iOpenPod: Free iPod Manager and iTunes Alternative

Your music. Your iPod.

The target devices are filesystem-accessible **iPod classic, iPod mini, iPod nano, and earlier full-size iPods**. Audio, video, photo, and podcast capabilities depend on the model. Media conversion uses separately installed FFmpeg and FFprobe. See iPod compatibility before getting started.

Website · Install help · iPod guides · Discord · Support development

!iOpenPod album library with album artwork and the selected album track list

Download and install

Native downloads for Windows, macOS, and Linux are available on the latest release page. Choose your platform below; these downloads do not require a separate Python installation. See the installation guide for setup and troubleshooting.

| Platform | Latest release assets | Installation | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Windows x64 | Windows x86\_64 ZIP | Extract iOpenPod.exe and run it. | | macOS · Apple Silicon | macOS arm64 DMG | Open the image and drag iOpenPod.app to Applications. | | macOS · Intel | macOS x86\_64 DMG | Open the image and drag iOpenPod.app to Applications. | | Linux x64 | Linux x86\_64 tar.gz | Extract the complete folder and run its top-level iOpenPod launcher. |

On Windows, keep the file name as iOpenPod.exe and place it in a folder you can write to on a fixed NTFS drive for in-app updates. Windows users can also install through Microsoft Store.

On macOS, launch from Applications after copying the app and ejecting the DMG. The build targets macOS 12.3 or later. Current downloads are ad-hoc signed and not notarized. Follow the Mac setup guide for first-launch approval in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Choose a DMG to install; the ZIPs labeled sparkle-update are reserved for the built-in updater.

On Linux, extract into a folder you can write to, preserve executable permissions, and keep the whole iOpenPod folder together. Always start its top-level launcher, including after an update. The binary is built on Ubuntu 24.04 and requires glibc 2.39 or later plus desktop libraries.

If Linux does not launch the app, run its top-level launcher from a terminal to see the startup error. For device-access problems, the Device Picker includes the underlying error. Settings → About shows a copyable log file path even if Open Log Folder fails. The default Linux log is ~/.local/state/iOpenPod/iopenpod.log, or $XDG_STATE_HOME/iOpenPod/iopenpod.log when XDG_STATE_HOME is configured; a custom log setting takes precedence.

Linux device selection also validates that persistent Host recovery storage is separate from the selected iPod. Unsupported or incomplete storage layouts are blocked with a diagnostic. Btrfs recovery is supported when every member device can be verified as separate from the iPod; loop-backed recovery remains unsupported. See the backing-storage contract and Btrfs recovery support for supported layouts and remaining Linux acceptance work.

Mac App Store, Flathub, and Snap Store remain planned. Check the website for channel availability.

Updating a GitHub installation

iOpenPod checks for updates at launch. You can also use **Settings → About → Check for updates**. About shows your current version and Install Channel.

• Windows and Linux: choose Update now to download the update, then

• macOS: choose Update now after saving your work, then follow the built-in

Installation requires your choice. If an older build only offers **Open download page**, or cannot update itself, install the latest download from above manually. Older Linux directory bundles should be replaced by extracting the new archive into a fresh folder. Microsoft Store installations update through the Store.

Install from PyPI with uv

First install uv, then run:

uv tool install iopenpod

Launch the app with iopenpod. For updates, choose Update now, then Restart to install in the app. Or manually run

uv tool upgrade iopenpod

Media tools

FFmpeg and FFprobe are installed separately for media conversion and inspection. Chromaprint's fpcalc is optional, installed separately, and enables acoustic matching during Sync.

The startup popup or Settings → Media Tools → Set Up Media Tools can install missing tools after you choose Install Missing Tools. Native setup uses WinGet, Homebrew, or a supported Linux package manager.

What you can do

• Albums, artists, genres, and tracks. Browse artwork, search your collection,

• Playlists and Smart Playlists. Arrange tracks, organize playlist folders,

• Click wheel games and Phase. Install the full preserved game collection

• Automatic media conversion. Convert audio and video when needed and prepare

• Playback and Synesthesia. Listen to supported tracks with desktop media

• Photos. Browse Photo Albums, inspect device-sized images, and export retained

• Podcasts. Find shows, manage subscriptions, and refresh feeds and artwork.

• Scrobbling. Optionally submit iPod music plays to Last.fm and ListenBrainz.

• Backup Snapshots. Capture, browse, annotate, export, and restore local backups.

• Appearance and conversion settings. Choose light, dark, or system appearance

Library edits save automatically by default. Enable Draft all changes to review and save those edits together. Sync always has its own selection and review flow.

| Track metadata | Track artwork | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | !Edit Track dialog with title, artist, album, genre, composer, and track metadata | !Edit Track artwork tab with cover art and controls to choose or clear artwork |

| Smart Playlists | Backup Snapshots | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | !Smart Playlist editor with rules for music released before 2000 | !Backups page with saved Backup Snapshots and restore actions for the selected iPod |

!Audio transcoding settings for encoder, bitrate, lossless conversion, and spoken-word media

Click wheel games and Phase

Install click wheel games without a virtual machine

Start with one click on Install Games in the Games page. iOpenPod downloads the full preserved click wheel game collection and prepares game authorization for your iPod. Choose Select all → Add to install the collection, or pick individual games. No virtual machine is required.

