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How to reset your new iPod Nano

Comments[16] by Dave in General

I bought a new 3rd generation iPod Nano (4GB) yesterday to replace the armband radio that I wear on my daily runs and to complement my old 3rd generation iPod classic. As you can see, the Nano is tiny so it should work perfectly for me once I get an armband.

Here's old and new together.

iPods old and new

I was happy to find that the new Nano fits in the old iPod cradle:

iPod Nano 3rd generation

So far, I really like the Nano. It's the right size for me, it looks great and the UI works wonderfully. There's just one problem. It's flakey. I've had to reboot the thing four times in the 24 hours that I've owned it. I never had to do that for my old iPod and in fact, I don't even know how. To figure out how to reset my Nano I had to download the Features Guide (PDF). Here's how you do it:

1. Toggle the Hold switch on and off (slide it to HOLD and then back again).
2. Press and hold the Menu and Center buttons for at least 6 seconds, 
   until the Apple logo appears.

If iPod nano won’t turn on or respond
   * Make sure the Hold switch isn’t set to HOLD.
   * The iPod nano battery might need to be recharged. Connect iPod nano to your
     computer or to an Apple USB Power Adapter and let the battery recharge. Look for
     the lightning bolt icon on the iPod nano screen to verify that iPod nano is
     receiving a charge.

I also bought a Nano as a birthday present for my brother (that's today so Happy Birthday Dan!), so I really hope a software update will fix this irritating problem and soon. I'd hate to have to return these slick little gadgets.



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Comments:

That's the reboot procedure for all ipods. You really only need to hold down the menu and center button for about 5 seconds. Unless the hold button is on or the ipod battery is dead, or both.

Posted by kasia on September 10, 2007 at 06:28 AM EDT #

Thanks Kasia. I hope four resets in a day is not the norm. My old iPod is one of the few things in my life that doesn't need to be rebooted every day or so.

Posted by Dave Johnson on September 10, 2007 at 10:24 AM EDT #

Ive had the same problem with the 3G iPod Nano needing reboots also. Mine was also freezing and rebooting itself, so i've sent off for a replacement.

Posted by John Cassington on September 12, 2007 at 03:53 AM EDT #

Just got a 3G iPod Nano yesterday. It too has locked up frequently, usually when navigating down to an album, scrolling with coverflow, or attempting to view the song list of an album in coverflow. On top of that, it spontaneously restarts, usually when navigating back from somewhere with the "menu" button. I'm currently suspecting some corrupted album art, as most of the lock ups or restarts seem to be when on or going to screens with album art.

Posted by Seth Milliken on September 12, 2007 at 05:28 PM EDT #

thank you so much, it worked, but why cant you guys just make the ipod so it doesnt do thi, flaw free ipod!!!

Posted by dixie on September 15, 2007 at 07:13 PM EDT #

Thank you for the information! I bought one filled it up with my stuff and it died on me, so I took it back immediately. I replaced it with the exact same model and the same thing happened ... this time I searched the internet and found your post. It worked ... let's just hope I don't have to keep doing it. But thank you, as I love the new one. Regards!

Posted by Tanya Ryno on September 22, 2007 at 11:35 AM EDT #

Thankss mann this aritcle helped out alot man i was like trippping out about it for a while and then i saw this article

Posted by sagar on September 25, 2007 at 09:25 PM EDT #

I would suggest this is a software error, not a physical hardware error as this Ipod revision is basically a software update (coverflow, video etc. in a smaller case with smaller components, i would suggest all the components are basically the same from 2nd Gen nano to 3rd Gen nano) and they probably haven't fixed all the flaws with adapting their coding of video to smaller components that have never run it.. This should be fixed in the first revision of the software update.. keep your eyes on the firmware updates, if it doesn't fix it, or someone reports elsewhere to return your nano, do so.

Posted by Alan Reader on October 17, 2007 at 04:19 AM EDT #

ya that did not work on mine at all its froozen up to the point where if you plug it in to the computer its doesn't respond at all ..its stuck on the now playing screen

Posted by 207.161.22.90 on October 21, 2007 at 11:39 PM EDT #

OMG! THANX SO MUCH FOR THAT INFO ITS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR . I THOUGHT MY I-POD BROKE OR SOMETHING. THANX AGAIN!

Posted by CHRISTIAN SANCHEZ on October 27, 2007 at 07:29 AM EDT #

Thanks a lot.. Just took my iPod for a run and then it froze just when i stopped the workout. Thought it had something to do with the Nike/iPod sports thing, but I guess it might be due to the relatively heavy shaking the iPod was exposed to. This is the first time I've experienced this, and I bought it two weeks ago. Hope it doesn't happen too often..

Posted by Martin on October 29, 2007 at 12:12 PM EDT #

Wow, my iPod still won't work so plz post something else up to help it. xD thanks and i just got it yesterday too.... sucks eh and when i plug it in, it won't even charge so i dont even know what the problem IS!!!

Posted by Mathhew on October 29, 2007 at 04:32 PM EDT #

thank you very much, this is the only site i have found with reseting info relating to the 3g nano (even thou all ipods rest the same), but as a first time ipod user, thank you

Posted by Chris on October 30, 2007 at 03:41 AM EDT #

the dang thing stopped playing music on me this morning, lucky i kept a shuffle in my car for backup. cheers for the info

Posted by mard on November 19, 2007 at 04:57 PM EST #

i heard there's a reset button on the back that you can push with like a pin or something that'll instantly reset it without messing things up on your ipod...

Posted by ally on December 16, 2007 at 05:39 PM EST #

Thank you Thankyou!! soo much.. i just got my ipod for my b'day 2 days ago.. and it got.. frozen.. and it scared the hell out of.. but now it workeD.. thank you soo much

Posted by Bona on March 18, 2008 at 02:01 PM EDT #

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