TheDesignspace
iPod Freeze


June 20, 2005
Most Popular | Applications | Audio | Mac OS X | iPod

If your iPod freezes up, as mine did several times before dying completely, follow these instructions:

To reset iPod mini, iPod mini (Second Generation), iPod photo, and iPod (Click Wheel)


Toggle the Hold switch on and off. (Slide it to Hold, then turn it off again.)
Press and hold the Menu and Select buttons until the Apple logo appears, about 6 to 10 seconds. You may need to repeat this step.

Tip: If you are having difficulty resetting your iPod, set it on a flat surface. Make sure the finger pressing the Select button is not touching any part of the click wheel. Also make sure that you are pressing the Menu button toward the outside of the click wheel, and not near the center.
[note: this is the tip that got it unfrozen for me]

If the above steps did not work, try connecting iPod to a power adapter and plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet, or connect iPod to your computer. Make sure the computer is turned on and isn't set to go to sleep.

________________________
To Apple's credit, they replaced the dead iPod immediately, for free.

Needless to say I am purchasing the extended warranty. This is one case where it may be worth it.

UPDATE! If the steps above did not help, take a look at this page:
How to fix an iPod that won't boot


Posted by ellen at June 20, 2005 11:19 PM | TrackBack

 Comments

You just saved me from hurling my ipod against a brick wall in fit of rage. Thanks a million!

Posted by: Joe on October 19, 2006 8:58 AM

My 8Gig Nano has frozen a few times ,usually following a sudden removal of the iTrip or too many button presses in too short a time.

This tip here always works.

Posted by: Joe on January 14, 2007 1:59 PM

ty ty ty ty ty ty ty ty!

you saved me!

i'll tell the whole world what you told me!!

Posted by: Matt on April 7, 2007 11:29 PM

Thank you!! This totally worked!!!! Thought I was going to scream!

Posted by: Jan on April 20, 2007 8:00 PM

marvellous, felt a sense of achievement. Was going to give up and wait for my son to visit, but this tip worked for me. thanks

Posted by: j.dite on May 5, 2007 3:28 PM

Wow! You are awesome! Wonderful tip -- worked for me!

Posted by: zookeeper08 on May 15, 2007 1:18 PM

i was near tears! thank you so much!

Posted by: onyx on May 17, 2007 12:35 PM

Thank you, thatwas just what I needed to know. Nothing like spending a couple hundred on a new toy only to have it konk out on you a couple a months later;)

Posted by: Marble on May 19, 2007 12:42 AM

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Posted by: Jonathan on June 12, 2007 1:38 AM

I can only agree with what the others have said.
This is the first time that I have gone on to a website for help and recieved clear and correct instructions. This is the second time my ipod has frozen. You have saved me from more sleepless nights of worry. What make me more thankfull as a Scot it is free!

Posted by: Lewis Lewis on June 16, 2007 7:58 AM

wow thanks so much! i had to do it a couple of times but you saved me from a lot of frustration! :]

Posted by: liz on June 25, 2007 3:07 PM

My ipod freezed when i was lisning to music. When i tried to change volume it freezed. With the song title. what should i do?

Posted by: Thomas on July 2, 2007 11:00 PM

I don't know who you are. But thank you. Oh dear God in heaven thank you.

Posted by: Michael on July 4, 2007 12:57 AM

Im from Argentina. Thank you very much! When my iPod froze I started to get nervous and was going to call the guy who sold me the thing. But thanks to you I�ve learned this so the next time I wont worry.
Bye.

Posted by: German on July 4, 2007 7:10 PM

I have been doing this for ages and it does not work !!!!!
It is a load of crap !!!

Posted by: Becca on July 8, 2007 2:06 PM

Thank you so much, I was so worried because my iPod is brand new! This tip is so helpful and I will tell everyone of my friends that has an iPod!

♥Much appreciation♥

Posted by: Nebraskan on July 9, 2007 9:38 PM

THANK YOU! good advice.

Posted by: julie on August 10, 2007 11:49 AM

Thank you so much!!! I thought that my IPOD was dead for sure! I did what you suggested, and it worked and didnt delete any of my stuff.

Posted by: Miriam on August 24, 2007 2:48 PM

thanks man

Posted by: cool on September 9, 2007 4:10 AM

genius. thanks so much.

Posted by: mark on September 10, 2007 11:00 PM

I know you have heard it a million times...but THANK YOU!!!! You made my day. Although, does the fact that the ipod keeps freezing mean impending doom? Is it going to die soon?

Posted by: Kristen on September 11, 2007 10:52 AM

Ellen you're the man! noticed Kristen and I had the same problem bout the same time (pacific)

Posted by: Ben on September 11, 2007 2:37 PM

thank godddddddddddddd your poppin

Posted by: john on September 11, 2007 6:37 PM

wow.... never has something someone posted on the internet ACTUALLY been specific enough to solve my problem. until now. thank you tons!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: jimmy on September 13, 2007 11:31 PM

Hey Dude you totally Rock, I cant believe I got good, clear, tech advice for FREE, I Nearly threw my Ipod away, Darn man you should be working for Apple, running one of those Genius Bars, Kudos to you Mate.
Theres hope yet for America !!
Lucky Londoner

Posted by: Machavelli on September 26, 2007 6:31 PM

i think i love you

wait...i know i love you


thanx!!!

Posted by: ron g on October 1, 2007 6:40 PM

HAHAHAHAHA THIS IS AWESOME. I THANK GOOGLE FOR FINDING THIS BLOG TOO.

Posted by: CAAKE on October 8, 2007 1:25 PM

u don't know ow much u jus saved my *ss. was using a friend's ipod and it froze when i was changing tha volume. was bout 15 mins when i thought this wasn't jus gonna go away, cudn't/ can't afford an ipod so i was freakin delirious. got on tha net an typed "ipod freeze" an ur blog was first up and THANK GOOOOOODDDDD!!!! u totally rock. thnkz a mil. :-)

Posted by: craig on October 10, 2007 8:18 AM

Thanks alot, i just got the ipod classic and i thought it was broke, i was going mad!

Posted by: Gary on October 25, 2007 6:05 PM

This worked perfect!! Thanks!

Posted by: Anne on October 26, 2007 5:44 PM

legend.............. thanks

Posted by: warren dodd on November 1, 2007 2:58 PM

Oh wow!!! Thanks SO much!!! :D

Posted by: Jenn on November 1, 2007 8:46 PM

Thanks! Your advice worked well!

Posted by: jim on November 7, 2007 7:58 PM

You Genius!!!

Posted by: Dom on November 15, 2007 7:36 AM

This really works.... fantastic!

Posted by: Nigel on November 22, 2007 1:03 AM

This just worked for me as well, today! Many many thanks. I found this site simply by entering "ipod freeze." Yours was the first one up! Yea!

Posted by: Amos on November 25, 2007 7:42 PM

Ipod sucks.

Posted by: Chris on December 7, 2007 4:20 AM

Thanks alot. I was freaked out because it got slower and slower and then froze completely. I didn't know what was wrong. How did you know about that bizzare restart sequence?

Posted by: Platinum on December 25, 2007 3:27 PM

How do you freze your ipod?(so i can prevent it )

Posted by: Bob on December 27, 2007 8:30 PM

WTF?
As soon as I did this to my freezing ipod it completely died.

Posted by: me on January 1, 2008 4:10 PM

wow this is the most obvious answer to Ipod freezing. If this doesnt work its going to die as mine has. The 5 R's are the easiest way to fix it. Its all over the internet and apple.com

this guy isnt that smart but if you think cutting and pasting is then u must be that dumb your self.

Posted by: jdhfjkhdsf on February 22, 2008 1:08 AM

thankyou,thankyou.....I thought I should try your idea instead of the usual, fix it with a hammer approach. Ipod man your the best!

