Second Hand iPod Classic purchased - how to reformat for my Account?

This is an easy fix. Load iTunes. Once it's loaded up, select your iPod and run "restore ipod" from within iTunes. This will restore your iPod classic no matter if it's store bought, purchased from a pawn store or purchased from another owner. This feature in iTunes will restore the iPod classic back to its original factory settings. Hope that answers your question. Remember, don't shut down, reboot or disconnect your iPod while the process is running. It takes less than a minute to complete. Once finished, your iPod will be ready to go.

See Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support.

tt2

Absolutely correct. Turingtest hit the nail on the bottom. If you purchase an iPod classic second hand or from another owner, the iPod will not be associated with a user's iTunes account. Matter of fact, you don't even have to be logged into your iTunes account in order to run the 'iPod Restore' feature in iTunes.

Open iTunes. Use the menu item Account > Sign Out, then sign in with your own Apple ID.

iPod classics are not associated with an Apple ID. They simply take whatever content you choose to put on them.

tt2

Thanks. In the end, last night, I tried reformatting my device manually, and although that didn't seem to work initially, when I restarted it, recharged it, and went back to iTunes, what I was seeing had radically changed, and it offered me the 'Restore' option it didn't before! I have no idea why it changed, sorry, but it seems sorted now, thanks.

For any iPod classic, the fourth generation iPod touch, iPhone 3GS, original iPad, and earlier, it's applicable to everyone; these devices can't be activation locked, and syncing a new one won't affect the iTunes library. In any case, the only way to ensure that the iTunes library is safe from other issues is to back it up.

(157725)

This doesn't work for me (my iPod is a 32gb model from 2006). I signed out, then back in again, but it's exactly the same. There's no 'restore iPod' option in the menus (this is iTunes version 12.7.3.46)

If I select the iPod, it just expand/shrinks the list of content on the iPod. I just want to factory-reset.

At my wit's end.

Thanks.

Click here and follow the instructions.

(157724)

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2