# Can I charge my iPod on any computer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 13, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464 "2006-04-13T01:13:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Survey1215](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Survey1215](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survey1215)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464/1 "2006-04-13T01:13:02Z")

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I have a 30g iPod and am going on a trip w/o my computer and its iTunes. Can I use my usb cable to plug into a different machine just to charge it or will that louse things up? thanks!

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**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464/2 "2006-04-13T01:25:59Z")

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Should be no problem - I was just playing stuff from my iPod on my little brother’s computer half an hour ago, and the machine recognizes each iPod separately.

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**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464/3 "2006-04-13T01:36:40Z")

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Yes.Both USB and FireWire pass power, and don’t particularly care what the device is that’s asking for power.

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**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464/4 "2006-04-13T01:58:44Z")

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You can also charge it from a wall outlet if you have a cradle or an adapter.

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**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464/5 "2006-04-13T08:34:24Z")

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> [@Survey1215](#):
>
> I have a 30g iPod and am going on a trip w/o my computer and its iTunes. Can I use my usb cable to plug into a different machine just to charge it or will that louse things up? thanks!

It’ll be fine as long as you don’t allow a copy of iTunes on another computer to sync your iPod with the local library (or however they put it), which will simply wipe your iPod’s hard drive.

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**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-charge-my-ipod-on-any-computer/352464/6 "2006-04-13T10:47:54Z")

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> [@Survey1215](#):
>
> Can I use my usb cable to plug into a different machine just to charge it or will that louse things up? thanks!

If the ‘different machine’ does not have iTunes installed, you will be fine. The iPod will be treated as an unknown USB device and charged up.

If the ‘different machine’ has iTunes installed, when you connect your iPod, you will be asked if you want your iPod to be managed by this machine (can’t remember exactly the wording). You must say ‘no’- otherwise, as **Stark Raven Mad** says, you risk your iPod getting wiped.