Member Avatar for 84hd0ns

Hello

I run ubuntu linux and I have just bought a new ipod touch

You need itunes to set it up, which is, as usual, only available for Windows and mac (stupid apple for forgetting linux!!!).

How can I set up my ipod?

Thanks, Calum

  • 4 Contributors
  • 3 Replies
  • 233 Views
  • 1 Month Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by joejoe92

Dani AI

Generated

Short answer: you don’t strictly need iTunes to make an iPod Touch usable from Linux, but it’s not always plug‑and‑play. A mature FOSS stack (libimobiledevice + usbmuxd + ifuse and friends) lets Linux see, pair with, mount and talk to most iOS/iPod Touch devices natively. (libimobiledevice.org)

Practical checklist (common, reliable flow):

  • Install the device stack for your distro (libimobiledevice, usbmuxd, ifuse and a frontend such as gtkpod/Rhythmbox/Amarok).
  • Pair and test the device (idevicepair pair then ideviceinfo).
  • Mount to a user-owned folder with ifuse ~/ipod and use your music app or file manager.
    Example commands (adjust for your distro): 
    sudo apt install libimobiledevice6 usbmuxd ifuse
idevicepair pair
ideviceinfo
ifuse ~/ipod

    See the ifuse and libimobiledevice docs for details and options. (manpages.ubuntu.com)

Important caveats and a fallback: libimobiledevice has improved greatly, and projects exist to handle activation too, but direct music‑database syncing on newer devices can still be finicky or unsupported in some cases. For that reason many people create the device’s initial iTunes database on a Windows/Mac (or a Windows VM) and then manage files from Linux—this is often the easiest, most reliable fallback. Running iTunes under Wine is sometimes possible but is frequently brittle for modern iTunes builds, so a Windows VM tends to be more dependable. (github.com)

Troubleshooting tips: if the device isn’t detected, restart usbmuxd, check udev rules and that your user is in plugdev/fuse, run ideviceinfo to confirm connectivity, and prefer mounting to a directory you own to avoid permission issues. Always back up the device before experimenting. For music‑DB writes, tools based on libgpod/gtkpod historically handle iPod database updates—expect some trial and error with modern firmware. (help.ubuntu.com)

Notes on this thread: raised the original question; ’s Wine idea can work for some old setups but is fragile; and were right that desktop players can help, but they may need the supporting libraries described above.

Recommended Answers

All 3 Replies

Member Avatar for mjdodd

this is a long route but might work!
you could install 'wine' (windows emulator) into linux and then try itunes in 'wine', you may have to install a version of windows as well!
M

Member Avatar for joejoe92

you could also try amarok, it's available for both the gnome and kde desktop environment.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.