Rockbox on iPod: supported models and setup

What Rockbox is

Rockbox is a different system for playing music on supported portable players. Some iPod setups can keep Apple’s original software too. Check the instructions for your exact model.

iPods on Rockbox’s supported list

Rockbox lists 1st- and 2nd-generation iPods, 3rd-generation iPods, 4th-generation grayscale and Color/Photo models, iPod mini, 1st- and 2nd-generation iPod nano, iPod Video, and iPod Classic. The project marks 1st- and 2nd-generation iPods as having serious issues; it reports no major issues for the other listed models. Its Classic page lists the 6th-generation model. Check Rockbox’s current pages for your exact iPod; other generations are not covered here.

Installation basics

First, identify your iPod and compare it with Rockbox’s supported list. Back up your music and other files. Get Rockbox Utility from Rockbox and follow the instructions for your model; don’t copy bootloader files from a guide for another iPod. The Classic page says Rockbox Utility 1.4.1 and later can install a dual-boot setup automatically, and recommends this for new Classic installations. For other iPods, follow the matching Rockbox instructions and Utility prompts. Don’t disconnect or turn off the iPod during installation. Use the instructions to start Rockbox or Apple’s software.

Before you start

• Installing Rockbox changes files on the iPod. Back up first, and use a stable cable with a charged player.
• Use instructions for the exact model. The Classic guide covers the 6th-generation model, not later Classic revisions.
• Rockbox marks 1st- and 2nd-generation iPods as having serious issues. Read the notes for your model before installing.
• Rockbox is community-made software, not an Apple update. Read the recovery instructions first; restoring the iPod can erase files.

Related model pages

Check the model number and generation on your iPod before installing. These model pages help you identify it; they don’t say whether Rockbox works on it.