The first download needs an internet connection; later visits reuse the files on your computer. Game compatibility depends on your iPod model and firmware.

!Games page showing installed click wheel games and the Install Games button

Make a Phase Playlist from your music

With Phase installed, create a Phase Playlist or mark an existing playlist with Use as the Phase Playlist. Add your songs and save. iOpenPod generates the audio analysis the game uses to turn your music into gameplay, and reuses matching analysis on later saves.

The analyzer detects beats and musical attacks, with an emphasis on audible percussion. With the optional music analysis model installed, it also separates estimated vocals, drums, guitar, bass, piano, and other sounds, and recognizes recurring musical phrases. These help it follow the rhythm and prominent parts of a song. Acoustic analysis works without the optional model. Use **Settings → Media Tools → Set Up Phase Analysis** to download optional instrument analysis; setup can use several gigabytes. If optional analysis cannot run, iOpenPod uses acoustic analysis. Audio decoding uses your configured FFmpeg executable.

!Phase Playlist with its game icon, track list, and Phase banner

How to use

1. Connect your iPod and select it in the device picker. Your operating system

1. Capture a Backup Snapshot of the data you want to preserve.
2. Choose Sync with Host, add media folders, and select what to scan.
3. Select your media, then review additions, updates, and removals. Removal

1. Sync Selected prepares compatible media and publishes verified changes.

Optional acoustic matching helps recognize the same recording after format or metadata changes. Sync can also recognize media from a previous successful Sync without generating a new fingerprint.

| Media folders | Sync selection | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | !Choose Media Folders dialog with per-folder media types and subfolder scanning | !Sync media selection with albums grouped as selected, mixed, and deselected |

!Sync Review with selected additions, unchecked removals, and items needing attention

iPod compatibility

iOpenPod targets these iPod families. Available features depend on the model.

| Family | Target | | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | iPod and iPod classic | Full-size generations 1–5.5 and the classic family | | iPod mini | 1st and 2nd generation | | iPod nano | 1st–7th generation |

iPod shuffle, iPod touch, and iPhone are not yet supported. The computer must already be able to read and write the iPod’s filesystem.

Guides for your iPod

• Sync an iPod without iTunes

• Check iPod compatibility

• Put FLAC music on an iPod

• Troubleshoot an iPod that is not detected

!Photo Library with the Manage Albums dialog and selected photo inspector

Develop and contribute

Clone the repository, open its directory, and use the locked UV environment:

uv sync --locked
uv run python scripts/prepare_qt_typing.py
uv run iopenpod

The typing preparation command gives Pylance and Mypy the same corrected Qt 6.9.3 annotations on macOS without replacing the runtime. Run it after syncing or recreating the environment; VS Code's Environment: Sync and Typecheck: Mypy tasks include it. Newer Qt versions use their bundled stubs. See development typing for details and remaining platform diagnostics.

Before submitting changes, run the repository checks:

uv lock --check
uv run ruff format --check .
uv run ruff check .
uv run rumdl check .
uv run mypy
uv run pytest

Full-suite runs use eight workers with whole-file scheduling by default, including uv run pytest tests and uv run pytest . from the repository root. A focused test path, -k, -m, --lf, or collection-only run defaults to serial. Add -n8 to parallelize a focused run; use -n0 only when diagnosing a failure. CI and VS Code inherit the same default. See the test scheduling decision.

Hardware testing, platform testing, reproducible bug reports, and focused pull requests all help. For bug reports, include your iPod model, operating system, iOpenPod version, and steps to reproduce the problem.

Keep each pull request focused on one change. Discuss proposed work in an issue or on Discord before starting, especially for major changes, so we can agree on the approach.

The application ships as one distribution with four internal boundaries:

| Package | Responsibility | | --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | src/iOpenPod | Application workflows, state, and GUI | | src/device_registry | iPod identity and capabilities | | src/iPodDB | iPod database formats | | src/storage | Safe filesystem and removable-media operations |

Read AGENTS.md, the project context, and the documentation map before making substantial changes. Packaging covers native builds and store release gates; website maintenance covers screenshots and channel activation.

Related projects

• libgpod - C library for iPod database access (the reference implementation this project learned from)

• gtkpod - GTK+ iPod manager

• Rockbox - Open-source firmware replacement for iPods

Coming from iTunes or another iPod manager?

iOpenPod works with the library on your iPod and media folders on your computer. Start by browsing the existing library and capturing a Backup Snapshot, then choose what to bring over in Sync Review.

• No separate libgpod installation. iOpenPod uses its own Python iPod database

• All features are free. Donations support development without unlocking features.

• Review before writing. Sync shows planned changes, with removals unchecked by

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Star history

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Support

iOpenPod is free and open source. Donations are optional and help support development.

Licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later. All features are free; optional donations support development without unlocking features. See LICENSE, COPYING.md, and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.md for the license grant and third-party credits, including HASHAB, libgpod, and gtkpod research. The application icon has separate permission terms documented with its assets.

Special thanks to Dylan Staley (@dstaley) for the HASHAB WebAssembly implementation used by iOpenPod.

Thanks to dotm5 and their Genius-Mix-Research repository for helping us understand native Genius Data.

Thanks to Olsro for organizing and preserving iPod click wheel games through the iPod Clickwheel Games Preservation Project. iOpenPod's game binary downloads are sourced from this repository.

Independent software, not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple Inc. iPod and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc.