How to use MediaMonkey to manage your iPod

by Ross McKillop on July 8, 2007

iPod Windows

This brief tutorial will show you how to use MediaMonkey to manage your iPod.

MediaMonkey is available in two versions – one is free, the other not so much (19.95 USD for the v2.x license, 34.95 USD for a lifetime license). This tutorial will focus on the free version, which itself is still very, very feature-rich.

  1. First, make sure to enable disk use on your iPod by connecting it and opening iTunes (if it doesn’t auto-launch). Select your iPod and then click the Settings tab. Scroll down to the Options section and remove the check from the box labeled Open iTunes when this iPod is attached. Then place a check in the Enable disk use box (if it isn’t checked already). Click Apply.

    2. itunes settings
    click to enlarge

  2. Exit out of iTunes, and confirm that your iPod has now mounted itself as a drive.

    3. ipod drive

  3. Download and install MediaMonkey if you haven’t yet. When you run it for the first time you’ll be presented with a brief setup wizard. The first screen explains the differences between the paid and free versions, and lets you know what it’s going to do next. Click OK to continue.

    4. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  4. From the top part of the Add Folders window, select any of the drives/folders you want MediaMonkey to scan for audio files. From the bottom part of the same window, select the type of files you want MediaMonkey to scan for. Click OK when you’re ready.

    5. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  5. MediaMonkey will also auto-detect many other audio players on your system, and ask if you want to import information associated with them. Click OK or Cancel depending on your preference.

    6. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  6. And now MediaMonkey will launch. Use the left side column to navigate to some of your music (via Artists, Album, Genre etc.)

    7. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  7. Plug in your iPod if it isn’t already, highlight a few tracks, and drag them to the iPod entry in the left column.

    8. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  8. The bottom section of MediaMonkey will display the transfer status.

    9. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  9. When the transfers have completed, select your iPod from the left column to confirm the tracks were uploaded.

    10. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  10. Right-click on your iPod in MediaMonkey and select Safely remove device when you’re ready to disconnect your iPod.

    11. mediamonkey
    click to enlarge

  11. That’s it – you’re done. Happy listening.

  • Pingback: 10 Alternatives to iTunes for managing your iPod - Simplehelp

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  • Natalie

    I have downloaded this and it works well and all but I like to have playlists on my ipod and I am not sure how I am supposed to make them on this because all I can do is drag a song over but cant organize them, any suggestions

  • http://www.simplehelp.net Ross McKillop

    Natalie,

    Looks like this:
    http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=70
    explains how to import iTunes playlists (or Windows Media Playlists) which I think would be a good start (?) – assuming you have iTunes installed… Otherwise you can make Playlists w/ WMP and use it…

  • julie

    How do you get new songs for your ipod using media monkey?

  • Joe

    RTFM!

    Read The Friendly Manual!
    It is explained in this “How To”, you know… numbers 7 through 10..

  • Dunno

    Do I need to jailbreak my iPhone? I can’t see anywhere in the iTunes 7.7 where I can disable it from popping up when I connect my iPhone to it. Hence, MediaMonkey or XP/Windows doesn’t see the iPhone as a drive.

  • Peter

    hmm… ive tried doing what was said… i found the song on my ipod… but when i try and play it… it jus wont… like…it would start at 0.00sec and stay ther not moving or playing…

  • DuncanButler

    is mediamonkey just for music or can you upload video on to your ipod?

  • George Macdonald

    Hi, I have a laptop with Media Monkey (free version – fantastic) – ITunes (!!!) NOT on laptop. Just bought a new Ipod Nano, hooked it up to my laptop, MM saw the Ipod and I just dragged the music across to it. Works perfectly, tested it on my Bose docking station. I get my music from Emusic. Was it supposed to be that easy? Or will I have a problem later?

  • seldon

    all these alternatives to itunes seem great, but what i’m trying to do is to be able to fill my 30GB ipod and not having to backup those 30GB in my laptop. any suggestions?

  • Timmy

    I have new ipod never on ITunes. Everything worked just as you said. I can see songs on “new Ipod” on MediaMonkey, but they do not show up on Ipod when disconnected. I’ve tried syncing manually, but no luck. What am I doing wrong?

  • http://google.com jayenk

    why i can’t copy a music to my ipod ??? it’s appear a warninng such as “error copying” becouse ipod_control……

  • Neil from Beachwood, Ohio

    @Timmy and jayenk:

    In MM go to Tools, Options, Portable Audio Devices.

    Highlight the appropriate line–either “iPod d_iphone.dll” or “iPod d_iPod.dll” depending on your particular device.

    Click “Configure”. Click “device configuration”.

    Check “Force iTunes style folders”.