Posted by: kevin on February 22, 2008 10:58 AM

wow, thanks guy.

Posted by: simon on February 28, 2008 6:49 PM

You rock! I almost crushed my ipod over this, last time I let it die

Posted by: NCSU7 on February 29, 2008 11:30 PM

EXCELLENT advice! At first it didnt work, but then I realized I was reading the directions wrong! My bad! Your advice fixed everything and dropped my stress level severely!! Thank you!

Posted by: Jules on March 4, 2008 10:35 PM

Wow! This really rocks! I was scared because at first I thought that I was going to have to restore my Ipod, which meant that I was going to have to delete all of my stuff off of there, which would have sucked. But, when I did that, it was like awesome! Thanks so much for the tip!! :-)

Posted by: Computergal on March 5, 2008 9:05 AM

OMG i was just about to flush this thing down the toilette!!! arrrgggh!! thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much!

Posted by: T. on March 14, 2008 9:00 AM

thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you.
you saved me from being bored in class ever again.

Posted by: Jasmine on March 19, 2008 2:05 AM

Fantastic, thank you so much, did exactly what it said on the tin.

Posted by: Rich on March 23, 2008 5:29 PM

I HAVE TRIED REBOOTING AS SUGGESTED BUT THE PROBLEM REAPPEARS

Posted by: P.CARON on March 29, 2008 2:29 PM

Hey man thanks bunches, i actually was going to *cry*. No im just kidding, but it pissed me off a lot. So i typed in Ipod Freeze (on Google), u were the first link. This totally helped me a lot!!!!!!!! thanks!

Posted by: Jarred on March 29, 2008 9:26 PM

The tip worked like a charm. Thanks so much!

Posted by: Mike on April 1, 2008 9:39 AM

Thankx, worked liek a charm, I was due an update for my G5 anywayz. ThanX again.

Posted by: Brandon on April 9, 2008 1:37 AM

WOW!! if anyone feels like there is no hope left and they can't think of a feasible, possible answer to why their ipod is acting stupid, THE ADVICE REALLY WORKS! i was reading all of the comments and feeling like i wouldn't be able to listen to my ipod on a long plane ride... i felt pretty crappy (as technology can always make you feel). although, by pressing the menu button and the center button at the same time, it reset it. my screen was saying "do not disconnect" even though nothing was plugged in, and nothing was working.... THANK YOU SOOO MUCH

Posted by: G.I on April 9, 2008 11:46 PM

You are a legend!!!!
I was getting realllly pised off at my ipod. Thank you soooooooooooo much.

Posted by: Ally on April 15, 2008 12:22 PM

u saved my life how could i live without music.???? You are a legend!!! Thanks

Posted by: Ally on April 15, 2008 12:24 PM

thanx so much i was lyk omg mum n dad r gna kill me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: sammi on April 15, 2008 10:13 PM

thak you so much you the best YEAH!

Posted by: adallberto rubalcava on May 21, 2008 10:54 PM

I love you.

Posted by: Kevin on May 21, 2008 11:26 PM

thank you soo much. i thought i broke my ipod and i was freaking out.

Posted by: anna on June 1, 2008 1:10 AM

Like so many before me, I bow to your greatness. I too, thought my iPud (yes, pUd) was destined to serve out it's life on this planet as an eclectic coaster. But NO! It's ALIVE!!!!

Thanks man.

BIG Daddy

Posted by: Big Daddy on June 2, 2008 7:57 PM

OMG I LOVE U!!!

i nearly smashed my ipod!

Posted by: Anna on June 4, 2008 12:29 PM

thank you thank you thank you thank thank you! I was about to have a major breakdown! You saved me from punching a wall!

Posted by: Kat on June 7, 2008 11:00 PM

Almost slammed my iPod on the pavement when this happened the other day while jogging. You saved me some cash. THANK YOU hahah

Posted by: Adam on June 10, 2008 12:32 PM

Thank you so much! I owe you my life. I used to just wait for the battery to die but now I don't have to. Thanks again!

