty the Trash.

     

    Also, on the iPod's Summary settings screen (what you see when you initially select iPod in iTunes), there is a checkbox for Enable disk use.  If you are using the Sync Music setting on the iPod's Music settings screen (automatic syncing) to load songs, you do not need to have disk use enabled.  Uncheck Enable disk use and click Apply.  Then, iTunes only mounts the iPod's "disk" when syncing the iPod.  The iPod still appears in iTunes when connected, but you do not need to Eject the iPod in iTunes before physically disconnecting it.