Automatically remove unwanted songs from your iPod

Automatically remove unwanted songs from your iPod
This tutorial will show you how to use your iPod to mark songs for automatic deletion so you won't have to remember to do it later. It's the next best thing to having a "delete" button on your iPod. And don't worry this won't delete songs from iTunes, just from your iPod.

Now when you hear a song on your iPod you don't like anymore, you won't have to remember to delete it when you get back to your computer.

This method also comes with some other nifty benefits, I'll describe later on.
 
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Step 1Create two very special playlists

Create two very special playlists
The first playlist we're going to make is for all the music you want to have on your iPod, a good name for this playlist is "For iPod." Then add everything you want to have on your iPod to this playlist. Go nuts!

The second playlist we need is actually a "Smart Playlist" which is a playlist where songs are automatically added based on criteria you set. Create a Smart Playlist by choosing "New Smart Playlist" from the "File" menu. Then setup the Smart Playlist like this:

- "Match 'all' the following rules" should be checked
- The first criteria should be "Playlist is 'For iPod'" (or whatever you named the first playlist)
- The second criteria should be "Rating is not 1-star"
- Make sure "Live updating" is checked and the other two options are unchecked.

It should look pretty much just like the image below.

That's it, click "ok." All that's left is to name it, a good name for this playlist is "Sync iPod." This smart playlist will now contain everything that's in "For iPod" but nothing with a 1-star rating.
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55 comments
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Jul 23, 2011. 11:21 AMcubyrop3 says:
Dont delete Dani California! AWESOME SONG!
Jul 14, 2010. 6:53 PMthatsgenius says:
dude thats not right dani california is a good song along with the song snow.
Apr 10, 2009. 5:59 PMdombeef says:
Hey don't delete Dani California!
May 13, 2008. 5:18 PMrollback says:
Will this work with my Zune?
Feb 12, 2009. 6:19 PMWafflicious says:
if you can use itunes with it and rate songs on it
Aug 11, 2008. 7:04 AMFlumpkins says:
I love my zune! Which one do you have?
Nov 10, 2008. 12:06 PMOwenmon says:
i gotz a 4gig black. though ima get the zune touch when it comes out ( cough http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2008/06/no-zune-phone-but-zune-touch-soon.php cough )
Nov 25, 2008. 3:06 PMmg0930mg says:
COUGH*A copy of the iPod touch*COUGH
Nov 25, 2008. 5:47 PMOwenmon says:
wtf? ipod doesnt own the touch screen idea =P
touch screen mp4s have been around for a LONG time, macentosh fanboys just say ipods own it
Nov 25, 2008. 6:41 PMmg0930mg says:
I didn't say they owned it, just said they had it first is all.
Nov 26, 2008. 7:24 PMOwenmon says:
NO they dident, touch screens have been around for a while, ipods just made them popular =P
Nov 26, 2008. 7:26 PMmg0930mg says:
I meant for an mp3 or mp4 player, not counting phones. I'm not a macintosh fanboy btw. I just wanted the ipod touch 'cuz it seemed cool.
Dec 1, 2008. 6:48 PMOwenmon says:
No, not even for the mp3/4s they've been around seince... i think the first time i saw one was 05' where i-touchs came out around late-07'

and i was'nt calling you a mac fanboy i'm just saying that they do say that crap =o
Nov 10, 2008. 6:13 PMFlumpkins says:
I don't wanna read it, but looks awesome! When does it come out?
Nov 10, 2008. 7:46 PMOwenmon says:
it doesent say =( but it does say that its coming out soon. so mabye christmas? i hope =)
Nov 11, 2008. 12:03 PMFlumpkins says:
Yeah! Me too!
Oct 19, 2008. 3:58 PMOwenmon says:
yea me 2
Oct 20, 2008. 7:18 PMFlumpkins says:
it's great
Aug 11, 2008. 5:43 PMx7319808 says:
30Gig
Aug 11, 2008. 6:48 PMFlumpkins says:
omgomgomg!!! Me too! What color?
Feb 11, 2009. 6:24 PMWafflicious says:
wait if I add everything to my for ipod playlist will i still be able to delete if they are 1 star ?
Feb 12, 2009. 6:18 PMWafflicious says:
nvm figured it out
Feb 11, 2009. 6:24 PMWafflicious says:
so can I still delete stuff on that playlist?
Feb 12, 2009. 6:18 PMWafflicious says:
Very cool! I can't believe I didn't figure this out!
Nov 2, 2008. 11:20 AMmysteryturtle says:
Cool lol thnx for info
Mar 16, 2008. 7:34 AMKlM0 says:
Awesome! I have the iPhone. I will be applying your technique to it this afternoon. Now if you would create a way to unlock and block open my iPhone so I can add software and make any other personal adjustments to my iPhone and my music too :) Thanks again! Cheers, KIMO+
Mar 17, 2008. 7:44 PMMonkeybo1 says:
Actually its called jailbreaking, a quick search on youtube shows tons of wonderful how-to guides.
Aug 22, 2008. 3:06 PMcormac3050 says:
or even an even Quicker scroll to the end of this page
Mar 11, 2008. 4:32 PMrighthandofthedevil says:
thats really cool, thanks for the tip
Mar 5, 2008. 6:47 PMzwhite93 says:
I'm not one who usually cares about voiding warranties, but with an iPod its iffy. You might consider just adding the song to your "on the go" playlist by finding it in the menu and holding down the center button. I have a 3rd generation; do they have this on the newer ones?
Mar 6, 2008. 5:36 PMld3300 says:
How would this void a warranty? It is using iTunes and the iPod exactly as they were designed to be used. It doesn't have anything to do with the iPod, all the work is done in iTunes.
Mar 6, 2008. 6:30 PMzwhite93 says:
I was referring to those recommending installing rockbox. I'm pretty sure thats not kosher, but who knows. I'm not about to go read the legal stuff. Great instructable.
Mar 7, 2008. 1:59 PMicy_tm says:
Rockbox is, as far as I know, within the limits of your warranty. The Apple warranty only says things about modification of hardware, but nothing about installing third-party firmware. Plus, you can always just delete the files and restore the bootloader.
Mar 7, 2008. 2:45 PMzwhite93 says:
Thanks. I didn't realize that. I surrender ;)
Mar 6, 2008. 7:25 PMmtxe says:
If my memory serves me right: You can uninstall Rockbox & it is like it was never installed.
Mar 7, 2008. 9:15 PMRichardBronosky says:
You are sort of correct. You can run the iPod Updater software, on you computer and RockBox will be gone.
Mar 7, 2008. 5:10 AMZujus says:
Really useful , unless you have 160gb ipod like I do.
Mar 7, 2008. 4:07 AMWasagi says:
Dani California Rules! I've got both Stadium Arcadium discs on my IPod!
Mar 7, 2008. 3:36 AMHOMEPIE64 says:
is there any way to record from camcorder directly to ipod without a 100 dollar piece of crap??
Mar 6, 2008. 6:30 PMBluemini says:
very simple and genius

********** 10 out of 5 Stars!!!
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