Posted by: Ava on June 14, 2008 5:54 PM

This is my very first iPod and I've only had it a few months, but this is the first time it ever froze on me. I almost freaked out (well, I did a little) because I had no idea what was going on and had a nightmare thinking about having to have it replaced and all of that (although I did get an extended warranty, going through replacing it would be so annoying)

Anyway, your page is what popped up on google first and oh my gosh, I can't believe it worked! I tried everything, including plugging it into an outlet and nothing happened but your directions were so clear cut. I couldn't believe it was that easy to unfreeze. Thank you so much! I will save this for future reference incase I forget and it happens again. :)

Posted by: Maggi on June 24, 2008 12:45 AM

Fuckin ace man!!!
I nearly threw my ipod out the window!!
Genius

Posted by: joey on July 6, 2008 3:31 PM

Sen Bloody Sational. I might get some more life out of this old iPod Photo yet! GOLD Jerry, GOLD!

Posted by: Jason on July 14, 2008 8:06 PM

..!.. thnk u.. thnxx...thnxx...thnxx.thnxx...!!

I ALMOST cried!! thnxx..<3<3<3<3<3<3

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Posted by: Melly on July 29, 2008 2:29 AM

wow that amazingg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it took me about 30 sec and i didnt think it was going to work but it did!

thank youuuuu! =D

Posted by: sarahh on November 11, 2008 1:15 PM

wow, this thing really worked...!
i only have my ipod nano(the 3rd gen)for 1 week, yes, exactly one week, and it froze for the first time. i was freaking out and was thinking of sending it back for reparation, or replacement but good thing you posted this. you saved me time.

Posted by: Alex on November 19, 2008 9:41 AM

Wow, cant believe how much credit you're getting for telling people how to soft reset their ipod lol. Anyways, it seems from the comments here that there are some major problems with the new generation ipods - freezing during playback ?! wtf? Remembering to 'eject' the device before ripping the usb cable out will prevent this from happening everyone! . Anyways keep up the good work :D

Posted by: Adz on November 21, 2008 4:06 AM

u legend!!!

i fort id broke my m8s ipod

thank god for u ! lol

Posted by: bob on November 29, 2008 10:51 AM

THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH! phew, i really thought my ipod was broken and its only two weeks old. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! <3

Posted by: maria on December 7, 2008 1:44 PM

TY m8!!

Posted by: tony on December 9, 2008 6:15 AM

thanq very much buddy:-)

Posted by: bharath on December 23, 2008 10:29 AM

wow. i googled "ipod freezes", as my stupid ipod showed the "do not disconnect" and froze, and saw this, and sure enough, it worked. i figured it wouldnt work, as with my luck, id be that ONE guy that this didnt work for...i never knew to do this before! i usually just wait for the battery to die and then i turn it back on. now i can go running with some tunes. thanks.

Posted by: sam on January 16, 2009 10:56 PM

THANK YOU GUY!!!!!!!!!1 that worked

Posted by: m on February 2, 2009 11:23 PM

Thx so much. It works! My iPod has frozen up several times now(i have the old brick 5th generation) and I usually just waited for the battery charge to run out. Now I can do it at the press of a button :)

Posted by: L on February 5, 2009 1:30 PM

Omg...!
In the last year and a half I've gone through 2 ipod and waisted like all my money. This is my third one and I thought I was going to be doomed. Thank you sooo for posting this on the internet!
You totally saved me from my parent's rage XD

Posted by: Hailey on February 5, 2009 1:31 PM

thankyou! :)

Posted by: robyn on February 15, 2009 5:10 PM

I have an old Ipod photo 5th generation brick. I know it's on it's last legs since it has not responded a few times lately and now it just froze when the battery ran down. It wouldn't even boot even after plugging it into the wall socket or the pc.
But this trick worked for me!
Thanks a mill.

