Find out what to do if your iPod won't turn on.
Several things could prevent iPod from turning on. Check each cause in this order to find out what's wrong.
Products Affected
iPod
Resolution
Make sure the Hold switch is off
1. Check to see if the Hold switch is on. It's located on the top or the bottom of iPod. When it's in the on position, you'll see an orange patch.
2. To turn the hold switch off, slide it until you no longer see the orange patch.
3. Press any button to turn on iPod.
iPod hold switch on iPod hold switch on
Make sure the battery is charged
iPod won't turn on if the battery is empty. Instead, a low battery screen appears for about 3 seconds when you try to turn it on.
iPod battery empty icon
To charge your iPod, connect your iPod to your computer's built-in 6-pin FireWire or high-powered USB port or connect it to the Apple iPod Power Adapter and plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet. Note: iPod models without a Click Wheel cannot be charged via USB. iPod shuffle requires a high-power USB port to charge. iPod nano and iPod (5th generation) can charge via USB or FireWire, but they require USB to sync with iTunes. If you're not sure what iPod model you have, click here.
If you are connecting via USB and the battery is completely discharged, there may be up to a 30-minute delay before iPod powers up. Click here for more information.
Reset iPod
If iPod still does not turn on or appears to be "frozen" you may need to reset it. When you reset iPod all your songs and files are saved. Some customized settings may be lost.
Let the iPod battery drain
In rare cases, iPod might get into a state in which it needs to be drained completely before it can be reset. If iPod didn't turn on after you reset it, follow these steps:
1. Disconnect iPod from all power sources and leave it disconnected for about 24 hours.
2. Reconnect iPod to the Apple iPod Power Adapter or computer and reset it.
Update iPod's software
If iPod turns on after you reset it, use the latest version of iTunes to update iPod.
Additional Information
If you have tried the solutions above and iPod still won't turn on, check the following:
* Make sure iPod is the only device in your FireWire or USB chain. Disconnect everything but the mouse, keyboard, and your iPod, then see if it will turn on.
* Make sure you are using the FireWire or USB cable that came with your iPod, and that the cable is in good condition.
* Try connecting iPod to the built-in port of a different computer to see if that works. Note: If using a portable computer, make sure it is plugged in to a power source and that the lid or display is open. If the lid is closed the computer may go into either standby, sleep, or hibernation mode and iPod will not charge properly.
If you still can't turn iPod on after performing these steps, it may need to be repaired. You can arrange for repair at the iPod Service Website.
iPod may not power on, may be stuck on the battery logo, or may have stopped responding while playing music (in which case the Click Wheel doesn't respond).
Products Affected
iPod classic (120GB), iPod nano, iPod classic, iPod classic 160GB (Late 2009), iPod (5th generation), iPod (5th generation Late 2006)
Resolution
If you experience any of the above issues, try the following steps:
1. Toggle the Hold switch. To do this, slide the switch to Hold (an orange bar appears) and then slide it back (orange bar is hidden).
2. Reset the iPod by holding down the Menu and Center buttons for 10 seconds.
* If the Apple logo appears on the display, connect the iPod to a computer and verify that it appears in iTunes and can play music. If the iPod appears in iTunes and can play music, no further troubleshooting is needed.
* If the Apple logo does not appear or the iPod is not seen in iTunes, connect the iPod to a power source by either plugging it into an Apple iPod USB Power Adapter or directly into a computer's USB port.
3. Let the iPod charge for at least 20 minutes. Note: If the iPod is connected to a computer, make sure the computer does not sleep, standby, or hibernate during the 20-minute charging period.
4. After the iPod has charged for at least 20 minutes and while it is still connected to the power source, toggle the Hold switch again as in step 1.
5. Try resetting the iPod by holding down the Menu and Center buttons for 10 seconds.
* If the Apple logo appears on the display, connect the iPod to a computer and verify that it appears in iTunes and can play music. If the iPod appears in iTunes and can play music, no further troubleshooting is needed.
* If the Apple logo does not appear or the iPod is not seen in iTunes, try putting the iPod into disk mode and restoring.
6. Try putting the iPod into disk mode.
* While in disk mode, connect the iPod to iTunes and try to restore.
* If the iPod is still not recognized by iTunes, the iPod should be serviced.
See
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/ and click the Service tab for more information about your service options.
Hope it helped...
