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I know there are programs I can download to do this but I have done it before without them. After about an hour of searching I still can't find how I did it. I have Hidden files enabled. "Enable Disk Use" is not available as it is an iPod touch. And while I can transfer purchases most of my music is not purchased from iTunes.

I could have sworn there was a way to do this. I vaguely remember there being lots of folders I had to go through to pull all the music files. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

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  • What exactly prevents you from using Senuti or the corresponding Windows solution?
    – nohillside ♦
    Jan 6, 2013 at 16:00
  • Are you unable to view the Music section from the iPod from the iTunes sidebar and drag items in to iTunes?
    – kal-al
    Jan 7, 2013 at 5:14
  • Senuti seems to be a program I would A) have to pay for and b) have to download. As i mentioned in the first sentence i know there are programs to download. Thats not what I'm looking for though.
    – Dylan Buth
    Jan 15, 2013 at 15:42
  • Even though this has already been marked as answered, I have added the definitive free method as a new answer.
    – Tetsujin
    Nov 10, 2014 at 12:07
  • @Tetsujin - unfortunately, while I believe your solution was valid at some point, it no longer works in 2019, at least not for pre iOS 9 iPod touch. And from all the free utilities for Mac that used to do this, only DeTunes - valid download at: mac.softpedia.com/get/Utilities/DeTune.shtml is still working IMHO. Very happy I found it - download it while it is still available, and keep it for future emergencies, IMHO.
    – Lucifer Morningstar
    Aug 9, 2019 at 1:27

2 Answers 2

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Use DeTune :)

The only FREE iOS to macOS file transfer utility left, that still works in 2019, as far as I can tell...

https://mac.softpedia.com/get/Utilities/DeTune.shtml

After install, set Preferences as such: Allow all file types transfer in DeTune

This way you can transfer any of your files:

  • music,
  • pictures,
  • videos,
  • etc...

from your:

  • iPod,
  • iPad,
  • iPhone

to your Mac.

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  • Still works in August 2019 - free license
    – Lucifer Morningstar
    Aug 9, 2019 at 0:56
  • 1
    @LuciferMorningstar - doesn't work for me on an iPhone 6S, it seems to work on an old iPod classic [30-pin spinny disk]. I don't have an iPod Touch to test. Note it's a 32-bit app so it will fail in Catalina.
    – Tetsujin
    Aug 9, 2019 at 7:06
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All the answers so far seem to lead to some 35 dollar purchase - for what is all probably the same software in different wrappers....

It can be done for free, quite simply & easily.

  • Get Documents Free from the iTunes store. This can enable disk use on an iPod Touch. [untested, as I don't have a Touch, but well documented, established software & 4* in the store]

  • Disable syncing. Press and hold the Command+Option keys while you plug in your iPod. Don't release the keys until you see the iPod display in your iTunes.

  • Make the hidden folders visible. Launch Terminal, which is located at /Applications/Utilities. Type or copy and paste the following commands. Press the return key after you enter each line.
    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
    killall Finder
  • Enable your iPod for disk use. In iTunes, select your iPod and select the Summary tab. Make sure "disk use" has been enabled for the iPod. This will allow you to view the iPod's media files from within the Finder. Note: if you have an iPod Touch or an iPhone, you will need third party software to put your device into disk use mode in order to copy your music straight into iTunes.
  • Using the Finder, copy your iPod's media files to your computer.
    1. In the Finder, locate your iPod's media files. To do this, double-click the iPod icon. Open the iPod Control folder. Open the Music folder.
    2. Create a new folder on the desktop to hold the music files. To create the folder, right-click a blank area of your desktop and select "New Folder" from the pop-up menu. Give the new folder a name.
    3. Copy the music from your iPod by dragging the Music folder from your iPod to your newly created folder. The file copying process could take an hour or longer, depending on how much music is stored.
  • Configure iTunes preferences. Go to the iTunes menu and select Preferences. Select the Advanced tab. Place check marks next to "Keep iTunes Music folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library." Click the OK button.
  • Add to library. Select Add to Library... from the iTunes File menu. Browse to the folder that contains your recovered iPod music. Click the Open button. iTunes will now copy the files to its library. If the step above did not work: your music files may still be in a hidden folder. Although you can see the hidden folders in the finder (they appear as greyed out folders), they are not visible to iTunes during the "Add to library" step above. To fix this issue, simply drag your music files out of the hidden folder into a new folder you create.
  • Restore your settings/folders to normal. Delete the music folder you created, if desired. You may delete the music folder you imported into iTunes since by default the "Add to Library" step makes a copy of your music into the iTunes library folder. If you wish to make the hidden files and folders invisible again (restore the default setting), type or copy and paste the following commands into terminal. Press the return key after you enter each line.
    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
    killall Finder

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Copy-Music-from-Your-iPod-to-Your-Computer

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