Browse albums and tracks, play music, edit metadata, and sync your library. FLAC, artwork, video, photos, podcasts, and audiobooks.
Free and open source for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Add FLAC and other unsupported audio. iOpenPod converts it with FFmpeg, caches the result, and writes an iPod-ready copy.
iOpenPod prepares unsupported video and photos for the formats and sizes your iPod expects. No HandBrake pass. No manual resizing.
See additions, removals, artwork, metadata, and storage use before syncing. Device snapshots give you a way back.
Subscribe, set retention, track listened status, and add episodes to an iPod.
Send play history to ListenBrainz or Last.FM during sync.
Manage standard playlists or build smart playlists with filters, live updating, limits, and sort order.
Read play counts, ratings, and skip counts from the iPod and sync them back to your PC metadata where supported.
Copy files directly to the iPod without using the full sync workflow.
Change cover art, inspect iPod artwork, and write device compatible files.
Music, audiobooks, podcasts, videos, and photos all work.
Set the encoder, bitrate, lossless mode, sample rate, and spoken-word output.
Browse snapshots by device and restore only when the connected iPod matches.
| Device | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iPod "Classic" (all generations 1st-7th) | Supported | |
| iPod Mini (all generations 1st and 2nd) | Supported | |
| iPod Nano (all generations 1st-7th) | Supported | |
| iPod Shuffle | Planned | Shuffle uses a different database structure. ETA ~4 mo. |
| iPod Touch | Not planned | Touch requires non-file-system device protocols. |
Use pip, pipx, or uv tool. After install, run iopenpod.
pipInstalls iOpenPod into your current Python environment.
Upgrade with python -m pip install --upgrade iopenpod.
pipxCreates an isolated app environment and exposes the iopenpod command.
Upgrade with pipx upgrade iopenpod.
uv toolIf you already use uv, this gives you the same isolated app-style install.
Upgrade with uv tool upgrade iopenpod.
Native builds do not need Python.
| Platform | File | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | iOpenPod-Windows.zip | Extract the archive and run iOpenPod.exe. |
| macOS | iOpenPod-macOS.zip | Extract the archive and run iOpenPod.app. You may need to allow the app in System Settings. |
| Linux (recommended) | iOpenPod-Linux-x86_64.AppImage | Run chmod a+x ./iOpenPod-Linux-x86_64.AppImage, then launch the AppImage. |
| Linux (Arch-based) | iopenpod (AUR) | Install from the AUR. |
| Linux (tarball) | iOpenPod-Linux.tar.gz | Extract the archive and run ./iOpenPod. |
| Linux (Flatpak) | iOpenPod-Linux.flatpak | If present on the release, install with Flatpak. |
Need setup help? Open the Install Help page.
Python package installs need Python 3.11+. If iopenpod is not on your PATH, run pipx ensurepath for pipx or uv tool update-shell for uv tool.
Update with the same tool you used to install it.
Install FFmpeg with ffprobe for transcoding and media probing, and Chromaprint for acoustic fingerprinting during sync.
If Linux throws a Qt xcb error, install the XCB runtime packages listed on the Install Help page.
uv sync installs dependencies into a local virtual environment. FFmpeg with ffprobe and Chromaprint are needed for full sync functionality.
iOpenPod is a modern, actively maintained replacement for gtkpod, YamiPod, CopyPod, and EphPod.
Older iTunes alternatives often depend on the abandoned libgpod C library. iOpenPod uses a custom pure-Python parsing engine instead, which avoids libgpod warnings and checksum corruption issues on newer iPods.
Linux, Windows, and macOS builds are fully featured and free, without sponsorship walls or paywalls.
Pre-sync change review and automatic device snapshot backups help keep your iPod database from being corrupted or wiped during a transfer.
Install iOpenPod from PyPI with pip, pipx, or uv tool, or download a native release build. Launch it, connect your iPod as a mounted drive, choose your media folders, review the changes, and apply the sync plan.
PyPI installs require Python 3.11 or newer. Native builds do not need a separate Python install.
Yes. iOpenPod converts unsupported audio and video formats to iPod-compatible output during sync. FFmpeg with ffprobe is required for transcoding and media probing.
No. iOpenPod is a distinct, active, modern open-source iPod management tool and is not affiliated with OpenPod.io or OpenPod.
iOpenPod is a modern replacement for abandoned iPod managers like gtkpod, YamiPod, CopyPod, and EphPod. If you are coming from Strawberry or Clementine, iOpenPod avoids libgpod dependency errors, stays free on Linux, Windows, and macOS, and adds safer sync review with automatic device snapshot backups.
Yes. iOpenPod supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. PyPI installs are recommened, and native builds are available for easy install.
No. iOpenPod shows the changes before writing anything, and backs up your database before every sync.
Yes. Drag and drop files into iOpenPod and they go straight to your iPod. No sync setup needed.
No. iOpenPod reads the existing iTunesDB on your iPod and shows what is already on it. You can browse, edit, and add tracks without touching the current library. Sync only changes what you approve in the review step.
Make sure the iPod is mounted as a drive and visible in File Explorer, Finder, or your Linux file manager. If it still is not working, open an issue with your iPod model, OS, and iopenpod.log.
To find the log in iOpenPod, open Settings > Storage, then click Open next to Log Location.
Open Settings > Storage, then click Open next to Log Location. Attach iopenpod.log when reporting a bug.
Yes for full sync functionality. FFmpeg with ffprobe is required for transcoding and media probing, and Chromaprint is required for acoustic fingerprinting during sync.
iOpenPod takes a full snapshot of your iPod's database before every sync begins. If anything goes wrong, open the Backups panel and restore the previous snapshot with one click.
Only when you trigger it. That covers update checks, scrobbling, and podcast searches. Nothing runs in the background, and there is no telemetry.
Yes. The fingerprint-to-database mapping lives on the iPod itself, so the device carries its own identity. Each PC re-fingerprints its local library on first sync, then matches against what is already on the device.
Not currently. iPod Touch uses non-file-system device protocols instead of the iTunesDB-style storage used by classic iPods.
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