By Lauren Farrelly
If your iPod doesn't seem to be holding a charge, or the battery charge icon on the screen fluctuates from a "charging" signal to an "empty battery" signal, or you cannot get your iPod to sync to your computer, the problem could very well be your charging cable. You can avoid sending your iPod or iPod cable off for costly repairs by following a few simple steps.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You'll Need:
- iPod
USB iPod Cable
Laptop or desktop computer with working USB ports
- iPod
- USB iPod Cable
- Laptop or desktop computer with working USB ports
Step 1
First, you should troubleshoot your computer. Make sure when you plug your iPod in that your computer is not set to go into sleep mode if you are charging your iPod. Also, make sure your USB ports are working. Do not plug your iPod into USB ports on keyboards, because they are low powered and will not charge your iPod properly allow your iPod to connect to your computer properly---and thus iTunes may not recognize your iPod is connected.
Plug your iPod into a USB port located on the tower or, if using a laptop, try another port. You may have a bad port, or in some cases, your iPod may just be picky about which port you use.
Step 2
If your iPod is still not being recognized by your computer, or not charging correctly, disconnect and reconnect the cables. Make sure your cable is clear of any knots or damage as well. Be sure that your cable is completely plugged into both the USB port on your computer and the slot on the iPod itself. If you still don't have success, try cleaning out the ends of both cables (where they connect to the iPod and the computer) by blowing into it or by using the end of a twist-tie. If there is any dust or dirt stuck in here, it may be causing the lost connection.
Step 3
If your iPod charger is completely severed anywhere along the cable, it will not be able to function again. Unfortunately, you will need to buy a replacement cable. However, if the cable is only partially torn or damaged, you can try using electrical tape over that area. To do this, make sure the cable is completely disconnected from any power source and not plugged into anything. Then, straighten the cable out, and reconnect the cable together without any gaps. Use the electrical tape to tightly wrap the cable and keep it from coming apart.
Resources
About the Author:
Lauren Farrelly has been writing and producing for television since 2003. She has experience covering sports, business news, and general news events for CNBC and ESPN. Farrelly has a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism from Arizona State University.
