# Charging iPod from different computer/country **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054 "2009-01-26T15:06:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/1 "2009-01-26T15:06:35Z")
I know how persnickety Apple can be. Two easy but important questions: Will I have any trouble if I charge my iPod from the USB of a computer that’s not registered? What if it’s registered, but not for this device? Will I have any trouble if I charge my iPod on my non-registered computer but in another country? I would not be updating, downloading, or buying songs. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/2 "2009-01-26T15:14:18Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Moving from Great Debates to General Questions before a twelve-page thread breaks out about copyright infringment, filesharing, and illegal music downloads. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/3 "2009-01-26T15:21:26Z")
Thank you. I told it “Cafe Society,” but Firefox had a little hiccup and next thing I knew it was in GD. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/4 "2009-01-26T15:26:31Z")
I wouldn’t imagine the charging would be a problem, though you may be told you can’t download files and have that function blocked. But as soon as you’re plugged in, it’ll start charging. If you’re concerned, Belkin (and probably others) provides a plug-in charger (though you’d need a transformer to change it to the right voltage if you’re outside the US or Canada). ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/5 "2009-01-26T15:27:06Z")
Yeah, just plug it in. If iTunes starts, quit the program. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/6 "2009-01-26T15:32:51Z")
Hello Susan, I assume you mean charging as in replenishing the batteries, that you can do with any USB computer….If the computer has I-tunes on it, I-tunes will ask if it can synchronise its music library with it. If you do this you will lose all the music on your I-pod and get the music library of your host pc. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/7 "2009-01-26T15:34:46Z")
I had no problems charging an iPod Touch on my father-in-law’s computer in Ireland (I’m from the US). I plugged it in to a USB port and it started charging. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/8 "2009-01-26T15:50:14Z")
Whilst I am a despicable Zune owner, I believe the charging principles are the same. I’ve been using a universal iWantit travel charger, picked it up for around £15. Works for Europe, USA, UK and Australia (and I’ve travelled in and charged my Zune in each of those places). Might be an option rather than using a PC. I’m not sure of the specifics on whether charging from the PC is a better quality charge etc though. Charging definitely works on any PC with USB. You can even charge your iPod with a PS3 (or probably any other device that has a USB output). ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/9 "2009-01-26T18:02:33Z")
Thanks. I had no questions about this until I read hundreds of angry reviews from military folks whose shiny new iPods don’t work while they’re deployed if they were registered in the US. “Work” seems to mean “download” but I wanted to make sure. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/10 "2009-01-26T19:26:57Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Yeah, just plug it in. If iTunes starts, quit the program. Yup, I did this all over Asia and Europe and never had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/11 "2009-01-26T22:28:21Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Yeah, just plug it in. If iTunes starts, quit the program. Yep. Actually it’ll do a popup that says, approximately, “your iPod is synched to another computer’s library. Do you want to erase all of that and sync to this one instead?”. To which you say “HELL NO”. You do have the option of transferring purchases from the iPod onto that computer, if you choose (though you’d have to authorize the newer computer to use your account). Presumably this wouldn’t be what you want anyway. As noted, Apple and various third-party providers have chargers that plug into wall outlets. Then you’d just have to use a power adapter for that, which would also be usable for whatever other gadgets you have. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/12 "2009-01-29T23:50:37Z")
Actually, I’m sitting in an airport with no audiobooks! I plugged the ipod into my ASUS eee, the diveces recognized it was connected, and it appeared to charge. I got no questions about synching (this was the first time I’d attached any audio device to this computer. All appears to be well. Now I’m in transit with no books. The ipod says it has no content. If I connect it to the eee, the eee sees something and give the number of hours of content on the ipod. However, any attempt to synchronize or play the stuff that appears to be recognized by the computer gets a “no mudic” or “no search items” on the ipod and a “no audio channel” on the eee. This is damned frustrating! I welcome suggestions. I now have a 26 hour transit with nothing to read. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/13 "2009-01-30T02:12:52Z")
Did you use iTunes to put the media on the iPod? You can’t just drag and drop files onto it. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/14 "2009-01-30T03:54:54Z")
I have a wall charger with 2 USB ports on it. What’s nice about it is I can also use it to charge my PSP, Creative Zen Micro, and any other devices that have a USB cord for charging through a computer. As a bonus, it charges up much faster than it would if connected to a computer. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/15 "2009-01-30T07:04:07Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > As noted, Apple and various third-party providers have chargers that plug into wall outlets. Then you’d just have to use a power adapter for that, which would also be usable for whatever other gadgets you have. Just about any modern charger is a universal one. The little brick one that Apple makes, that you plug your iPod USB cable into, can handle any voltage and frequency you throw at it. You might need a prong adaptor if you travel in Europe where they use various pin-type plugs instead of the blade-type that is used in the US, but you won’t need to buy a new charger. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-ipod-from-different-computer-country/483054/16 "2009-01-31T09:58:50Z")
Yes, I used iTunes on a different computer to load the iPod. Yes, it played just fine. I have a wall charger, but was trying to diminish the number items I was schlepping by using the USB port of my travel computer. That’s why I asked beforehand. And it did charge it, but now the iPod says it has nothing loaded and the travel laptop, though saying there’s media on the iPod (and listing it) also says there’s no audio channel. Yes, I’ve played music via the eee before and it worked fine. I’m most annoyed that the eee’s music program has an uninformative guide without troubleshooting tips. To me this is an argument for getting an eee with XP if I want to keep using this for travel–between Linux and Open Office, everything besides Internet access is a little wonky.