iTunes and iPod: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about syncing photos

What sources can iTunes sync from?
iTunes 4.7 and later for Mac OS X can sync from:

• iPhoto 4.0.3 or later
• A selected folder of photos

iTunes 4.7 and later for Windows can sync from:

• Adobe Photoshop Album 1.0
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0
• A selected folder of photos

Note: You cannot select a folder to which you do not have write access, like a CD. Later versions of Adobe Photoshop Album are not compatible. iTunes will only present the option to select a folder if a later versions is installed.

How much hard drive space do I need to sync my photos?
You need to have about as much free space on your hard drive as the size of your collection of photos. iTunes constructs a photo database on your hard drive in order to make photo syncing fast when you add new photos in the future.

What file formats can I sync to my iPod?
See iPod: Compatible photo formats for a list of file formats that can be used.

Can I sync my photos to my iPod manually?
You can't drag individual photos or groups of photos to the iPod like you can with music files in iTunes, but you can choose how you want them to be synchronized (see below) by selecting the correct options:

iTunes 7 or later:

1. Connect your iPod to your computer.
2. Select the iPod icon when it appears in the iTunes window (below devices).
3. If the Photos pane does not show, click the Photos tab.
4. Select your photo syncing options.

In iTunes 6.0.5 or earlier:

1. Connect your iPod to your computer.
2. Select Preferences from the iTunes menu (Macintosh) or Edit menu (Windows).
3. Select iPod.
4. Select Photos.
5. Select your photo syncing options.

The syncing options include:

• If you use iPhoto 4.0.3 or later in Mac OS X, you can have iTunes automatically sync all of your photos and albums or just certain albums every time you connect your iPod.


• If you are using Adobe Photoshop Elements versions 3.0 or later, you can sync all of your photos or just certain collections of photos.


• If you are using Adobe Photoshop SE in Windows, you can sync either all of your photos or certain collections of photos. If you are using Adobe Photoshop Album SE in Windows, you can only sync all of your photos.

  Note: While Photoshop Album allows you to sync only certain collections, Photoshop Album SE does not allow you to assign collection tags that are required for this to work.

• If you are not using any of the above applications, you can sync all of the photos in a selected folder, or only photos in specific folders inside the selected folder. Folders inside the selected folder will be displayed as photo albums on the iPod, but not subfolders beneath them.

Can I add photos from multiple computers or user accounts to one iPod?
No, adding photos can only happen from one computer or user account.

Can I sync photos from my iPod to another computer?
No, all photo syncing is one way only, from computer to iPod. You can put full-quality copies of all your photos on the iPod in the options available in the Photos pane. Then drag the full-quality photos out of the Photos folder on an iPod that has disk mode enabled to any other computer.

What does it mean when "Optimizing for iPod" appears in iTunes and what happens if I cancel?
iTunes creates TV-quality versions of your photos and stores them in a database on your computer. This makes it much faster when you add new photos to your iPod later. If you cancel this optimization, the photos are not added to the iPod.