How to use multiple iPods, iPads, or iPhones with one computer

Method One

Do you want to use more than one iPod, iPad, or iPhone with the same computer? You can! In fact there are a few ways you can do it.

If you share your computer with other people, you can maintain separate user accounts for each person who uses the computer. This is useful especially if each user has different tastes in music or other media; users can maintain separate, personalized iTunes libraries and can customize their devices' sync settings accordingly.

Mac OS X users:

Learn how to set up additional user accounts.

Windows users:

Look in your computer's Help documentation to learn how to set up additional user accounts. To locate this information:

1. Click the Start Menu, and then click Help or Help and Support.
2. Enter "new user" in the Search field.
3. Press Return.

If you create multiple user accounts on one computer but want the same media to be available in iTunes for all users, see iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer.

Method Two

You may use multiple devices on a computer without the need to create multiple user accounts. To do this, you can set iTunes to update each device with only certain playlists. This method allows you to put all your music on, say, your iPod and keep your iPod shuffle updated with only your workout music. Here's how to do this with iTunes:

1. Create new iTunes playlists that contain all the music that you want to sync to each device.
2. Learn how to sync your device.

Note: iTunes for Windows does not support syncing multiple iPod devices at the same time.

Method Three

Create a separate iTunes library for each device. Note: It is important that you make a new iTunes Library file. Do not just make a copy of your existing iTunes Library file. If iTunes is open, quit it.

1. Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes.
   Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
2. In the dialog that appears, click Create Library.
3. Name and save the alternate library file. iTunes opens with your brand new library file.
4. Open iTunes Preferences. Choose iTunes > Preferences (Mac) or Edit > Preferences (Windows).
5. Click the Advanced tab.
6. Deselect the "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" checkbox if it is already selected and click OK. This will prevent iTunes from creating duplicates of your existing media files in the new library folder.
   
7. Add the specific media files you want on your device to iTunes either by dragging them into iTunes or choosing File > Add to Library (Mac) or File > Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library (Windows).
8. Once you have the iTunes Library just how you want it, connect and sync your device.
9. Once the sync is complete, quit iTunes.
10. Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes.
    Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
11. Click Choose library.
12. Choose your original iTunes Library and click Choose (Mac Users) or Open (Windows Users). You can now switch back and forth between the different libraries for different devices.

Additional Information

The above information pertains to syncing music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and other media content. 

Find more information about syncing contacts and calendars to iPod.

Find more information about syncing contacts and calendars to iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.