How do I force quit or restart a frozen iPod?
Wednesday, 2nd March 2005I learned the hard way by disconnecting my iPod (3rd Gen.) while it was in the middle of doing something.
If your iPod appears to have crashed or frozen and you need to force it to restart, simply hold down the ‘menu’ and ‘play’ buttons simultaneously for about 5 seconds. The iPod should quit and reboot. If you have an iPhone (available on an o2 contract in the UK) see my post above force restarting an iPhone.
The above method will work for older iPods with a scroll wheel or touch wheel. For newer iPods (listed below), toggle the ‘hold’ switch on and off to ‘lock’ then ‘unlock’ the iPod controls. Then press the ‘Menu’ and ‘Select’ (centre) buttons for about 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears.
- Fifth Generation iPod (also known as iPod with video)
- iPod nano (Second Generation)
- iPod nano
- iPod with color display (iPod photo)
- iPod (Click Wheel)
- iPod mini
- iPod mini (Second Generation)
If none of these solutions work, this technote emay help.
If you have locked your iPod screen and forgotten the ’screen lock’, read this post…
January 21st, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Other ipods respond to the center button and menu buttons at the same time. My method worked for the mini. Good luck
July 19th, 2006 at 1:05 am
iPod Nano restarts with “Menu” and center button, held down together for about 5 seconds.
July 25th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
“Menu” and Center button works for the 5th Gen iPod. Just hold the two of them for about 5 seconds and it will shut down.
January 19th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Thanks a bunch! center button and menu held down rebooted my ipod.
January 27th, 2007 at 1:53 am
ooo my video ipod worked with menu and middle button. thanks!
January 27th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for the tip. Worked like a charm
January 27th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip.
February 5th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
d’oh… didn’t work
February 9th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Thanks… Saved me… I was going to just let the battery die, I did not know what to do.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Thanks!
This worked for my iPod nano!
For me however, the hold button had to be in ‘off’ position for this to work; from your steps it seemed to have to be in an ‘on’ position.
O well.. play that funky music baby!
April 17th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Thanks HÔø?vard for noticing that typo. You’re correct in that you should ‘lock’ then ‘unlock’ the iPod.
May 13th, 2007 at 2:41 am
hey, my nano shut off but i t didnt solve my problem,I PUT MY LOCK CODE IN IT AND I FORGOT THE CODE I PUT IN AND NOW I CANT LISTEN TO IT IF U READ THIS AND KNOW HOW TO HELP PLEZ E-MAIL ME AT merry_krista@yahoo.com its on my myspace
PLEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 19th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
thanx
May 21st, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Krista, I just came across an article about unlocking iPod screens if you have forgotten the “screen lock” code and written a post about it. Read it here…
May 26th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Thanks!
June 21st, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Oh, Thanks, that really helped.
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Great advice. You wiped out my IPod Nano. It is not you fault. I blame “Crapple” and their inferior hardware and software once more.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
thank you so much for putting these methods online, it has saved me from waiting hours until my ipod shut down. you are genius and i love you forever
November 12th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
My 5th generation iPod won’t shut down completely. The screen goes dark but a simple touch of the bottom scroll button opens it up where I was before with no Apple Logo coming up as in a clean shutdown. The iPod is continually running even with the “fake” shutdown.
January 4th, 2008 at 5:10 am
remember to hold the buttons down even after the screen goes dark, if you let go when it goes dark you have just put the ipod to sleep hold down for another 5 seconds to do a complete reboot.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:22 am
worked great thanks
February 15th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Great advice, thanks!!!
March 12th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I just wanted to add that this tip works perfectly with third generation iPod nano!
Thanks for the tip!
June 29th, 2008 at 6:24 am
U Fkn legend cheers man
September 20th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Apple ipod ‘help’ site said that if the ipod nano 3rd gen is frozen, push the slide switch to the locked position, then back again, and it will reset. It worked when it was frozen. I did it at about a 2-second pace. To find the tech note I had to enter the serial number of the ipod into the Apple site.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:08 am
menu and center im a guy and a girl taught me.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
wow just wanted to add that this worked on my Ipod Classic 80gb 6th gen, worked really great thank you.
December 4th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Thanks! worked for my Ipod nano.
Eystein
December 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Thanks. Thats the first tips that actually worked. The hold on-off tips then menu+centre worked like a charm.
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:48 am
thanks a lot!
it worked just like u said it would!
January 26th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
hey if you have an ipod touch all you have to do is hold the home button and the on or wake button for approx ten seconds and the you have restarted your ipod.
February 8th, 2009 at 7:22 am
THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! I thought my iPod died then thoughts went through my head about needing to buy a whole new one! I need this for SOOOO many things! Oh, this page helped me so much
THank you !
February 14th, 2009 at 12:26 am
thank you so much!
It worked just as you said, which hardly ever happens!
April 20th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
omg!!! thanxs I was paniking…. thanxs a lot…. i work like u said
August 16th, 2009 at 6:36 am
u rock! toggle, menu and select worked.
August 25th, 2009 at 10:36 am
god… this menu and center button thing never works for me! the clicking is driving me insane! the apple logo just comes up then fades and clicks!!!! IM GOING INSANE!!!!!!
September 18th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Thanks for the tutorial!
Worked like a charm!
November 12th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I know this post is extremely old, but the ‘hold the menu + center key’ worked! Thanks! My iPod is now unfrozen…
December 5th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Thanks! My iPod works now.
January 30th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
After some moments of panic when my 6GB iPod Mini froze, I discovered here the menu/middle button suggestion, which worked like a charm. Thank you!
February 24th, 2010 at 4:41 am
Thanks,holding down the MENU and CENTER button restarted my ipod
February 27th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Thanks!!! My ipod works now after restarting just wasn’t sure how until I found this website… Completely frozen until I held down the center and Menu bottom for 5 secs… Thanks again!!!!!!!