How to Add Music to an Apple iPod Nano

By C. Taylor

The iPod nano fits thousands of songs into a tiny device.
i Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Your Apple iPod nano is useless as a music player unless you know how to transfer music to the device. You can add music to your iPod nano in one of two ways. If your iPod is set to automatically sync with iTunes, then iTunes automatically transfers music from the Library once your iPod nano is connected. If you have set your nano for manual management, then you must add the songs yourself.

Step 1

Open iTunes. Click "File," then click "Add File to Library" or "Add Folder to Library," depending on whether you want to import a single music file or a folder full of music files.

Step 2

Navigate to your music location in the pop-up window, select the file or folder and click "OK." iTunes will import your music.

Step 3

Attach your iPod nano to your computer using the included USB cable. If the iPod is set to automatically sync, then iTunes will add the music to your nano. If not, you must add the music manually.

Step 4

Click "Music" in the left-hand panel. Locate the music you wish to add to the iPod nano.

Step 5

Click and drag the music file or files onto the iPod nano icon under "Devices." To select multiple files, hold the "Ctrl" key while clicking songs, then drag the files onto the iPod nano icon.

Step 6

Click the "Eject" icon next to "iPod nano" in the "Devices" list to safely remove the nano.

×