Apple iPod Won’t Turn On - How to Fix It

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Last Updated on December 4, 2019 by Jay

So, your Apple iPod won’t turn on and you don’t know how to get back to grooving with your favorite tunes? Here’s a complete guide to finding out what’s wrong with your iPod music player and what you can do it resurrect it back from the dead.

Music is more than just a way of expression that humans developed along the way, it is a form of culture that billions of people live and breathe all around the world. From vinyl records and cassettes to Walkman from Sony and the legendary Apple iPod – the means of audio entertainment have subliminally evolved in the past few decades. Back in the year 2001 when the very first Apple iPod was brought to the market, it created the modern standard of digital music playback, creating an entire genre of devices after it.

Apple solidified its position in the music player market by releasing one iteration of the iPod after another. From the iPod Classic that could hold millions of songs at once, to the tiny iPod Shuffle that could fit in the palm of your hand, the iPod series peaked in the 2000s. It wasn’t until the introduction of the Apple iPod Touch, a non-cellular slimmed-down version of the iPhone, that the iPod lineup moved into an entirely new direction. As of today, Apple has retired all of its iPod devices, except the iPod Touch, which continues to enjoy dwindling support from audiophiles all over the world.

Apple iPod won’t turn on – How to fix it

Even without the cellular capabilities of the iPhone, iPod Touch is pretty much a mobile network device. You still get the ability to make audio and video calls over the internet, playing games and watch videos for hours at a stretch. And just like any other piece of technology that you may own, there could be instances when the Apple iPod won’t turn on at all. The issue is unlikely to arise on a brand-new device, but owning one that has seen a few years of wear and tear may encounter such a problem. Lucky for you, we’ve sweat it out to find ways to resolve these issues so that you don’t have to, and here’s what you need to do:

Check to see if it’s a software problem

More often than not, when a mobile phone or tablet does not seem to turn on, the issue seems to lie with the software of the device, and not the hardware. The iPod Touch is no different, so it is safe to assume that a wonky update, a broken app file, or just an unfortunate instance can cause the device to spiral down and crash entirely. In such cases, here’s what you can do to resolve the problem with your iPod Touch:

Solution 1: Force reboot

It is within the realm of possibilities that your iPod Touch is not actually turned off, but frozen with a black screen. The first response to such a case should be rebooting the device, which needs to be done forcibly since the display isn’t active for you to “Swipe to Power Off” function.

On your iPod Touch, press and hold the Power + Home buttons simultaneously.
Keep holding down the Power button until to see the screen turn on and the Apple logo to appear.
If the screen does not turn on, stay alert to notice if the iPod vibrates at all when the two buttons are pressed together.

Solution 2: Complete a battery cycle

The way batteries are designed is to limit the usage of the device before the capacity hits 0%, but this isn’t always how things go down. You could’ve ended up draining your iPod Touch entirely, which may have caused the battery to die down entirely. In such cases, plugging in the iPod Touch to a power source may boot it up, leading you to believe that the iPod won’t turn on at all.

Leave the iPod Touch be for a few days and wait for the entire battery capacity to drain out.
After a few days have passed, connect the iPod Touch to a power source and let it charge overnight.
You can then check to see if the device turns back on again as it usually would.

Solution 3: Restore the iPod Touch

If you were trying to tinker with the software of the iPod Touch with jailbreaking tools, it could cause the device to brick and become completely unresponsive. Similarly, the iPod Touch could’ve also experienced a software crash, resulting in no feedback when the power button is pressed. The only thing to do here is to restore the iPod Touch and reinstall the iOS software on the device.

Turn on your computer and launch the iTunes app.
Connect the USB Lightning cable to the computer.
Get a hold of the iPod Touch, press and hold the Home button.
While holding the Home button, connect the iPod to your computer using the Lightning cable.
Even if the screen does not turn on, wait to see if iTunes detects your iPod Touch.
If the device is detected, you will be given the option to restore the software on the iPod Touch, and you can do so by pressing the Restore button.
Wait for the software to be downloaded and installed on your iPod, and at some point, you should be able to see the Apple logo appear on the screen.

