Can't transfer videos to iPod
Symptoms
If you see the error message below, iTunes has detected that one or more of the videos being synced from your iTunes Library are not in the correct format to be played on iPod.
Products Affected
iTunes Store, iPod nano, iTunes, iPod
Resolution
iTunes can play a wide variety of video formats; however video-capable iPod models only play videos in specific formats. Any music video, TV show, or movie purchased from the iTunes Store is designed to play on the iPod and can be easily synced with iTunes 8 or later.
Note: iPod cannot play HD content. All HD purchases from the iTunes Store include an iPod-compatible SD video, and HD video for your computer or Apple TV. When syncing an HD purchase from the iTunes Store, iTunes will automatically sync the SD video.
Video podcasts
Even if you download video podcasts from iTunes, individual video podcast authors usually provide video podcasts, and in some cases, these podcasts may not play on the iPod. If the podcast is correctly encoded however, it will sync to the iPod without issue.
Other video sources
If you did not purchase videos from the iTunes Store, they are typically not in a format that you can play on the iPod. In many cases, you can convert them to the correct format using iTunes 8 or later or with QuickTime 7 Pro. To convert your movie to a compatible format follow one of the procedures below:
- Verifying iTunes video conversion and iPod or iPhone video syncing using sample QuickTime files
- Creating Video for iPod tutorial using QuickTime 7 Pro
If you're using a Mac with QuickTime 7.0.4 or later installed, you can use iMovie and other applications to export a movie to a format supported by the iPod and then add it your iTunes Library. Refer to Exporting a movie from iMovie HD to iPod for an iMovie HD tutorial.
Additional Information
For additional information on playing and syncing videos to iPod refer to the following:
- QuickTime: Sample files
- iTunes: Frequently asked questions about playing and syncing videos to iPod
- iPod plays video but not audio of some exported files
Important: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute Apple’s recommendation or endorsement. Please contact the vendor for additional information.