Adding Music to an iPod / iPhone Whose Storage Capacity is Full

iPod's often last so long they run out of space for new music and videos.  The same thing can happen with older smartphones being recycled as music players when new smartphones replace them.  Trying to sync up newly purchased music only to find out the device has run out of space is frustrating, but there is a way to add new music to an iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone whose storage capacity is full.

Connect the iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone to the computer or laptop with iTunes installed using a USB cable.  If iTunes does not automatically start, open iTunes.  Click on the name of the connected device in the left panel under Devices.  Click on the "Music" tab at the top of the right pane.  Check the box to "Sync Music" if it is not checked.  This will show if there is enough space to sync music in the storage capacity meter at the bottom.  

In this example the storage meter shows syncing cannot occur because the amount of music to sync is more than the iPod's storage capacity.  To add new music, click the radio button under sync music to sync "Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres".  Once selected, a list of all the playlists and artists in iTunes will be displayed.

Place check boxes next to each playlist and or artist name to sync this music to the device making sure to select the new music.  Continue to scroll down each list making selections until all desired selections have been made.  As each each new selection is made, the storage capacity meter adjusts to represent the selections added.  NOTE:  Some selections will not adjust the storage capacity meter.  This happens when an artist, album, or song has already been calculated in the storage capacity because it was added by a playlist.  Songs can be added twice, as part of an album and a playlist, but this will not double the storage used for that song.

Once all selections are made, click the "Apply" button.  This will sync the iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone with the new music selections.  Disconnect the device once the sync utility finishes.  Open Music on the iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone to verify the correct playlists and or artists were synced to the device.  

No matter how often new music is purchased, syncing it to an iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone device is frustrating if the device runs out of storage space.  However, by selecting specific playlists and artists to sync, new music can still be added to these devices which prolongs the use and life of these devices.

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