How to Rip a CD to an MP3 Player

Copy music from a CD onto an MP3 player.

If you own an MP3 music player, you might want to import the audio content of CDs onto the MP3. To do this you must first copy the contents of the CD onto a computer. Both Windows- and Mac-based systems can do this. Once the audio files are on the computer it is just a matter of coping the contents over to the portable MP3 player.

Things You'll Need

• Music CD
• Media Player
• USB data cable
• MP3 player

Instructions

1. Insert a blank CD into the disc drive of the computer. Close out the "AutoPlay" window that loads onto the screen.

2. Select either "Windows Media Player" or "iTunes," depending on your computer's default player. When the player loads, a prompt asks if you want to rip the music from the inserted audio CD. Click "Yes" and the audio files are recorded onto the computer.

3. Connect the USB data cable into the USB port on the MP3 player. Insert the other end of the USB cable into a USB port on the computer, so that the MP3 player and computer are connected.

4. Open the MP3 device window. If using a Mac, double-click the removable device icon on the desktop. When using a PC, select "Start" and choose "My Computer." Double-click the removable device icon.

5. Click-and-drag the audio files from the media player into the open device window. If using a specialty MP3 player, such as one made by Sony or Apple, you must use the provided software to upload the MP3 tracks. Launch the program and the software detects the audio files you imported from the CD. Select the audio files and click "Sync" to add the MP3 files onto the player.

References

• Ask Dave Taylor: How Do I Copy a Music CD From Apple iTunes
• Microsoft: Quickly Rip CDs to Your Computer