don’t ask why you would, but I just realized that when your iPod is connected in manual mode you can hit play and the music there plays through…
Select your iPod from the Source list… you should see the tracks on it. pick one and hit play. This just happened to be by accident actually but after trying it on a few tracks, it really does seem to work. I checked out the same songs in my main library file and they were not playing while the iPod was.
AWESOME!!!!!
Just what I was trying to figure out!
Thank you very much!! This is just too simple of an answere!!! Perfect!
I tried this using my ipod video, but hitting the play button produces nothing…..in the screen, the “stop” sign flashes and it reads, “do not disconnect.” Any one know how to play from these units into a computer?
Jess – If you haven’t figured it out yet – try this.
I have a 4th Generation (click wheel), which isn’t much different from the video, so this should work the same. What you do is open the preferences in iTunes. Go to the iPod tab (iPod has to be connected or you can’t use this tab). Check “manually manage songs and playlists”. Close the dialog. Choose your iPod in the Source window (left side) – you should see the play button available to you… press it and it plays the songs off your iPod!
Great post! I connnect my iPod to multiple computers and don’t have much music at all on one of them. This is a great trick to be able to play music on a computer that doesn’t have the music locally stored. You don’t have to ‘sync’ your iPod with the computer, but you do have to go into Preferances and set the music to manual mode. Then it’ll let you play the music on your iPod through your computer. Awesome!
Thank you so much. I’ve been trying to figure that out for ages! 😀
This works on a 5G iPod on Win2000 on a PC. Also, it’s easy to switch from automatic updating to manual and then back to automatic if you prefer automatic. It doesn’t have to put everything on the iPod’s hard drive again.
What a load if crap! Mac lets me down AGAIN… I can’t play iTunes purchased music without authorizing the computer first. I’m not logging a work computer into my iTunes account where anybody can go crazy buying music… I could just reach around and pull the stupid speaker cable out of the back and plug it in – but that would be a total PIA.
Why in the hell would anybody care if I’m playing iTunes approved music THROUGH a random computer?????
F U Steve Jobs!!!!!
I’m really beginning to hate Mac. It was flawless up until 10.3.8. After that everything started turning into total garbage. Next thing you know I’m going to be looking for missing .dll files located on my original install disc and staring at blue screens of death my Mac- oh wait, I’ve already done today.
You have to authorize courtesy of the DRM. It’s not Apple’s fault. You can thank the RIAA.
I have been trying to figure out how to do this for a long time. This is awesome. Now I can listen to my music at work without having to use the ear pods!!! This is great! Thanks
For a video iPod – will this work even on a PC that may block the iTunes site (ex. @ work)? Or is access to iTunes mandatory?
I think you need iTunes in order to properly (and officially) access the music portion of your iPod.
I have a 5th gen Ipod, I want to play it on my work computer. I have read above how to do this, Now when I connect my ipod and have Itunes open, I can not find the ipod tab under preferances. Please help
what version of iTunes and what operating system?
When you click on your ipod in the main screen that pops up you can click manually manage rather than through the preferences tab…
I see the songs, but they are “grey”, when I hit them, nothing happens.
Excelent, works great on my 5Gen iPod Video on Win XP. If you have iTunes 7.0.x or later, there isn’t an iPod tab on Edit>Preferences, the option to manually manage the ipod is on the left of iTunes, clicking on the iPod icon.
works great just go to prefrences in i tunes and under the ipod tab go to manage manual and it should work when u click it and click play
the great thing about playing your iPod thru iTunes / computer is that you don’t notice the different recording levels and/or volumes of various songs. i used to plug speakers into my iPod to listen at work… but every once in awhile a song would be seriously louder than the other songs which meant everyone at my end of the hall could hear it. not cool when you’re in an uptight office where your co-workers can’t appreciate good tunes….
Anyway to get this to work with an iPod shuffle?
I have no way to even try it … sorry.
ty so much ive been trying to find out how to do this for a while now
thanks! i have been trying to figure out how to play my iPod thru my work computer!
btw….with the newest version of iTunes (7.0.02) the option to manually manage is in the main window once you click on your iPod. (under options at the bottom)
Thank you so much!!! My workplace has just became slightly more tolerable!
btw, for those who can’t or don’t use itunes you can use winamp. it has a plugin (which i believe is installed by default) that detects media players and is capable of playing the music from them directly. i’ve only tested this with a 2nd gen ipod nano.
How ever…This does not seem to work to connect an iPod to a Windows PC if the iPod was formatted on a Mac. Boo….
Thanks for the suggestion about Winamp. I’m trying that now.
Can I edit files on the ipod (change ratings, id3 tags, etc.) through itunes using this method?
It’s Read Only…
I can’t get this to work, its on maual but how do you locate the songs on the ipod???? need this to work as im backing up all my music as its taking up too much space!
!
Whoa! Cheers!
It Finally Works!
Peace people
We love you
Has anyone tried this on a Video 30GB ipod on Vista? I followed instructions on the main apple website and still can not get the ipod to play through the computer? Any suggestions?
Cheryl, Yes I just did it on my 30GB Ipod. In the left pane under Devices you should be able to see your IPOD’s name. Click on that (i.e. your IPOD, you should be a little eject button right next to it). Once you do that, under Options, there is a check box that you can check which says ‘Manually Manage Music and Data’. Check that and you are good to go. This was an excellent post!! Thanks atmasphere!
it worked for me alright i was wondering is there a way to have it play song afters song cause right now it plays one song and stops and i dont wanna keep pickin songs
I have a computer at work that is not on line (for cmm purpose) operating system is windows 98. It has windows media player of course but not itunes. is there any way i can play the music on my ipod nano through that computer?
Great post. I just got an iPod and have it playing in my office now.
Well, apparently I screwed the whole thing up.
I thought the point of having a freaking iPod was to to be able to play your music, store your music from the ipod wherever youa re.
I have a 4 Gb Nano, I transferred all of my music to it; I deleted all music files from my computer, because I was under the impression that I could do that, and still play the tunes from my iPod through my computer, even through iTunes.
I cannot, none of these instructions work.
I know I may sound dumb but would someone inform me what to do?
thanks
kyle, i had the same problem, until i realized that you just have to click the small arrow to the left of the icon displaying your ipod in iTunes. once you do this, you’ll see the music and playlists on your iPod.
I HAVE A 20GB IPOD WITH LOTS OF SONG THAT EVEN CLASSIFIED INTO CUULS,REGGAE,FORERIGNGOSPEL STC . THIS I COULD PLAY THRO THE EAR PHONE BUT I CANNOT EVEN SEE OR PLAY THESE ON MY PC IF I CONNECT THE IPOD . WHAT SHOULD I DO? SOMEONE SHOULD HELP
I HAVE AN IPOD WITH LOT OF SONGS EVEN GROUPED INT, GOSPEL, REGGEA, CUULS ETC . THIS I CAN PLAY USING THE EARPHONE BUT I CANNOT EVEN SEE, LOCATE OR PLAY THSES SONGS ON MY PC. I NEED SOME ONE TO HELP ME OUT
Thanks so much!! I’ve been scratching my head over this one for days – I had to restore my iPod nano and couldn’t figure this out. It’s usually the simplest answers that confound you!
I have the 30 gb ipod and have it set to manually updat but can’t seem to get it to play my music…any help???
this is great. thanks a lott! how can you load the songs in your itunes?
guys I can the music to play but it seems to just be on ramdom and I was expecting to be able to choose which songs I want to listen to. If anyone has any imput so I can actually choose my songs that would be great. I have a 30gb ipod video
Thanks
i have my 30 gb ipod set to manual, i can see the songs and select them but it just wont play… what can i do?? please!