Hands on: using iPod with multiple iTunes Libraries
2012-05-16 00:55:26 /
Posted by Ivan Cook to iPhone/iPod/iPad
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It took just several steps when you want to use your iPod with two or more iTunes libraries. This article detailed introduces the process of using iPod with multiple iTunes libraries, and it works whatever the iPod is iPod, iPod shuffle, iPod mini, iPod touch, iPod nano, or iPod classic. It includes two parts:
Part 1: How to use iPod on a single Mac with several iTunes Libraries
If you are about to use one iPod with a single Mac computer while there are several iTunes accounts and wanna transfer files on those different iTunes libraries to the iPod, you then need (here take transfer files in other iTunes libraries instead of the iPod "home" iTunes for example):
- Open iTunes
- Head to "iTunes" menu
- Choose "Preferences"
- Go to "Advanced" tab, and then uncheck the option to "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library file."
- Click "OK"
- Head to "File">"Add to library" and then navigate to the location where the other user's music is saved (the iTunes Media folder in this example).
- Click Open.
- Repeat these steps for each account that is listening to shared music.
When another user on the computer imports new music from CD, repeat steps 6 through 8 to add the music to your library.
Note: This solution is only for music.
Part 2: How to use iPod with multiple Macs
If you want to manage your own iPod on several Mac such as your brother's Mac and your friend's Mac, you then can:
- Connect your iPod to the computer.
- Open iTunes> select your iPod in the menu> "Summary"> "Manually manage music and videos">"OK">"Apply". This action is important or you won't smoothly achieve your aim.
- Drag your wanted songs or playlists from iTunes to your iPod icon in the sidebar. If you want to remove these contents, you can select them on the iPod in iTunes and press "Delete". In addition, you are able to create playlists directly on the iPod.
But this only allows you to manage music there from Mac to iPod, and if you want to sync more iPod contents like videos and photos from/to multiple Macs, you can:
1. Install SyncPod for Mac on the computer and launch it, then connect your iPod to Mac. By doing this, SyncPod will detect your iPod automatically. The smart Mac app works on MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac.
2. Start to transfer iPod contents from/to Mac. Now you can use your iPod freely on the Mac (Snow Leopard, Lion included). You can directly drag iPod items to the Mac and also Mac files to your iPod: while opened, the SyncPod would be like the image below, the left part stands iPod and the right stands your Mac and you can directly drag iPod files in the left region to the right.
Note: The SyncPod also allows you to transfer the contents in other Mac iTunes (except DRM files) to your iPod freely.
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