iTunes

The software used to manage media on all versions of the iPod is called iTunes. The iTunes software is also a full-featured media player, functional even for people who do not own iPods, and is available for free to all Mac and Windows users. Music, videos, and photographs are added to iTunes, and from there synchronized with the iPod. However, iTunes does not synchronize with any media players other than iPods.

iTunes Playlists: In iTunes, you can set up multiple playlists, which allow you to set up groups of songs for various activities. For example, one playlist could be high-energy songs for running, and another could be a line-up of favourites for a party. Once created, the playlist can be sorted in several ways, or set to play in random order.

iTunes Smart Playlists: In addition to ordinary playlists, iTunes allows you to create "Smart Playlists". Select by size, most recently added, type of file (video, audio, podcast), by genre or by artist. Once created, a smart playlist will always be populated with the best matches of all the files in your iTunes library, without any maintenance.

Ratings: Both the iPod and iTunes allow you to rate any song from one to five stars. Those star ratings can then be used to create "Smart Playlists" which guarantee that you only hear the songs you really like. On the iPod, click the round button in the centre of the wheel twice while listening to a song. You will then be able to scroll left and right to highlight from zero to five stars. In iTunes, click the number of stars you would like to give a track while viewing the track in your library. If the "My Rating" column is not visible, hold the Command key on the Mac or the Control key in Windows, and press the letter J. You will be able to select which columns of information you'd like to display in iTunes. Star ratings made in iTunes and on the iPod will synchronize the next time the iPod is docked.

iTunes Store: The iTunes Store, formerly known as the "iTunes Music Store", is a Web application which is accessed via iTunes and allows the purchase and digital download of music, movies, and television shows for use on the iPod or in iTunes. Games for the iPod may also be purchased and downloaded, but are not playable within iTunes; an iPod is required. Media downloaded from the iTunes Store is copy-protected by DRM (digital rights management) encryption. This prevents file-sharing of copyrighted materials. The use of such media is restricted in most cases to use on the iPod and within iTunes, although it is possible to burn an audio CD of audio content purchased from the iTunes Store. Unlike some other services, purchased material can not usually be downloaded multiple times, so it is up to the user to keep backup copies. However, the purchaser is able to use the media on multiple computers and iPods, within limits set by Apple.

Synchronizing: The iPod is designed to get all of its content from the iTunes application. To put audio or video onto your iPod, put it into iTunes, then synchronize the iPod by plugging it in with the included USB cable. In most cases, the entire contents of your iTunes library will be shared with the iPod. However, if your music library is larger than your iPod's capacity or you are using the iPod Shuffle, you can selectively update the iPod. The options in iTunes allow you to automatically update only selected playlists, and have further options for selectively synchronizing podcasts on your iPod.

In addition, it is possible to use one iPod with multiple computers. However, by default iTunes on an additional computer will prompt you to delete the contents of an iPod it doesn't recognize in order to put its content onto that iPod. This is by design, to discourage improper sharing of music. Simply declining, then choosing to manually manage music transfers in the iTunes preferences section will allow you to drag-and-drop audio content on to the iPod. Content purchased on the iPod owner's iTunes Store account can be transferred to the iPod from their non-primary iTunes installation, and later imported onto the machine with which the iPod is associated.