How to Transfer iTunes From a Mac to a PC With iPod Utility

Copying the iTunes library off of an iPod to a PC requires a special program.

An iPod is designed to accept music from a Mac's hard drive using the iTunes program but cannot copy files back onto the computer once transferred. You can copy your music library on an iPod to the iTunes library on a PC using an iPod transfer utility. There are a number of these utilities available for the PC, most of which are free to use or available on a free trial basis. Once the music library has been copied from the iPod, it can be put on the PC's iTunes music library to duplicate the iTunes library that is on the Mac.

Things You'll Need

• iPod cable

Instructions

1. Download an iPod transfer utility to the PC's desktop, for example, the free trial version of iRepo X or the free iPod copy master. Double-click on the file once downloaded. Follow the menu commands to install the program onto the PC's hard drive. Restart the PC once the installation is done.

2. Connect the iPod connector on the iPod cable to the iPod. Plug the other end of the iPod connector into a USB port on the PC. Right-click on the desktop. Select "New folder" from the pop-up menu. Name the folder "iTunes."

3. Launch the iPod transfer utility by selecting it from the "Start," "All Applications" pop-up menu. Click on the "Destination" or "File output" tab on the iPod transfer utility. Navigate to the folder just made in the window that appears. Double-click on the folder to close the window.

4. Click on the icon of the iPod that is in the left column of the iPod transfer utility. Select all of the folders and files that are in the column to the right of the iPod's icon. Click the "Copy" or "Transfer" button on the iPod transfer utility. Wait as a progress bar fills in from left to right at the bottom of the program. Quit the iPod transfer utility once the progress bar has completely filled in.

5. Go to "Start," "My Computer," "Music." Double-click on the iTunes folder that is in the window that has appeared. Double-click on the folder that was made on the desktop. Copy the files and the contents of the folders inside of the "iTunes" folder into the corresponding locations inside of the iTunes folder that is on the PC's hard drive.

Tips & Warnings

• Copy-protected files may become corrupted when transferred from the iPod.

References

• Softpedia: Tansee iPod Copy Pack

Resources

• Vicman: Get Free- iPod Copy Master
• Songs-Archive: iRepo X Download