iFixit - Answers With Device "iPod Classic"

iPod Classic: iPod 6th gen won’t open

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:49:05 -0700

Hello! I’m currently trying to pry open my iPod. I have the tools with me, but it has been a difficult process, I’ve been trying since yesterday. I guess the right side and the bottom are good, but I’m struggling to get the left side. Any tips? Thanks!

iPod Classic: Black screen of death?

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 04:51:48 -0700

Hi you'll, I was installing Rockbox that it crashed.

Now I have the black screen, when I connect to PC, windows bilps and apple USB driver shows on device manager, plus it seams to go to recovery mode when I hold menu+select button but it won't update by itune

If anyone can help please

⟐ Commented November 11, 2025 at 4:51 MST

iPod Classic: Why is my music faint with loud static?

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:50:57 -0700

I’ve had my iPod classic when I was younger, but at a certain point the music would be very faint and there would be loud static. This would happen when I would have headphones on. So I stopped using it back in 2010ish.

So today I’ve pulled the corpse from the grave to see if I can fix it. I had to change the battery since it was swollen, and I’ve changed the audio-jack and hold button component.

I have tested the audio-jack and it still does the same thing, faint music with loud static. Imagine a terrible car stereo with the bass too loud and the actual music barely audible.

I’ve also tried docking it in my car and it sounds great as it should.

I’m not sure what can be wrong with it. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you!

⟐ Commented October 16, 2025 at 19:50 MST

iPod Classic: My iPod says error 1675 even after switching the HDD to SD

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 20:35:07 -0700

I installed rockbox in may 31st, tried to check it out, all of the sudden when i was installing it, my ipod froze and turned off so i tried putting it on DFU, Disk Mode or Diagnostic mode and nothing happened, my itunes cant make a recovery it always says error 1675, did my research and said it was the HDD. decided to replace it today and the same thing pops up on my screen the error 1675. My Ipod was doing great without rockbox until i decided to install it. So i really need help to save my ipod.

⟐ Commented August 10, 2025 at 20:35 MST

iPod Classic: It isimpossible to syncronize with itunes.

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:51:14 -0700

I podclassic is working normally but it is impossible to syncronize with itunes..

iPod Classic: Replacement battery won't charge

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:07:05 -0700

I purchased a replacement battery for my ipod 6th generation from ifixit, installed it, and the ipod turned on fine and had about a half charge - working great. I plugged it in to charge as directed to 100% but it would only charged up to 61%. Now I'm guessing that's actually as much charge as it came with, it never actually added any while I was charging it, because when it wouldn't go above 61%, I thought I'd try running it down to zero as directed. I guess that was foolish because now it won't charge at all so it won't boot - it recognizes that I have plugged it in (if I unplug it, I get the icon directing me to plug back in), but it will not gain charge. So I think probably, while the battery worked to run the ipod, it is not working as far as gaining charge Any suggestions to get it to charge? Could I have damaged it in some way that it ran but would not charge. Or could it be that I need to uninstall it and try again?

iPod Classic: iPod stuck in a Restore loop

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 20:24:15 -0700

I put a 128gb micro SD card in my iPod classic 6th gen. I formatted the card in Windows and everything, I also put a new battery in it as well. When I went to restore the iPod in iTunes it would go through the process but after it reboots it goes right back into disk mode and asks for me to restore it. It does this over and over in a never-ending loop. I have run out of ideas and I need help. I have the latest version of iTunes for Windows 10 and attempted the DFU restore but it wouldn't recognize it in iTunes.

⟐ Edited by author January 05, 2024 at 20:24 MST

iPod Classic: anyone here might have some tips

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 14:34:25 -0700

I had a 6th gen ipod hdd model hs161jq, it seems like it was using ce 18pin adapter. I’ve searched on ebay and google, still no luck. I am wondering if anyone here might have some tips, thank you!

⟐ Commented February 11, 2023 at 14:34 MST

iPod Classic: Replacement screen only displays white light

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 22:33:01 -0700

Hey there. I was in a need to replace the LCD in my A1238 iPod. So I oredered a replacement screen from Aliexpress. To my despair, after connecting the new part all it displayed was white light. I thought perhaps this one was faulty so I ordered another one, this time from eBay. When it came, I installed it only to see the same white screen. After taking a closer look it turned out those LCDs are identical. Now I am aware that chinese counterfeit parts cannot be trusted but still it’s hard for me to assume ALL of them are broken. I’m attaching the photo of the replacement part (on the right) next to the original one (it also had a blue sticker on the circuit board). The printed boards are different. Can anyone tell if I can do something to make one of the LCDs work?

⟐ Commented November 29, 2021 at 22:33 MST

iPod Classic: Why does it click off after being plugged in?

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:15:55 -0700

So a few months ago my iPod stopped working, it wouldn’t charge, so I replaced the battery, and then it worked for a few weeks. It stopped working again, so I gave up, but now I’m revisiting it. I put it in dfu mode to restore it, and now if I plug it into my mac, it continues to say charging… please wait. When I plug it into the wall it turns on fine, then clicks off! I’ll attach a video of it doing this. Anyone have any ideas of what’s going on?

https://youtu.be/IVtK3HG90FU

iPod Classic: Snapped my battery connector

Thu, 20 May 2021 11:43:02 -0700

So I managed to snap the battery connector on my iPod board 820-2437-a. The issue I have is that I managed to get 4 of the 5 connectors back on the board (mix of soldering and hot air station). Now one pad did rip off and I couldn’t trace it back to where it connects to on the board. I was wondering if anyone know where that trace went.

