How do I transfer music from an old iPod to a new iPhone using iTunes?

I have an old Ipod touch. The battery is going. I purchased an old Iphone. I want to transfer my music from my old Ipod to my Iphone. I plug in my Ipod, music shows up in Itunes, but I cannot see the music files in Windows Explorer. Help!



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 6s, iOS 13

Posted on Apr 18, 2025 10:34 AM

Reply
25 replies
Sort By: 

Apr 18, 2025 10:49 AM in response to SchottyCallen

You cannot. iTunes is one way sync. Computer to device. You cannot extract the music library form an iPod using iTunes.


You will need a third party App if it's an iPod touch, older Nano, Mini or Shuffle. If it's an iPod classic or Nano (6th or 7th generation), you can set it to Disk mode and extract the files that way, and then recreate your iTunes Library.


click here ➜ Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - Apple Community


For iPods Classic or Nano

click here ➜ Recover media from an iPod - Apple Community

and here ➜ How to use disk mode on your iPod - Apple Support


Reply

Apr 18, 2025 11:17 AM in response to SchottyCallen

If it's an iPod Touch you need to see through first link.

click here ➜ Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - Apple Community


Yes, iTunes will show the music in the iPod, but has no way of actually extracting it.


A good app for this type of thing is iExplorer, not to be confused with Microsoft's old Internet Explorer which is a web browser.

https://macroplant.com/iexplorer/transfer-music-and-playlists-to-itunes

Reply

Apr 24, 2025 12:05 PM in response to SchottyCallen

You might try iFunbox. Assuming it can connect to the iPod you can use the raw file system explorer to copy Raw File System > iTunes_Control > Music into the Automatically Add to iTunes folder inside your iTunes Media folder (while iTunes is closed), unhide all of the files, then launch iTunes to assimilate the music. See Recover media from an iPod - Apple Community for more on this recovery method.


tt2

Reply

May 8, 2025 1:18 AM in response to SchottyCallen

SchottyCallen:

I sense that you're not getting anywhere with this problem, so perhaps a different approach is needed, partly to ensure that nothing obvious has been missed, but also in an attempt to resolve the issue.


Let's go back to the beginning: how did you add the music to your iPod originally?

    • if you added all the music on your iPod by buying all of it directly from the iTunes Store (on the iPod), then you now sign into the same Apple account on the iPhone and download your previous purchases from the store directly to the phone. Alternatively, you can sign into your Apple account in iTunes (the programme on your computer) and download the purchases from the store to iTunes. Then add the music from iTunes to your phone
    • if you added music to your iPod that came from other sources (either in addition, or not, to using the iTunes Store), such as:
      • copies of CDs, those copies will be in your iTunes Library, on your computer (as you would have used iTunes to add them to your iPod)
      • digital purchases from Amazon, Bandcamp etc., you would have downloaded those purchases to your computer and added them to your iTunes Library, then once again, used iTunes to add them to your iPod


Therefore, if you have a mix of music, purchased from the iTunes Store as well as other sources (CDs, online stores), it should all be in your iTunes Library as you would have used iTunes to add it to your iPod, so once again, use iTunes to copy that music to your iPhone.


If you no longer have access to your iTunes Library and no back up of it either, your options are to use the suggestions mentioned by Phil0124 and turingtest2 to recover everything from the iPod, or rebuild your library in iTunes and copy that rebuilt library to the phone.


Rebuilding your library:

    • music from the iTunes Store - download purchases from your account to iTunes
    • music from other online sources - go to your account with that store and re-download your past purchases
    • music from CDs - re-copy the CD into iTunes. If you no longer have the CD, you will need to decide how you wish to proceed. You could re-purchase digital copies from an online store (iTunes Store or Amazon etc.), or if you don't think it's worth it to you to spend that money, go without that music


If you do have to rebuild your library, you will of course lose any playlists and song ratings that you made on your iPod.

Reply

May 8, 2025 8:53 AM in response to SchottyCallen

I'm not convinced that you understand this yet.


SchottyCallen wrote:

Most of my music on ITunes is downloaded from cds, some purchased. I can transfer the purchased music. I cannot the files from cds.

I doubt that you have transferred the music purchased from the iTunes Store from the iPod to the iPhone. Instead, the music purchased from the iTunes Store will download to your iPhone because you have signed into your Apple account on the phone. None of the other music will appear on your phone via the iTunes Store - unless you have Match (turingtest2) knows more about that than I do.

The music shows in my music library when I connect my ipod touch with the failing battery. I cannot however access the files to back them up to transfer to the iPhone.

Forget about connecting your iPod to your music library (iTunes). As has been mentioned, you cannot use iTunes to copy, backup, or transfer music that is on the iPod to iTunes or to the phone.