Posted by: Lydie on February 18, 2009 4:32 PM

you are cool. And i want to thank you, if it weren't for yo u I'd probably would be sued by Apple already. Thanks a lot.

Posted by: Joc on February 22, 2009 12:17 PM

THANK YOU I has waiting and charging it for hours and then did your tip and it worked I am telling my friends

Posted by: John Blomquist on March 1, 2009 5:40 PM

You Rock!!! So does my boyfriend who found this site!!!

Posted by: Susie on March 14, 2009 9:17 PM

OMG this actually WORKED!
i did it and seriously did NOT expect it to work but it did =D

You just saved me from a horrible day without music :)
THANXX

Posted by: Yuuki on March 15, 2009 8:19 AM

wow how did u figure that out??
my ipod was on its way to an early grave!!
thank you!!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Posted by: rachel on March 19, 2009 11:19 AM

You must be sick of hearing this but thank you so much.

I did this step with my old ipod and it completely ruined it - I later realised it was because I had dropped it and pretty much shattered the hard drive :/

Anyway, I read everyone's (and I mean everyone's!) comments and it really does work after all, thanks again.

LIVESAVER!!!

Posted by: Jonny on March 20, 2009 2:20 PM

Thank you so much!! You totally saved me because I am using a friend's Ipod and I don't know how I would have explain to her that I broke her Ipod, lol! :)

Posted by: Roshelle on April 25, 2009 3:57 PM

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

Posted by: Jonas on May 5, 2009 4:14 PM

you're amazing!!!! i thought i'd throw it away, i spent 2 hours staring at the stupid thing thinking it'll get unstuck. But WOWW!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!

GENIUS! GENIUS!!!

Posted by: Aleks on May 11, 2009 4:58 AM

Cheers mate i was gonna wait for the battery to drain but you saved me a lot of time and effort.

Posted by: CJ1991 on September 5, 2009 11:02 AM

Best. Tip. Ever. I cannot thank you enough, and neither can my almost-thrown-out-the-window ipod

Posted by: Paul on September 8, 2009 6:17 PM

Thanks. It worked.

Posted by: DUCKS1 on September 15, 2009 6:30 AM

Thank you so much! I thought i was screwed!

Posted by: mary on September 26, 2009 8:07 AM

OK, mine is frozen, these steps aren't helping. When I plug it into the computer through USB it does nothing. It is sitting on a screen saying that its playing a song when nothing is playing and im actually ragin here. Anyone know what to do???

Posted by: Chloe on September 28, 2009 7:59 AM

who ever created this page is an FUCKIN GENIUS!!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FUCKIN GENIUS FUCKIN GENIUS OMG!!!!!

I was using my friens ipod when it froze on me and i thought i broke it but i didn't!!!!!!!!! yaya!!! i luv u

Posted by: ashley on January 10, 2010 5:55 PM

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR POSTING ELLEN.

EXCELLENT TIP AND WORKED 100% EFFECTIVELY.

IF YOU WERE HERE I WOULD BUY YOU A DRINK.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

Posted by: RON, GLASGOW on January 19, 2010 11:44 AM

THANK-YOU SO MUCH. YOU SAVE ME MONEY AND A TRIP. ALSO SAVED MY IPOD FROM DESTRUCTION LOL. I COULD POSSIBLY KISS YOU RIGHT NOW IF IT WAS POSSIBLE.

Posted by: AIYANNA on January 28, 2010 9:45 PM

You are the MAN! I did just about everything and was about to snap my ipod in half until i saw this article. Thank You for saving me $200

Posted by: Eric Ardaiolo on April 1, 2010 8:09 PM

Thank You for saving my kids day. He was almost going to have to go tune-less!

Posted by: Tom B on June 30, 2010 2:21 PM

Thank you so much! I was about to cry and throw my iPod at a wall. Again, thank you so much. (:

Posted by: Alex F on July 6, 2010 6:56 PM
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