How to: Autofill your iPod, iPhone with iTunes 8.1
Previously only iPod shuffle owners had access to this nifty feature. Now, with the advent of the latest version of Apple’s all-in-one jukebox, media management, and media + software store application, all iPod and iPhone owners can now use autofill, by song order or randomly, to fill up their Apple branded mobile media players.
And, here is the long and short of what you need to do to use iTunes 8.1 Autofill feature:
1. Connect your iPod to your Mac, fire up iTunes (if it’s not already running), select the iPod’s icon in the iTunes sidebar
2. In iPod management window, click the Summary tab, enable “Manually manage music and videos”
3. Return to iPod icon in the sidebar, click the carrot to reveal its contents and then click “Music”
Do NOT click Autofill yet.
4. In the lower left of the iTunes window, click “Settings” and you will be presented with four options: Replace all items, Choose items randomly, Choose higher rated items more often and the amount of space on your iPod you want to keep open.
5. Now that you’ve configured (and rechecked the settings), go ahead and click Autofill, and marvel at the creamy smooth goodness of your Apple products working seamlessly together.
A tad underdone
“Seriously, while the Autofill feature is most welcome, the method by which you access it is serpentine,” according to Michael E Cohen in TidBits
See also:
— How To: Autofill Your iPhone with Music (iPhone Blog)
— Using Autofill with iTunes 8.1 (Examiner)
Yes, it takes a couple steps to set this feature set up—kind of makes you think Apple hasn’t quite gotten this functionality fully together—but it’s pretty darned handy for on-the-go (and effort challenged) types. So, do dig right in and don’t be shy about sharing this easy to follow “how to” with your friends and don’t forget to sound off in the comments, too…
Related Posts:
March 31st, 2009
This is not Mac news, this is iPhone related and you have a separate section for it. It’s technically not even ‘news’.