How to format an iPod

iPods are basically compact hard drives where users store media files. Surely, all hard drives from time to time require formatting and the software updates. Formatting of an iPod can help to synch the device with a PC.
In the most cases there is no need to worry about iPod formatting – this process happens completely automatically and quickly when a user sets up an iPod to a PC at the first time. If you apply an iPod at a Mac at first it will be a Mac formatted. Apply on a Windows PC – it will turn into a Windows formatted one.

However, there can be difficulties if you decide to use a Mac formatted iPod on a PC with Windows OS and vice versa. The reformatting of an iPod can become a challenge unless you know the sequence of steps.

How to reformat an Apple iPod to make it compatible for Windows OS?

1) First and foremost, you need to back up an iTunes library since the reformatting of an iPod will erase all your music, videos and so on and without a backup you will have to reload this content again.

2) After the backup’s finish you need to connect a Mac formatted iPod to a computer with Windows OS. You will see the process of resynchronization that will erase all data by default from an iPod. You will get a new Windows formatted iPod eventually.

3) The resynchronization of an iPod also assumes you will reload the backed up earlier iTunes library. You my use special software to copy the contents of the ITunes library each time you reformat your iPod.

4) To make sure that the format of an iPod was changed you may check it in the management screen of an iPod while it is synchronized on a PC with iTunes (a window at the top next to the iPod’s image). There is a section called “Format” where you can check the current format of your iPod.