Unable to delete my songs from iPod nano

I've tried to delete songs by clicking on the one I want to delete and pressing the delete button, but it never disappears. I have no idea why its not letting me delete my songs or just adding videos.

Posted on May 16, 2025 1:12 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 18, 2025 2:09 AM

This answer assumes that you are using iTunes, either on a Windows PC or on an older Mac using OS Mojave or earlier. If you are using a Mac with OS Catalina or later, the procedure is slightly different because you will be using Finder instead of iTunes.


If you added the songs to the iPod by using the Sync function, then you need to manage that song in iTunes (your iTunes Library) and then synchronise those changes to the iPod.


The options for managing your iPod are to use Sync, or to Manually Manage. To find out which of these options you are using, connect the iPod to iTunes and look on the Device icon just below the top bar menu:



That will display the Device/Settings/Summary pane (shown in the screenshot below):



Remember the option "Sync only ticked songs and videos" (your iTunes may say checked songs). There should be a tick in the box. If there isn't, click on the box to add it now.


If the box labelled Manually manage music and videos is not ticked (checked), that suggests that you are using Sync. In that case, look on the Device/Settings/Music pane by tapping the Music option just below the Summary one. It will show you a panel like the one below:



The box labelled Sync Music should be ticked (checked). If it is, then as I stated previously, you need to manage what is on your iPod from iTunes main library, not the iPod. Tap the "left" arrow just below the File option to return to your main library (in the second and third screenshots, it's just above the iPod icon).


In the main library use the Songs view to find the song or songs that you wish to remove from the iPod. To the left of the song title is a tick-box (checkbox):

  • if you untick (uncheck) that box, at the next Sync iTunes will remove the song from the ipod but leave it in your library (because the option to Sync only ticked songs and videos is on)
  • if you wish to delete the song from your iTunes Library and the iPod, right-click the song in the Songs view and select Delete from Library from the context menu that pops up. Be aware that when using Windows the file for the song may or may not be put into the recycle bin, it depends on where the song came originally and it's somewhat complicated. If you delete the song from your Library, you may not be able to restore it if it isn't in the Windows recycle bin
  • once you have made the changes you want, connect the iPod to iTunes and perform the Sync.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 18, 2025 2:09 AM in response to puffypagnotta

This answer assumes that you are using iTunes, either on a Windows PC or on an older Mac using OS Mojave or earlier. If you are using a Mac with OS Catalina or later, the procedure is slightly different because you will be using Finder instead of iTunes.


If you added the songs to the iPod by using the Sync function, then you need to manage that song in iTunes (your iTunes Library) and then synchronise those changes to the iPod.


The options for managing your iPod are to use Sync, or to Manually Manage. To find out which of these options you are using, connect the iPod to iTunes and look on the Device icon just below the top bar menu:



That will display the Device/Settings/Summary pane (shown in the screenshot below):



Remember the option "Sync only ticked songs and videos" (your iTunes may say checked songs). There should be a tick in the box. If there isn't, click on the box to add it now.


If the box labelled Manually manage music and videos is not ticked (checked), that suggests that you are using Sync. In that case, look on the Device/Settings/Music pane by tapping the Music option just below the Summary one. It will show you a panel like the one below:



The box labelled Sync Music should be ticked (checked). If it is, then as I stated previously, you need to manage what is on your iPod from iTunes main library, not the iPod. Tap the "left" arrow just below the File option to return to your main library (in the second and third screenshots, it's just above the iPod icon).


In the main library use the Songs view to find the song or songs that you wish to remove from the iPod. To the left of the song title is a tick-box (checkbox):

  • if you untick (uncheck) that box, at the next Sync iTunes will remove the song from the ipod but leave it in your library (because the option to Sync only ticked songs and videos is on)
  • if you wish to delete the song from your iTunes Library and the iPod, right-click the song in the Songs view and select Delete from Library from the context menu that pops up. Be aware that when using Windows the file for the song may or may not be put into the recycle bin, it depends on where the song came originally and it's somewhat complicated. If you delete the song from your Library, you may not be able to restore it if it isn't in the Windows recycle bin
  • once you have made the changes you want, connect the iPod to iTunes and perform the Sync.

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Unable to delete my songs from iPod nano

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