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iPod Troubleshooting

General Help

How to Wear your iPod

No Swimming Cap Option:

Put on goggles.
Clip the waterproof swimming iPod or player to the back of the straps.
Slip the earbud and a bit of cord under the goggle straps before inserting earbuds for less drag and extra security.

With Swimming Cap Option:

Put on goggles.
Slip the earbud and a bit of cord under the goggle straps before inserting earbuds
Cover earbuds and goggles with swim cap.
Clip the waterproof iPod or player to the bottom of the cap and tuck the cord bundle up underneath

Caring for your iPod

After each swim, unplug the headphones and rinse the iPod and its headphone jack under some fresh water. This will help get any chlorine or salt off.
If you are charging from the wall, make sure you are using a surge-protected outlet.
Serious temperature changes can cause the iPod to fail. We don’t recommend leaving the iPod in your car for extended periods, as this can expose it to extreme hot or cold.
If charging from a laptop, it is best to charge from your laptop’s high-power USB port. Also, don’t let your laptop go to sleep mode while charging, as this can cause the USB ports to stop putting out as much power.
If charging from a desktop, it is best to charge from the USB ports on the back, as they charge the iPod faster and more smoothly.
Only charge the iPod as needed. The shuffle’s small lithium ion batteries generally charge in two to three hours, leaving them to charge overnight or for extended periods can seriously damage the battery.

Using your iPod

The iPod shuffle uses a Play/Pause button, Skip Track/Forward Track, and Volume Up/ Volume Down buttons. Make sure to press buttons only enough to get the light to blink. The buttons may feel stiff but should respond to a light touch.
You will need to first, install iTunes or update iTunes. With iTunes installed and up to date you can now add music, edit music files, make playlists and download them to your waterproofed iPod shuffle using iTunes.
You can also enable Voiceover on your iPod which allows you to hear the names of songs, artists, and playlists spoken when listening to content on iPod shuffle. VoiceOver also tells you battery status and other messages.

Troubleshooting

Restore iPod

Plug your iPod into your computer.
When your iPod Shuffle comes up on iTunes, click on the iPod’s little icon in the top left hand corner to view the iPod Summary page.
On the iPod Summary page, you’ll notice on the right hand side a bar that says “Restore iPod”.
Click “Restore iPod”, and then enter your password in and click “OK” to process the action.
Once the action is complete, a message bubble will pop up indicating that the iPod has been restored and will reappear in iTunes once it is complete. After that, click “Continue” and “Get Started”.

Note: this will restore your iPod to it’s factory settings and any songs

Button Issues

Make sure your shuffle “hold” mode if off. Gently press and hold the play/pause button until the light flashes green to get out of hold mode.
The waterproofing material inside the iPod does move around with time. This doesn’t harm the iPod, but when the material gets pushed behind the Play/Pause button, it can cause it to stiffen up and stop working temporarily.
- Pressing too hard on the Play/Pause button may cause it to become stuck. Experiment with pressing firmness—you shouldn’t have to press very hard to get the Shuffle to respond.
- If the Play/Pause button is stuck, spend about 2 minutes pushing the side buttons in random, back and forth motion. For example, holding the iPod with both hands, press the skip button, then rewind, then skip, then rewind, over and over. After about 30 seconds of this, switch to the volume up and volume down buttons. Working the side buttons will help the play/pause button unstick itself. (This action may need to be repeated a few times.)

Battery Problems

If the battery shows anything but empty, then the iPod should still be turning on. The battery is not dead.

Limiting your charging time to 3 hours will make your replacement last longer.
Restart your computer by turning it off and back on again. Computers generally do not charge devices while in sleep mode, and a reset can help ensure the computer is on and ready to troubleshoot. Plug in your iPod and wait for a minute to see if the light comes on. If it does, leave plugged in with the computer “awake” for up to 3 hours to fully charge it.
Clean your headphone jack. Use a toothpick to gently remove any debris from the headphone jack. Debris in the headphone jack (lint, etc.) will prevent a connection between the iPod and the headphones or charger cable.
If the jack is clear but the Shuffle won’t sync, try using a different USB port to sync or charge.
The white plastic ring on the USB cord should come into direct contact with the iPod. This may require a small amount of force.
If you are using an extension cord make sure it is capable of carrying a charge. Try taking off the extension cord to charge from the USB cable alone. (Underwater Audio headphone extension cords will not work to charge your iPod.)
Restore your iPod using iTunes if your computer still recognizes it.

Sticky Power Switch

On the rare occasion the waterproofing material gets pushed into the upper right corner of the iPod, it may affect the on/off switch. Firmly and rapidly turn the iPod power switch on and off about 15 times in a row. Then firmly push the switch to the “on” position (all green exposed). If the iPod’s LED doesn’t come on, then turn the iPod off and leave it to rest for a few minutes.
Alternate between pushing the “+” and “>>I” keys on the iPod for approximately a minute, pausing every so often to push the VoiceOver button 10 times. Once again, try firmly turning the iPod to the “on” position. If the iPod’s LED still doesn’t come on, then again turn the iPod off and leave it to rest for a few more minutes.
In order to keep the waterproofing material even, spend 30 seconds to a minute gently pressing the “Play/Pause” button repeatedly.

iPod Not Recognized

Restart your computer by turning it off and back on again. Computers generally do not charge devices while in sleep mode, and a reset can help ensure the computer is on and ready to troubleshoot.
Check that your iTunes program is up-to-date. An old version of iTunes may keep your device from being recognized by the computer.
Check the headphone jack for debris. If the iPod’s light still turns on by it won’t sync or play, use a toothpick to gently remove any debris from the headphone jack. Debris in the headphone jack (lint, etc.) will prevent a connection between the iPod and the headphones or charger cable.
Make sure the USB cable has completely entered the iPod. The white plastic ring on the USB cord should come into direct contact with the iPod. This may require a small amount of force.
Try a different port on your computer. If the jack is clear but the Shuffle won’t sync, try using a different port to sync or charge. For example, if you are using a desktop, try one of the USB ports in the back.
Check your USB charging cable. Only use the small 3 inch USB charging cable that came with the original iPod packaging. Note: our headphone extension cord will not work to charge your iPod.
Try charging while your computer is on and not in “sleep” mode. With your computer fully on and active, plug in your iPod and wait for a minute to see if the light comes on. If it does, leave plugged in with the computer “awake” for up to 3 hours to fully charge it.

iPod User Manual

Apple Support iPod Shuffle User Guide