PDF download Download Article PDF download Download Article

This wikiHow will teach you how to put music on your iPod Shuffle using iTunes. Apple has made it super easy to add songs to your iPod, and you actually have a few different options to choose from. If you want to add your whole music library to your iPod Shuffle, you can sync your music using iTunes. It's also possible to just add individual songs to your iPod. You can even set it up so new music is automatically added to your iPod Shuffle whenever you plug it into your computer. Whatever you're trying to do, we've got you covered! The steps below will walk you through each process.

Things You Should Know

  • Connect your iPod Shuffle to your computer.
  • Add music to your iPod Shuffle using iTunes.
  • If you connect your iPod Shuffle to a computer that isn't yours, all the music on it will be erased.
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Syncing Music

PDF download Download Article
  1. The icon looks like a multicolored music note inside a white background with a multicolored ring around the outside.
  2. Using your iPod cable, plug the USB end into your computer and the other end into your iPod's headphone/charging port.
    • If your iTunes has auto-sync for music enabled, simply opening iTunes and plugging in your iPod will add any new music you've downloaded to your iPod.
    Advertisement
  3. It's in the top-left part of the window.
  4. It's under "Settings" in the left pane of the window, under your iPod's image.
  5. It's at the top of the right pane of the window.
    • Click Entire Music Library if you want to put all the music in your iCloud Music Library on your Shuffle. If your iPod doesn't have enough storage for your entire library, iTunes will start from the beginning of the list and fill your Shuffle with as many songs as it can hold.
    • Click Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres to choose the music you want to sync to your Shuffle. Then scroll down and check the boxes next to the music you want to put on your iPod.
    • Check Automatically fill free space with songs if you'd like iTunes to randomly select songs to fill up the remaining storage space on your Shuffle. This option will only appear when you've clicked Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres.
  6. The music you selected will be put on your iPod Shuffle.
  7. It's a triangle above a line, at the top of the left pane and to the right of your iPod's image.
  8. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Adding Individual Songs

PDF download Download Article
  1. The icon looks like a multicolored musical note inside a white background with a multicolored ring around the outside.
  2. Using your iPod cable, plug the USB end into your computer and the other end into your iPod's headphone/charging port.
    • If your iTunes has auto-sync for music enabled, simply opening iTunes and plugging in your iPod will add any new music you've downloaded to your iPod.
  3. It's in the top-left part of the window.
  4. In the "Library" section in the left pane of the iTunes window, there are several ways in which to view the music in your library:
    • Recently Added
    • Artists
    • Albums
    • Songs
    • Genres
  5. Drag a song or album from the library on the right side of the window to your iPod's icon in the left pane of the window, under the "Devices" section.
    • A blue rectangle will surround your iPod's icon.
    • You can select multiple items by clicking on them while holding down Ctrl (PC) or Command (Mac).
  6. Do so by releasing the mouse or trackpad button, which will start the upload to your iPod.
  7. It's a triangle above a line, at the top of the left pane and to the right of your iPod's image.
  8. Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Autofilling Your Shuffle

PDF download Download Article
  1. The icon looks like a multicolored musical note inside a white background with a multicolored ring around the outside.
  2. Using your iPod cable, plug the USB end into your computer and the other end into your iPod's headphone/charging port.
  3. It's in the top-left part of the window.
  4. It's under "Settings" in the left pane of the window, under your iPod's image.
  5. It's in the "Options" section.
  6. It's under "On My Device" in the left pane.
  7. It's at the bottom of the left pane.
  8. When you sync, iTunes will automatically fill your Shuffle with a selection of music from the source you choose.
  9. To adjust the Autofill settings options:
    • Check Replace all items when Autofilling to remove all old music and replace it with new music watch time you Autofill your Shuffle.
    • Check Choose items randomly to add random tracks from your selected source when you Autofill.
    • Check Choose higher rated items more often to ensure that more highly-rated songs are added when Autofill is set to random.
    • Adjust the Reserve space for disk use slider if you want to set aside space on the Shuffle for use as a flash drive.
  10. It's a triangle above a line, at the top of the left pane and to the right of your iPod's image.
  11. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Can you download music off of a phone to an iPod Shuffle?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, if you get a cable that connects to your phone and your iPod Shuffle. If not, you will have to put the music file onto a computer first.
  • Question
    I can't get the volume to turn down on my iPod. What is wrong with it?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try powering it off completely and turning it back on again. If that doesn't work, look for videos or get it fixed.
  • Question
    What do I do if iTunes doesn't automatically show up?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Launch iTunes and you should see file name "Shuffle" or something similar. Click it and you're done.
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement

Tips

Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Copy Music from Your iPod to Your ComputerCopy Music from Your iPod to Your Computer
Check Your iPod's Generation Check & Identify Your iPod's Generation
Unlock a Disabled iPodUnlock a Disabled iPod
Open an Otterbox Case5 Easy Ways to Open Any Otterbox Case
Add Music to an iPodAdd Music to an iPod
Turn an iPod On Turn on Your iPod: Touch, Nano, Classic, and Shuffle
Turn Off Your iPod ClassicTurn Off Your iPod Classic
Charge an iPod ShuffleCharge an iPod Shuffle
Reset an iPod Nano Reset & Restore Every Gen of iPod Nano
Get Your Computer to Recognize Your iPod (Windows)4 Easy Ways to Get Windows to Recognize Your iPod
Reset an iPodEasy Ways to Reset and Restore an iPod
Get Songs off an iPod Without iTunes2 Ways to Transfer Songs Off Your iPod Without iTunes
Turn Off Your iPod2 Ways to Turn Off Your iPod Touch, Nano & Classic
Put an iPod Into Disk ModePut an iPod Into Disk Mode
Advertisement

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 399,335 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 21
Updated: November 4, 2022
Views: 399,335
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 399,335 times.

Is this article up to date?

Advertisement