The music on your iPod that originated from CDs was presumably copied into your iTunes library (from the CD) by using iTunes. It should still be there - in your iTunes Library. So that's the question; is your iTunes Library (on your computer) still accessible? If so, you simply use iTunes to copy from iTunes to the iPhone.


Another person suggested a couple of software applications that didn't work, Ifunbox and IExplorer.

Yes, I know, I read through this discussion. Hence my suggestion.


So, to recap. Is your music currently in your iTunes Library on your computer (and does it play)? At the very least, confirm whether or not your iTunes library still has your music in it. If it does, follow my first suggestion (numbered 1) below. If not, go to number 2, 2.1 and 2.2.


My suggestion is that the order in which to try sorting this out is:

    1. if your music is in your iTunes Library (i.e. on your computer, not "in the store" and "not on your iPod") use iTunes to copy from iTunes to your phone
    2. if you no longer have access to your library, either:
      1. use one of the applications suggested by Phil01234 or turingtest2 or,
      2. re-build your library from scratch as I have suggested


At least one of the links provided by Phil01234 and turingtest2 leads to a page prepared by turingtest2 which lists a lot of programmes (applications) that might be able to help you. In the main, they have limited free options, although I think there is a fully free one among his list.

Reply

Apr 18, 2025 12:44 PM in response to SchottyCallen

You don't absolutely have to pay for it, but the free version does have some limitations.

https://macroplant.com/iexplorer/free-vs-paid


You can download it, and try it out first and decide if you need the paid version.


You can see their tutorial here: https://macroplant.com/iexplorer/tutorials/how-to-transfer-songs-from-iphone-into-itunes


It says iPhone, but apples to the iPod touch too.


Reply

May 8, 2025 5:53 AM in response to the fiend

Thank you for your response. Most of my music on ITunes is downloaded from cds, some purchased. I can transfer the purchased music. I cannot the files from cds. The music shows in my music library when I connect my ipod touch with the failing battery. I cannot however access the files to back them up to transfer to the iPhone. Another person suggested a couple of software applications that didn't work, Ifunbox and IExplorer.

Suggestions? I would really appreciate your help.

Ty

Reply

May 8, 2025 8:56 AM in response to SchottyCallen

Disk mode is a feature of non-iOS iPods. iFunbox should be able to access the files you would see using disk mode via its Raw File System feature. If iFunbox isn't working out for you try this approach instead: https://www.mediamonkey.com/support/knowledge-base/mediamonkey-sync-iphone-ipod/copy-backup-files-from-an-apple-device/.


tt2

Reply

May 8, 2025 9:27 AM in response to the fiend

Thank you so much for your efforts in this. To be clear, I cannot access any of my downloaded music files from my Itunes library. I can only see the full list of music when my Ipod is connected and the Itunes library is then fulfilled. How do I pull the music files from my Ipod so they are in my library and then onto the Iphone. I'm sorry If I'm not explaining well. Could you possibly call?

Reply

May 8, 2025 6:44 PM in response to SchottyCallen

SchottyCallen wrote:

.... Could you possibly call?


This is a user to user support forum. Responses come from fellow users that hopefully have some insight into your issue. The only method of reply is a post here. We cannot call, do screen sharing, or provide other more direct methods of support.


tt2

Reply

May 9, 2025 5:57 AM in response to SchottyCallen

SchottyCallen wrote:

To be clear, I cannot access any of my downloaded music files from my Itunes library. I can only see the full list of music when my Ipod is connected and the Itunes library is then fulfilled.

I believe we have now established that your iTunes Library no longer has your music in it. What you can see when the iPod is connected to iTunes is the content of the iPod. As such, what is on your iPod is not in your library and iTunes has no method for copying, adding or transfering that music from the iPod to iTunes or to your phone. That's it!


How do I pull the music files from my Ipod so they are in my library and then onto the Iphone.

Once again, you cannot use iTunes to do what you want. Both Phil0124 and turingtest2 have provided information about using third-party software (that is, a programme written by someone else) to retrieve the music from the iPod and add it to your computer. Only by using one of the programmes they have suggested will you be able to add that music to your iPhone.


The article prepared by turingtest2 has a list of software (third-party programmes) that will be able to recover the content of the iPod. Some of that software will be limited, allowing only a few songs to be recovered. Some of it may require payment.


In one of tt2's replies, he provides a link to Media Monkey, one of the third-party programmes that is on tt2's list. As far as I know, Media Monkey will allow you to recover all the music from the iPod, without cost. Since all other suggestions (iFunbox, iExplorer, re-building your library, etc.) have proven unsuccessful for you, it's time to try something else (not iTunes) and at this time, that appears to be Media Monkey.

Reply

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

How do I transfer music from an old iPod to a new iPhone using iTunes?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.