How to Check Your iPod's Generation

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Knowing the generation or model of your iPod helps in finding replacement parts, checking specifications, buying accessories, hacking and reselling to name just a few.

Steps

Original iPods

1. Identify a 1st Generation iPod:
   
   • A monochrome screen.
     
   • A scroll wheel that physically turns.
     
   • Control buttons placed around the scroll wheel
     
   • Either 5 or 10GB capacity.
     
   • A firewire connection.
     
   • Only in white.
     
   
   
2. Identify a 2nd Generation iPod:
   
   • The scroll wheel replaced with a touch wheel (no physical movement), otherwise identical to generation 1.
     
   
   
3. Identify a 3rd Generation iPod:
   
   • A monochrome screen.
     
   • A touch wheel.
     
   • Control buttons in a row directly below the screen.
     
   • The fireWire port has a cover.
     
   • The Dock Connector port was introduced.
     
   • 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 GB capacities.
     
   
   
4. Identify a 4th Generation iPod:
   
   • A monochrome screen.
     
   • A touch wheel.
     
   • The hold switch is on the top right side.
     
   
   
5. Identify a 5th Generation iPod:
   
   • Check if it plays movies. Known as the Video iPod or iPod Video, if your iPod plays movies it is a fifth generation iPod.
     
   • A large "wide-screen" color display.
     
   • A click wheel.
     
   • Uses USB for synching.
     
   • Only available in black and white.
     
   
   
6. Identify the 80GB iPod 5.5:
   
   • An 80GB hard drive.
     
   • Look for a very large, wide-screen color display.
     
   • A click Wheel.
     
   • Can display photos and videos.
     
   • Uses USB for synching.
     
   • Only available in black and white.
     
   • You can distinguish the new 80 gig version from the original 5th generation by the serial number. 80 gig versions have serial numbers ending in:
     
     • V9K
       
     • V9P
       
     • V9M
       
     • V9R
       
     • V9L
       
     • V9N
       
     • V9Q
       
     • V9S
       
     • WU9
       
     • WUA
       
     • WUB
       
     • WUC
       
     • X3N
       
     
     
   
   

Ipod Minis

1. Identify a 1st Generation iPod Mini:
   
   • A monochrome screen.
     
   • The hold switch is on the top left side.
     
   • A click wheel.
     
   • The button labels are on the click wheel itself.
     
   • Available in multiple colors.
     
   • No shiny underside.
     
   • USB 2.0 to Dock Connector cable
     
   • 4 GB Capacity.
     
   
   
2. Identify a 2nd Generation iPod Mini:
   
   • The drive size is laser etched on the back.
     
   • The click wheel text color matches iPods color.
     
   • 4 and 6 gig
     
   
   

Ipod Nanos

1. Identify a 1st Generation iPod Nano:
   
   • 
     
   
   
2. Smaller than an iPod Mini.
   
   • A click wheel.
     
   • A color screen.
     
   • Very thin.
     
   • Has a shiny underside.
     
   • The dock connector and headphone jack are on the underside.
     
   • Synching with USB 2 and not firewire.
     
   • Available in only black and white.
     
   • Uses internal flash memory and not a hard drive.
     
   • Lyrics support.
     
   
   
3. Identify a 2nd Generation iPod Nano:
   
   • No shiny underside.
     
   • An anodized aluminum case.
     
   • Available in six colors.
     
   • A brighter screen than first generation.
     
   • A longer battery life.
     
   • A music search function.
     
   • Rounded edges
     
   
   

Ipod Shuffles

1. Identify a 1st Generation iPod Shuffle:
   
   • No display.
     
   • LED lights on the front and the back.
     
   • The drive capacity is engraved on the front USB connector.
     
   • Smaller than the iPod mini.
     
   • Only in white.
     
   
   
2. Identify a 2nd Generation iPod Shuffle:
   
   • Has a clip on the back.
     
   • Is either silver, green, orange, pink or blue.
     
   • Is about matchbox-sized.
     
   
   

Other iPods

1. Identify an iPod Photo:
   
   • Resembles a 4th Generation iPod.
     
   • Boasts a color screen.
     
   • Displays photographs.
     
   
   

Tips

• iPod Photos and the color 4G iPods have no differences in design, apart from hard drive size.
  

Warnings

• If you iPod is not made by Apple Computer, or by HP, then it is not an iPod, even if it looks like one.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Format an iPod Mini Before Selling It
  
• How to Choose an iPod
  
• How to Put YouTube Videos on Your iPod Without Any Software
  
• How to Trade in an iPod to the NextWorth iPod Exchange
  
• How to Fix an Ipod Touch Wheel
  

Sources and Citations

• http://ipodlinux.org/Generations — IPod Generations for Linux Installs
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPod_model_numbers — iPod Model Numbers
  
• http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61688 — Apple's Official Guide to IPod Generations Page
  

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