How do I force quit or restart a frozen iPod?

Wednesday, 2nd March 2005

I 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.

Update:

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…

 

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24 Responses to “How do I force quit or restart a frozen iPod?”

  1. Josh Stevens Says:

    Other ipods respond to the center button and menu buttons at the same time. My method worked for the mini. Good luck

  2. Patrick Corcoran Says:

    iPod Nano restarts with “Menu” and center button, held down together for about 5 seconds.

  3. James Veiland Says:

    “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.

  4. Jazz Says:

    Thanks a bunch! center button and menu held down rebooted my ipod. :)

  5. Sha Sha Says:

    ooo my video ipod worked with menu and middle button. thanks!

  6. j rose Says:

    Thanks for the tip. Worked like a charm

  7. j rose Says:

    Worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip.

  8. kim Says:

    d’oh… didn’t work :(

  9. SOAD Fan Says:

    Thanks… Saved me… I was going to just let the battery die, I did not know what to do.

  10. Håvard Says:

    Thanks! :D

    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! :D

  11. Ben Huson Says:

    Thanks H�vard for noticing that typo. You’re correct in that you should ‘lock’ then ‘unlock’ the iPod.

  12. krista Says:

    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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. Peder Says:

    thanx

  14. Ben Huson Says:

    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…

  15. Julius Says:

    Thanks!

  16. Colin Says:

    Oh, Thanks, that really helped.

  17. Craig Says:

    Great advice. You wiped out my IPod Nano. It is not you fault. I blame “Crapple” and their inferior hardware and software once more.

  18. Dotty Says:

    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

  19. Cheryl Says:

    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.

  20. J Says:

    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.

  21. mike Says:

    worked great thanks

  22. Peter Says:

    Great advice, thanks!!!

  23. Nyson Says:

    I just wanted to add that this tip works perfectly with third generation iPod nano!

    Thanks for the tip!

  24. rob Says:

    U Fkn legend cheers man

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