How to: Troubleshoot, restart a frozen, crashed iPod nano
This morning my daugher came to me distraught, iPod nano in hand. It had crashed with the words “Connect to Power” fixed on the screen.
She had tried docking it on our iHome and dock-equipped Sony home stereo to no avail. She even tried toggling the “Hold” switch twice, which didn’t help either.
The next step in iPod troubleshooting is to force it to restart, which is where I come in, and that’s quite easy to do: 1.) Make sure the “Hold” toggle is off (i.e. no red), 2.) hold down the “Menu” and then “Select” (center) buttons together for about 10 seconds, 3.) when the screen flashes to the Apple logo, let go of the buttons.
I found an handy dandy video on YouTube that shows the iPod nano troubleshooting process clearly
In the case of my daughter’s iPod nano, pressing the “Menu” and “Select” (center) button together without tethering worked. Pretty slick.
And, in case you were wondering “HD” is actually geek speak for clean your fingernails— *bleck*—before recording a how to video that shows your hands clearly.
Have an iPod horror story or tale of resurrection (it’s alive!) to tell? Share it in the comments below…
Related posts:
July 15th, 2009
Why does this problem continue to occur? I will be in the middle of a run and my ipod will freeze up! I have nike plus ipod so I lose all my workout data, which is extremely frustrating!
July 24th, 2009
Hi, THANKKKKKK YOU!!!! i got so scared and sad about my ipod nano, because this is new, i bought it just 3 days ago and frozen completely its screen, so thanks for the explanations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bye bye, I’m happy now hehe!!!
August 2nd, 2009
WOW! I tried some stuff on other sites but didnt work and i was about to just give up when i came across this and it worked.
So thank you!
August 29th, 2009
THANK YOU!!! I just got my ipod 2 days ago and it was frozen. I had no idea what to do. Looks like it is fixed! YOu are a savior!
September 3rd, 2009
Thanks so much!! I had my iPod connected to a speaker system and stood up to sing tonight in front of an audience and nothing happened! Fortunately I had a CD backup of a different song, so I managed to get through the service. I was so upset because all my singing trax are on it. I thought it was completely broken. You have made me a happy person tonight!
October 17th, 2009
OMG! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’ve had my iPod for about eight months, use it constantly, even for DJ’ing weddings and I’ve never had a problem. I grabbed it this afternoon to use it in the car on the way to work and it was frozen. I was so sad. As soon as I got to work I did a google search, found this and immediately called my hubby to have him try it and it worked! I’m so happy I could squee!
October 23rd, 2009
this trick fixed my 3rd generation ipod nano also, was just watching a podcast, tried to pause it and it didn’t work, then i wasn’t able to change my volume, then the video just froze, thanks for the solution, just holding the center button and menu for the 10 seconds worked like a charm, it was a nice relief to see the apple logo.
October 31st, 2009
thank you! I was having a minor heart attack. Gotta love the ‘Net and smart people like you
November 2nd, 2009
Thank you, You solved my problem in 10 sec.
November 8th, 2009
thank you for the tips, it help a lot…
November 15th, 2009
My 3rd generation nano will not turn on. I’ve had it just over a year and have not had any problems until now.
I tried the reset process and tried plugging it into my computer, wall charger, speaker, car…nothing will work. Are there any other options?
November 28th, 2009
Hi! THANK YOU! total freeze happened to both mine and my husband’s nanos, after we had them in an older version Logitech portable speaker (2007). So if your ipod says “this device does not support charging” or something to that effect in some hookup system, best bet is to not use that, save it for older ipods for music.
January 22nd, 2010
Thank you. It worked!!
February 9th, 2010
Thanks my daughter thinks I have magical powers or something… She said something like she loves me again…. I guess I didn’t know she quit.. haha Thanks again worked like a charm I mean like magic
February 12th, 2010
OMG!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I LOVE THE INTERNET!!!
February 19th, 2010
My Ipod Nano 4th gen. wheel will not do anything. I have reset it, have the latest update and still the wheel will not scroll or select will not work either.
February 20th, 2010
iPod 5th Gen crashed last night: after 5 minutes of play, iPod turned off and wouldn’t start up. The reset was able to get it up and running. Only had it a couple months. Thank you so much for the answer!
March 6th, 2010
ok – my nano was frozen, I didn’t know the trick above, so I followed apple’s instructions to restore to factory settings. Now whenever I connect the device, itunes says “iTunes has discoverd an ipod in recovery mode, must restore before using itunes.” I’ve tried restoring 6x and keep getting the same message, what next????
March 12th, 2010
Thanks so much for the tip. How frustrating this is.
May 19th, 2010
Thank you so much!!!!!
May 26th, 2010
Thank you so much!! I was ready to give up and figured I would have to buy a new one, but this worked! Everything works again!! Thank you!!!
June 5th, 2010
wow it worked thanks
June 23rd, 2010
Thank you so much!!!! It worked!
July 6th, 2010
I was in despair when my iPod nano crashed. I felt so lonely walking home from work without my podcast companion. Thanks to your trick and the internet, I have my friend and companion again. Thanks a million.
July 9th, 2010
Worked like a charm!!!! Thank you Thank you!
July 16th, 2010
My ipods screen is blank white and it makes a beep noise when I press a button I tried to restore the software and reset my ipod and it didn’t work any help will be greatly appreciated
October 26th, 2010
YAY! so glad it didn’t really die! i was so incredibly stressed this morning when my ipod froze up trying to connect to my nike+. Thank you!
November 19th, 2010
I thought my life was over. My iPod Nano of two years (I only just started using it three days ago though.) had died. BUT. With you, sirmadyetohsoawesomeone, it is ALIIIIIVE ! You just made a teenager very very happy =D I get all my music back, my beautiful iPod Nanoooooo ! <3 …And my mum doesn't get to scream at how me and Technology don't get on at all ! =D Now I just have to bring back that Ps2 and my phones…err… =P
December 11th, 2010
i have an old ipod nano 4GB it’s frozen on me befour between menus but now it turns on and off but no pic. no menu at all. just lines across the face can’t make out anything
December 11th, 2010
i’m sorry help please!
December 30th, 2010
I I have a iPod Nano 4th Generation,which I have had for about more than a year. When I plugged it into my TeckNet speakers which I got for Christmas 2010, the scroller on my iPod didn’t work anymore , which is obviously a crisis for me. Could someone PLEASE tell me how to make the scroller,well , scroll again!
Lots of love, a music lover who really wants my iPod tto work!
January 26th, 2011
my iphon 3 gs is crash how to be fix
September 16th, 2011
OMG you are a life saver! I pod stopped playing my songs and eventually froze! I done this and am now able to listen to my music once again! Thank you so much, this was GREAT help!!!