Transfer From Ipod To Mac Without Software

At the top of the Finder window, click Files, then do one of the following: Transfer from Mac to iPod touch: Drag a file or a selection of files from a Finder window onto an app name in the list. Transfer from iPod touch to Mac: Click the disclosure triangle beside an app name to see its files on your iPod touch, then drag a file to a Finder window. Maybe you just want to move the music collection from your iPod back to your Mac or PC without having to download any tricky or expensive software. Other reason is, when you get all music collection saved on your iPod device, it may pop up a errors that prompts you all the music stored on the computer is lost, deleted, or corrupted.

If you have an iPod where all of your music tracks are saved, you might want to learn how to transfer music from your iPod to your Mac to enjoy these tracks on your Mac machine as well. There are various ways to do it and this guide covers multiple of those ways for you.

iPod Tips & Tricks

Basic iPod Tips
iPod Transfer Tips

Appleā€™s iPod is one of the amazing devices you can ever have for listening to your favorite music tracks. It is extremely easy to use media player that you can use just like how you use your iPhone, but with the main focus being on your entertainment needs. If you have got yourself such a device, you may sometimes want to sync music from your iPod to your Mac.

Since both iPod and Mac are made by the same company, it is actually pretty easy to do the sync and have your iPod music available on your Mac machine. Although it requires using certain apps to do the task, you can finally get your favorite tracks on your Mac without much hassle. The following are some of the ways to transfer music from an iPod to a Mac.

Part 1. Transfer Music from iPod to Mac with iTunes

Most people who want to do something with their iOS device such as an iPod will use the iTunes app to do their task. It is because the app provides you with all the features you need to be able to get your content from your device to your Mac and vice versa.

While iTunes has its own restrictions as to what you can transfer from your device to your Mac and so on, it can still be used to transfer music from your iPod to your Mac machine. You will not actually be syncing it but you will use the Finder to extract individual music files from your device.

The following are the steps on how you can go about doing it on your Mac.

Step 1. One of the things you will need to do is prevent iTunes from auto-syncing your iPod. To do it, plug the iPod into your computer and launch iTunes while holding down both Command and Options buttons.

Step 2. Your iPod should now be available as a storage device in the Finder. You should be able to access its files just like how you can access other files on your Mac.

Step 3. You will need to enable hidden files on your Mac to view iPod files. Open the Terminal and run the following command in it to do so.

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles True; killall Finder;

Step 4. Open the Finder and click on your iPod name in the sidebar.

Step 5. Access the folder that says iPod_Control and then open the Music folder. You can now copy the files you want from here to your Mac.

Access the iPod Music Folder

That is all there is to it.

While you can always sync your iPod using iTunes to get your music files to your Mac, it is going to apply various other changes as well to your iPod. The above method only transfers the chosen music files which are exactly what you are looking to do.

Part 2. Transfer Music from iPod to Mac without iTunes via AnyTrans

On most modern computers, you are actually going to face issues mounting your iPod as a storage device. It is because newer Macs do not recognize the iPod as a storage device and so they will prevent it from appearing in the Finder sidebar.

One of the ways to tackle the issue is to use a third-party app. There is an app called AnyTrans for iOS that allows you to load music on your Mac from an iPod without needing the iTunes app. You do not even have to get your iPod mounted as a storage device as the app will do it all for you. If you are ready to do the transfer, the following is all you need to do to transfer music from an iPod to a Mac without iTunes.

Step 1. Grab the latest version of the AnyTrans for iOS and install it on your computer.

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 2. Connect your iPod to your Mac using a USB cable. Ensure you use the original cable that came with your device.

Step 3. Launch the app on your Mac. Click on the option that says Device Manager in the left sidebar and then choose Music from the right-hand side pane.

Access the Music Transfer Feature in AnyTrans for iOS

Step 4. Click on Song in the left sidebar to view all the available songs on your iPod. Then, pick the songs you want to transfer to your Mac on the right-hand side pane. Finally, click on the To Mac button at the top to start transferring your songs.

Step 5. Once the music files are transferred, you will see them in the Finder on your Mac.

View iPod Music on the Mac Spyder 4 elite mac software.

As you can clearly see, all it took was just a few clicks to transfer your chosen music files from your iPod to your Mac. If it was iTunes or something else, it would have required you to transfer a dozen other file types before you could transfer your music files.

Bonus Tip. Transfer Music from iPod to iTunes

If you followed the second method shown above to transfer music from your iPod to a Mac, you would have noticed that it transfers your files to a folder on your machine. Your music files are kept as standalone files in their individual folders and they are not imported into any apps like iTunes.

Ipod

However, if you use iTunes to manage your media files, you will want to get these music files added to the app. One of the ways to do that is to manually add the files to your app. But it is going to take really long, especially if you have a number of files to transfer. A better solution would be to use AnyTrans for iOS. It helps you transfer files from your iPod directly to the iTunes app on your Mac. The following is how you do it.