  • Neil from Beachwood, Ohio

    I should add that you will probably have to re-sync after setting the above configuration.

  • Neil from Beachwood, Ohio

    @Seldon: Once you populate your iPod you can del the files from your hard drive if you want to. But that means the music on your iPod is not backed up.

    Suggestion: No matter what full service music manager you use, whether it is iTunes or Media Monkey or WinAmp or something else, you should also get Sharepod. It’s a small util that installs directly to the iPod and makes it easy to move individual tracks to or from your PC, and backup or restore your music collection or any part of it.

  • seldon

    i installed MM on my laptop, works seamlessly. the playlist not-syncing issue is minor, as well as video.

    now it gets funny. i install MM on my roomie’s laptop, i go thru all the install and config process, and when clicking ‘finish’ with the ‘run MM’ box checked, i only get the splash screen, and thats it. i have uninstalled and installed it back again, with the same result. what the heck’s going on!?

  • Proz

    You can also get the music off your IPod onto the Media Monkey server by selecting Tools -> Convert audio format
    Select “Convert tracks to new destination”
    Select a location on your hard drive and a naming structure and it will copy music from the IPOD to your PC.

  • Ji-San

    i got my ipod 4th gen to mm runnning on windows.
    but after i start my ipod again the whole music will not be recognized as songs. they are still present but i cant play them. i had to disconect the ipod by using the task manager to quit the process mediamonkey, because it wouldn’t stop giving me the damn windows warning notification.

    Is there any help?

  • owen

    i followed your advice. went ok till i tried to safely remove device. wouldnt let me, eventually had to take ipod out and it wiped all my songs. what a load of shite ipods really are.

  • http://google.com.au Ali

    IMPORTANT! PLEASE ANSWERIF YOU KNOW!

    Is there anyway to install your ipod for the very first time without iTunes? This is if you are having trouble with iTunes installing/working properly. What I mean to say is, can we set the ipod to hard drive mode without itunes?

  • nobodyknows

    I was wondering once i got it to work with my mediamonkey do i have to keep itunes installed on my pc or could i just delete it and use media monkey

  • Proz

    There is no need for iTunes.

  • TheGOoch

    The main reason I am still using iTunes is the import feature, where i can click and drag files from where I put them into the iTunes app window, and it will make copies of them within its library . I love this b/c I really don’t want to manage where files are at physically, I let the application do that.

    Can Mediamonkey to this?

  • Luke

    I have a new ipod touch 3rd gen 32gb and my computer wont let me install itunes, can i still use MM?:S

  • Liz

    Hi i just got the new Ipod nano with camera and i drag the songs to the ipod but when i go to the nano to play them it keeps saying there are no songs even tho i see them on the playlist on the monkeymedia. Anyone has any suggestions??

  • sharon

    Does anyone know if I can use MM as an alternative to itunes in order to avoid the problems I am having (along with half the world, it seems) in itunes not recognising my ipod classic? i am not IT literate at all so a straightforward answer would be appreciated! thanks

  • http://rwieser1@hotmail.com ran

    I have tried this, it shows that it is on ipod while in mmmode but when I disconnect they are not on my ipod

  • Pelham

    Simple – and potentially dumb – question coming up (I’m an iPod rookie, so forgive me)!

    There is no mention above about how to download podcasts from various websites (free or paid), which was one of the good features of iTunes as it was easy to do via the iTunes store… Does this mean that we cannot do this with MediaMonkey and I will have to use iTunes to download new podcasts etc.???

  • shasta

    you can use winamp too and it allows podcasts. it might need an extension.. i can’t remember now as it’s been a while. i’ve just suffered with winamp as i have too many apps to use anything else reliably but i’d switch in a heartbeat if anything was comparable that allowed app management.

  • shasta

    that is suffered with itunes… i like winamp but there’s not much development towards anything better thanks to jobs control issues.

  • http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/07/08/how-to-use-mediamonkey-to-manage-your-ipod/fr/ deceso

    bonjour,

    je ne vois pas mon iphone 3 sur media coder,
    pouvez vous m’aider.
    merci

    deceso

  • amanda

    How do I sync only one song to my ipod? It’s being weird and won’t let me do it any way possible, the only way I can is if I delete everything and put it back on. Please help?

  • VJ

    Hi, I have a Ipod classic, Iphone and a shuffle. I have separate music genre for each. Can MM does like iLibs (where it’s able to manage musics)?

  • llisas

    I have the sane problem, like amanda. If I try to sincronise after the first instalation I can´t
    Plase some solution
    “How do I sync only one song to my ipod? It’s being weird and won’t let me do it any way possible, the only way I can is if I delete everything and put it back on. Please help?”