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.
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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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 H�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