iPod Shuffle will not play songs

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Level 1

8 points

iPod Shuffle will not play songs

My 4th gen iPod Shuffle was working great until today it suddenly stopped. Up to now I've had no problem loading audiobooks on, one at a time, and listening.

I tried loading a new book onto it today and I get the "Please use iTunes to load music" error message when I try and listen. I use iTunes v. 12.3.2.35 on a MacBook Pro.

The Shuffle will sync to iTunes and show the audiobook as loaded. But it will not play the book.

I have the latest version of iTunes.

I've tried restoring the Shuffle twice to no avail.

The light is green, so it's fully charged.

I've tried turning it off (resetting it) and back on again.

I've tried disabling (unchecking) "enable disk use."

NOTHING WORKS. I have no idea what has happened and cannot find a solution after looking all over Apple forums and everywhere else I can Google. Help!

iPod shuffle

Posted on Mar 15, 2016 7:16 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Kenichi Watanabe

Level 8

41,584 points

Mar 15, 2016 11:34 PM in response to jenwesner

From my experience, items that are not songs (such as podcasts and audiobooks) do not play if you "just push play." This is because, on the 4th gen (and 3rd gen) shuffle, when first turned ON, it is playing from the All Songs list. As the name implies, this default built-in playlist is "all songs." Most users shuffle songs on their shuffle, so they turn it ON in shuffle mode and just press the Play/Pause button. The shuffle plays its songs in random order; any loaded non-songs do not play.

However, I always have songs on the shuffle, even if I have podcast episodes or audiobooks on the shuffle. It's possible that it is programmed to play the audiobook (by default) if it's the one and only item on the shuffle (which is an unusual situation). I don't know why it does not work now, IF it worked that way before. Does this particular audiobook have separate parts (like discs or chapters) instead of being one item?

The usual (as designed) way to select to play an audiobook on your shuffle is to press and hold the VoiceOver button, until you hear the playlist menu. If you only have that one audiobook loaded, you'll hear (I think) "All Songs" and then the name of that audiobook. When you hear the name of audiobook, press the VoiceOver button or the Play/Pause button to select it (and start playing it).

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Answer 2

Mar 15, 2016 8:20 PM in response to jenwesner

Are you able to load and play songs on the shuffle?

When you play audiobooks on the shuffle, do you use VoiceOver to go to the playlist menu and select the audiobook?

iPod shuffle (4th generation): Enabling and using VoiceOver - Apple Support

Up to now I've had no problem loading audiobooks on, one at a time, and listening.

Is that the only item on the shuffle, one audiobook? Or do you have songs and other media on the shuffle at the same time?

Is the shuffle's power switch set to shuffle or play-in-order when you play audiobooks? The shuffle setting only plays songs, if you are just playing the shuffle without using VoiceOver to select a specific playlist or podcast or audiobook from the playlist menu. That may be why it told you to load music using iTunes, if the only item on it was an audiobook, and it was set to shuffle songs.

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Answer 3

jenwesner Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 15, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Are you able to load and play songs on the shuffle?

Yes. I can play music. (oddly)

When you play audiobooks on the shuffle, do you use VoiceOver to go to the playlist menu and select the audiobook?

No. Most of my audiobooks are just mp3 files, so I just push play. I do not use the VoiceOver button.

Is that the only item on the shuffle, one audiobook? Or do you have songs and other media on the shuffle at the same time?

Yes, I only load one audiobook onto the Shuffle at one time. No other songs or other media.

Is the shuffle's power switch set to shuffle or play-in-order when you play audiobooks?

The power switch was previously set to shuffle (power button all the way green). Always before at this setting it would play an audiobook.

I also tried re-syncing it and moving the power button to play-in-order (halfway green, halfway silver). I still get the "Please use iTunes to sync music to this iPod" message.

iTunes is showing that the book is loaded onto the Shuffle. It will sync. But when I go to play the audiobook, all I get is the "Please use iTunes to sync music to this iPod."

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Answer 4

jenwesner Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 16, 2016 7:05 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

From what you've said, it makes sense that I never had a problem playing my audiobooks when I was in shuffle mode.

I never access the playlist from the voiceover button, I just have always pushed play, upped the volume and occasionally used fast forward. In fact, my voiceover button won't even tell me my battery power.

Then I noticed voiceover wasn't checked when I was syncing the Shuffle. I went back in and enabled voiceover.

But still no response from the voiceover button when I push it. No response when I push it twice for battery power status.

I then tried loading and syncing a book from Audible. This worked!

However I don't know if it will load another format other than .aa. I'm pretty sure it will not play mb4, which is unfortunate since those books are chaptered and it makes it convenient. Many of my books are not mp3 or aa, so this will continue to be a problem if they won't load.

And again, this is all a mystery because I haven't changed anything I ever have done in the past and I've never had a problem.

My Shuffle is sold waterproofed by Audioflood. I use it when I swim laps. I've had it nearly 2 years and never had a problem. If there is a hardware issue involving the voiceover button, I can always go back to them for a replacement. But I need to make sure it's not a software issue before I do that.

And thanks for your help, btw!

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Answer 5

Mar 16, 2016 7:24 AM in response to jenwesner

My Shuffle is sold waterproofed by Audioflood. I use it when I swim laps. I've had it nearly 2 years and never had a problem.

Never had a problem? If you don't get the proper response when you press the VoiceOver button, I think that's a problem. 😉 VoiceOver is the substitute for not having a screen on iPod shuffle. To navigate, get info, and make selections. You can use a shuffle without VoiceOver, but only if you use it as a "music shuffle player" (to just shuffle songs). Otherwise, you need VoiceOver.

If you did a Restore on the shuffle, and the VoiceOver button does not work after the Restore, it is likely to be a hardware problem.

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