How to Hook Up an iPod to a PC
The iPod revolutionized portable electronics when it hit the market in 2001 and it has become one of the most recognizable devices in the world. Its versatility and capacity have only increased since then. A common misconception about the iPod is that you must have a Mac computer to use it. Although Apple makes the iPod, you can set up and manage an iPod on a PC just as easily as a Mac.
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Things You'll Need
- iPod
- Dock connector to USB cable (supplied with iPod)
- PC with iTunes software
- iPod dock (optional)
Instructions
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Connecting Your iPod Directly
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1
Connect the USB end of the supplied cable to a high-powered USB port on your computer.
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2
Connect the dock connector end of the cable with the plug at the bottom of your iPod.
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3
Open iTunes on your computer. When your PC recognizes that your iPod is connected, an iPod icon will appear in the device list on the left side of iTunes, below the "Store" and "Library" menus.
Connecting Your iPod With a iPod Dock
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4
Connect the dock connector end of the supplied cable into the back of the iPod dock.
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5
Connect the USB end of the cable into a high-powered USB port on your computer.
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6
Insert your iPod into the dock, being careful not to push it down too hard into the cradle.
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7
Open iTunes on your computer. When your PC recognizes that your iPod is connected, an iPod icon will appear in the device list on the left side of iTunes, below the "Store" and "Library" menus.
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Tips & Warnings
If you connect your iPod to your PC through a low-powered USB port, it will slow down the transfer rate when you start loading music, photos and video onto your iPod.
To disconnect your iPod from your PC, click on the eject arrow next to the iPod icon in the device list before lifting the iPod out of the docking cradle. If you don't click the eject arrow first, the data you have transferred to your iPod might not save properly.