In case the computer is unable to detect your device, this signals the occurrence of a hardware problem with the iPod Touch, which is keeping it from turning on.

Check to see if it’s a hardware problem

If you own a new Apple iPod Touch, a hardware defect is an anomaly, and in such cases, Apple is quick to offer a replacement for the defective hardware. However, there can be external factors that may be the cause when iPod Touch won’t turn on. Whether you ended up rendering the display non-functional, or there’s a problem with the charging capacity of the device, here’s what you can try out:

Solution 1: Replace the charging cable

As simple as this solution may seem, you’ll be surprised how often users overlook the fact that the charger cable and power adapter could be the culprit. You can start off by using the Lightning cable of your iPod Touch with another Apple device to see if the accessory is fully functional in the first place.

Similarly, try replacing the charging cable for your iPod Touch and check to see if it makes any difference at all. We recommend that you test out this theory using original Apple certified charger cables since all Apple devices are designed to work only with the official accessories only.

Solution 2: Check the display screen

It wouldn’t be unheard of to find out that despite the iPod Touch being in perfect working condition, the display screen stopped functioning all of a sudden. Whether it is from a drop that caused the wires to come to lose within the chassis or defective hardware that finally died out, you would need to identify if it’s a hardware issue after all.

The initial test to confirm if the iPod is in fact working would connect it to your computer. Wait for a notification tone to ring on the computer, or the charging chime notification that rings on the iPod Touch when you plug it in. If you do hear a sound or a notification, this could point towards a possible malfunction of the display.

If the iPod Touch does connect to iTunes, we recommend that you create a backup of your data and music right away. Regardless of whether you choose to take the iPod Touch to the Apple Store or a certified technician, it is important to secure your files first, since the repair process might lead to factory resetting the device.

Solution 3: Clean out the charging port

Considering that you carry around your iPod Touch everywhere, it shouldn’t be entirely surprising to find all kinds of dirt, lint, and grit in the cervices and openings of your music player. One such opening on the iPod Touch is the Lightning charging port, which, if obstructed, could cut off the power supply to the device, and lead to the issue where the iPod Touch won’t turn on at all.

Using a can of air and its pointed nozzle, spray out any minor dirt and sand particles that might have gotten lodged into the power port.
Additionally, you can use a wooden or plastic toothpick to clean out the Lightning power port.
Avoid poking too hard at the Lightning charging port, and avoid bending any of the charging pins inside.

Solution 4: Consider liquid damage

A popular misconception among users is that devices show signs of water damage immediately after coming in contact with moisture or water. However, water damage can sometimes take hours, and even days to wreak havoc on your device’s hardware, as it slowly begins to oxidize and erode the internal hardware components.

If you dropped your iPod Touch in the pool, or it came into direct contact with water before being unable to turn on, it is a tell-tale sign. Using dry rice to pull out the moisture from within the iPod Touch could work if the device was still functional. But in most cases when the iPod Touch won’t turn on, this signals that the damage has already been done. Taking the device to a professional and getting it checked up is the only viable solution at this point.

Final Words

The iPod has gone from being the highest selling product from Apple to an offering from the company that doesn’t even hold a highlighted spot on the website anymore. The advancement in music technology of streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music itself, has limited the need for a dedicated music player that does not offer cellular connectivity. Apple iPod Touch being released in 2019 signals that the company is yet to give up on the device, and neither has customers.

If you are stuck with a dead device and your Apple iPod touch won’t turn on at all, try out the tips mentioned above to breathe life back into it. Which of these solutions helped you get the iPod Touch back on and functioning? We’re excited to hear back from you, so reach out to us in the comments section right down below.

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Jay

Editor at WhyTheLuckyStiff

Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Jay found his calling of becoming a full-time tech writer and is living the dream ever since. A fast learner and an ever-curious mind, you'll find him tinkering with subjects he's got no business around.

Apple iPod Won’t Turn On – How to Fix It