Now before you reply, know that I’ve tried scouring the web and even iFixit forums. The closest I’ve gotten is The Brown connector broken.. but that is for a Gen 5 so the board layout isn’t the same. I used an image from that thread to point out which pad I am looking to trace:

iPod Classic: Won't turn on or charge despite having brand new battery, Any fixes?

Wed, 19 May 2021 08:47:51 -0700

I have had the iPod for ages, my dad owned it before me. It hasn’t worked for a few years now and I recently purchased a new battery for it. I fitted the battery hoping that it would turn on or charge but alas nothing. When I first opened it I had noticed that the original battery’s ribbon cable was not slotted into the slot on the logic board. The connector looks ok to my untrained eye. I have tried charging it through my computer, a 5v charger and one of the slightly large iPad chargers but nothing. It’s a Slate grey 160GB. Anyone have any idea on what the cause might be?

iPod Classic: iPod wont work. Stuck in locked. Wont restore. Formatting doesnt work.

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 20:32:00 -0700

It will not start up. I have tried formatting it in NTFC, FAT32, Nothing. I have tried restoring it using a mac, nothing. It always goes to an apple logo, a static screen, reboots to recovery mode. Please help.

iPod Classic: Need to know where to run wire for damaged battery connection trace

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:42:35 -0700

One of the traces from the battery connection was ripped off to the point on the board where it transitions to the other side. (Red circle in photo.) I think it goes to 5V (NOM)FROM USBCABLE VBUS on the LTC4066. Is that correct? I am not 100% sure and i don’t want to just guess and fry the board. I did fix the other part of the trace going up in the photo but I need both for it to work. I cannot find any reference to the pinouts for the battery connector. It currently works only when I have my external battery connected so I would like to fix this and reduce the size of the device I’m carrying.

⟐ Edited by author March 19, 2021 at 0:42 MST

iPod Classic: iPod unresponsive totally dead

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 09:32:49 -0700

Ipod will not turn on, will not reset will not charge

iPod Classic: iPod's headphone and hard drive's connectors to logic board broke

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 15:16:15 -0700

Hello! I need some help with next steps for my iPod Classic repair (This is my first foray into this kind of thing). I had opened up my iPod to replace the headphone jack/hold switch, and a couple things went wrong:

1. The headphone’s ribbon-cable connector to the logic board (1A, pictured below) snapped off its place on the logic board (1B). I was trying to open up that connector, to free the ribbon, but instead the whole piece came off. Where might I find a new connector (the tiny black clip) and how would I reconnect it and the ribbon to the logic board?

I’m guessing I need to solder; it’d be a new skill for me, but I’m willing to learn. If someone knows of clear instructions for a newb, let me know.

2. When I opened up the iPod Classic, I was too forceful, and the hard drive’s cable ribbon (2A) tore from its place in the logic board (2B). How would I open up its clip/connector to the logic board and re-connect the hard drive cable ribbon?

iPod Classic: FIt a iPod Classic 6th gen in a 5th gen housing

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 12:55:39 -0700

Hi there, I searched a lot for this thing but I didn’t find any complete answer to my doubt.

I own a iPod Classic 80GB 6th Gen. I wanted to mod the device in order to make it prettier and better working (for instance by removing the HDD and put a iFlash board into it.

But coming to my question, I wanted to install a transparent faceplate over it. I tried to search a transparent one for the classic but it’s impossible to find it at a fair price (the only one I managed to find is a item from an american website but because I live in Europe it will cost me lots of money in duties taxes etc). The cheapest one I found is a transparent faceplate for the iPod 5th gen video.

So my question is: could I fit the internal components of a iPod 6th gen (jack, battery, screen, mainboard, metal frame, front buttons) into a 5th gen complete housing (both front and back)?

Thanks in advance.

⟐ Commented February 09, 2021 at 12:55 MST

iPod Classic: My iPod classic 6 battery does not charge beyond certain point...

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:37:32 -0700

Hi!

I recently flash modded my iPod classic 6th gen (80gb) with a CF card to 128gb. Since they are pretty frustrating to open, I also replaced the battery. Since then it only charges from my computer (i used several original chargers). That isn’t a very big deal… And I also don't think this has anything to do with my real issue.

My real problem is my new battery. It does not seem to charge beyond a certain point. It charges until it’s at ‘'almost empty’'. The icon stays on the charging symbol, but every time I unplug the charger, the battery is still almost empty. I don’t know why this is.

I just tried factory resetting but it doesn’t seem to help.

Can someone please help me!

Anything will help!

Thanks in advance!

iPod Classic: I cant get my battery replacement to be propperly charged

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:53:43 -0700

Hi everyone,

I’m new in this forum, hoping you can help me.

The point is that i’m changing the old battery of my ipod classic (160Gb), because the old one doesn’t last enough anymore. I got a 850mA one and a big chungus 3000mA one aswell, and I’ve tried both separately. Once installed, I’d charce the ipod for long enough, but on use, it keeps lastying as little as with the old one…

I was wondering maybe its a matter of the HDD, and in case it’s not like that, it could be something about the motherboard…What do you guys think?

Thank you in advance

⟐ Commented January 26, 2021 at 10:53 MST

iPod Classic: iPod Classic battery indicator brocken

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 08:01:45 -0700

After swapping the battery of my IPod Classic (6th Gen 80GB) with one from iFixit, there were some problems with the battery indicator:

-the battery status is not always correct

-The battery status is only updated after a restart

-the iPod is actually charging at the outlet but you can only see when it is connected to the PC

I have already tried to calibrate the battery (charge to 100%, then make it completely empty and then recharge it again to 100%), this helped for a short time but when the battery was empty after a while the problem started all over again. I would like to sell the iPod but now I'm very unsure because I don't want to sell a defective product. Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be? I would be very happy if someone could help me :)