Step 1. Download and install the AnyTrans for iOS on your Mac.

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 2. Plug your iPod into your computer and launch the app.

Step 3. Click on Device Manager in the left sidebar and choose Audio from the right-hand side menu.

Access the Audio Feature in AnyTrans for iOS

Step 4. Select the Music option and then choose the music tracks you would like to transfer to iTunes on your Mac. Then, click on the Send to iTunes option at the top to start transferring your chosen files from your iPod to your Mac.

Step 5. You should be able to see the live progress of the music transfer on your screen. It will notify you when the files are all transferred to iTunes on your Mac.

With the aforementioned app, all it takes to transfer music from an iPod to iTunes is just a few clicks and you are good to go. The app can also be used to transfer files as normal files as you saw in the earlier method.

The Bottom Line

If you are not sure how to transfer music from an iPod to a Mac but you want to do it, the above guide has several methods showing how to get the task done on your machine. We hope you can find a suitable method for yourself and get your music moved to your Mac computer.

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By Spencer Mcfadden, on April 15, 2020, in iPod Transfer

Summary: Not a fan of iTunes? Don't have iTunes on your Windows PC at all? Want to offload your music from iPod to a PC computer? Check out our Full List of Best Free iPod Transfer Software Roundup for Windows PC and Mac.
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Due the restricted limit by Apple, iTunes doesn't allow you to transfer music back from an iPod to your Windows or Mac computer, this is why you need an iPod Music Transfer software as an iTunes alternative. Among dozens of similar iPod Music Transfer software, how to make the best choice? We take the labor and list all reputed iPod music transfer software here. Read on this article to find the solution that suits your need.

What Is iPod Music Transfer Software

An iPod transfer, aka an iPod file/music manager, is a kind of software that permits the transferring of media files content between an iPod and a computer or vice versa. iTunes is the official iPod transfer software, but 3rd parties have created alternatives to iTunes for working around restrictions. e.g. transferring music from an iPod to a computer is restricted by iTunes. Apart from this hard constraints, the third party iPod transfer software can also bring extra benefits as below.

Why You Should Choose An iPod Music Transfer Software
  • With iTunes, you can only sync your iPod with ONLY one iTunes library.
  • To add new music tracks from computer to an iPod, it's over complicated to copy just a small portion of songs with iTunes since it will overwrite existing content on your iPod.
  • No way to transfer music from iPod iPhone back to computer.

Best iPod Music Transfer Software

#1 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Tool

Fast, Light and Reliable iPod Transfer

Free iPhone iPod from All iTunes Limits

iPod Music Transfer

Top 10 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software for Windows and Mac

#1 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software (PC/Mac) - iTunes

Apple replaced iTunes with three separated apps in most recent macOS Catalina, but iTunes is still both must-have and best-received in regard of iPod music management on Windows PC. Besides syncing music and other content to an iPod, iTunes also serves as a market place for online music purchasing and downloading.

#1 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software (PC/Mac) - iTunes
The Good
  • Clean and well polished iPod transfer interface.
  • Fix missing album cover art, lyrics and more.
  • Rip music from CDs to iTunes library.
  • Automatically / Manually sync iPod music.
The Bad
  • Cannot put music off an iPod.
  • One iPod can be synced with only one iTunes library.
  • Too much updates and features you maight not need.
  • iPod music syncing is slow and sometimes disturbing.

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#2 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software for Mac - SyncBird Pro

SyncBird Pro is one of the most reputed iPod Music Transfer software that comes with full features and completely free. With modern UI design, you'll enjoy the most efficient and delightful iPod music managing experience. With SyncBird Pro, you can easily transfer your iPod music TO/From Mac computer. It also keeps your iPod library music ratings, playlists, play counts and other info intact. Free Download >

#2 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software for Mac - SyncBird Pro
The Good
  • Transfer iPod music To/From computer without iTunes.
  • Add new songs to iPod without losing existing ones.
  • Sync iPod with multiple iTunes library on different computers.
  • Works for all generations of iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod mini, iPod classic, etc.
The Bad
  • New iPod Transfer freeware without iPod Converter.
  • Cannot fix missing album cover art, lyrics and more.
  • Cannot rip CDs to iTunes library.

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#3 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software for PC Windows - CopyTrans Manager

CopyTrans Manager (free version of CopyTrans) is Windows edition of iPod Music Transfer software that lets you copy music from your PC computer to your iPod without bringing iTunes in. No matter where the music you're moving came from, it's easy to transfer through this straightforward and convenient iPod transfer tool (CopyTrans for Mac Alternative). The current version of CopyTrans focuses more on iCloud photo management and music library syncing for modern iOS devices, like the iPhone 11, iPod touch, etc.

#3 Best Free iPod Transfer for PC Windows - CopyTrans Manager
The Good
  • Simple iPod music syncing and managing interface.
  • Build-in iPod music player on Windows that lets lets you play the music from your device.
  • Constant and solid updates with the latest iPod hardware and software.
The Bad
  • Limited music file types and iPod transfer features.
  • Cannot move music from iPod to computer.
  • Cannot export iPod music to iTunes library.

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#4 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software for Mac - Senuti Mac

Senuti, the backward spelling of iTunes, is an application works on macOS. It helps you manage your media library by facilitating the transfer of music, movies, and podcasts from iPod (and your iPhone, iPad) back to your computer. Original built on 2007, Senuti still has solid update upon recent macOS. Somehow the music syncing feature in Senuti is limited and not competing with similar iPod music transfer software.

The Good
  • Straightforward design that's perfect for new iPod users.
  • Drag and drop playlists directly into the iPod program.
The Bad
  • Cannot import songs from computer to your iPod.
  • Limited iPod syncing features.
  • Crashes and bugs.

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#5 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software for PC/Mac - iTools

iTools is a powerful and feature rich iPod/iOS device manager, which focuses more on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. iTools lets you manage your iPod touch through an intuitive interface on your Windows / Mac computer. It works not only for iPod music, but also your photos, videos, apps, ringtones and almost all iOS content. To manage data and files on iPod touch, iTools is best recommended among other iPod Transfer software.

The Good
  • Create ringtones from music on your computer and then load them to your iPhone or iPod touch.
  • Install and uninstall apps on iPod touch.
  • Awesome screen recording for iOS devices.
The Bad
  • Lack support for iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod classic.
  • Commercial software costs 19.99 USD.

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#6 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for PC/Mac - SharePod

SharePod was a perfect iPod Music Transfer freeware for quite a while until redesigned and monetized by MacroPlant, the developer of iExplorer. SharePod can efficiently transfer your music collection from all models of iPod to your computer hard drive, making it easy to back up or restore your iPod music, videos, and photos.

The Good
  • Music editing on your iPod collection to correct missing or wrong meta info.
  • Restore the database on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
  • Modern design and slick work flow.
The Bad
  • Commercial iPod Transfer utility that costs 20 USD.

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#7 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for PC/Mac - iRip 2

Originally named as iPod Rip, iRip is a iPod Transfer program that lets you transfer songs, photos, and other media from your iPod to your computer and save it wherever you choose. It's a lovely story that the founder of iRip emailed to Steve Job complainting on the iPod Rip product name changing required by Apple Law team, and lately get an sweat reply - Change the name, it's not a big deal.

#7 Best Free iPod Transfer Software - iRip/iPod Ripper
The Good

Transfer From Ipod To Mac Without Software Windows 10

  • Covers all iPod content, like videos, podcasts, ringtones, books, photos, contacts, and texts.
  • Solid iPod music transferring performance.
The Bad
  • Commercial iPod Music Transfer software costs $24.95.

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#8 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for PC - MediaMonkey

Mainly served as iPod media manager for serious music lovers and collectors, MediaMonkey is also capable of syncing and managing files with most of Apple devices, surely including your iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod touch, etc. But keep it in mind that the iPod Transfer feature integrated with MediaMonkey is quite basic.

#8 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for PC Windows - MediaMonkey
The Good
  • Offer plenty of ways to enjoy your favorite iPod tunes.
  • An active community of coders who made custom skins and tweaks.
The Bad
  • Classic iPod Music Transfer but for Windows PC only.
  • Combined with too much codec package that you may not need.

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#9 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for PC/Mac - TouchCopy

TouchCopy gives powerful iPod music syncing feature set that allows to transfer music, video, podcasts, and additional data like address book entries, text messages, voicemails, and ringtones. You'll find TouchCopy is extremely helpful as it's just one-for-all iPod music syncing solution.

#9 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for PC/Mac - TouchCopy
The Good
  • Feature rich iPod music transfer tool.
  • Works for fixing iPod syncing glitches without iTunes.
The Bad
  • Program may crash in certain scenario based on our tests.

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#10 Best Free iPod Transfer Software for Mac - Pod To Mac

Pod to Mac is blazingly fast iPod to Mac music transfer and can move album art, song ratings, ringtones, and photos. Pod to Mac has an easy to handle interface, too. So why doesn't it rate higher? We encountered crashes during transfers, had buggy transfers of types of data, and it can't move iBooks.

#10 Best Free iPod Music Transfer Software - Pod To Mac
The Bad
  • Lack of update and support on the modern macOS and iPods.

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The Bottom Line

Every nominator mentioned above has solid iPod syncing performance and is capable for managing your iPod music. As each of them focuses on different part of the iPod music transferring process, now it's up to you to get the best iPod Music Transfer software per your need.


How To Transfer Music From Ipod Touch To Mac Without Software

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