SOLVED Podcasts not appearing in Finder window (for iPod) after upgrading to Big Sur

[mgcrafts]

Was successfully using iPod classic on Catalina syncing to podcasts app. Finder window for syncing this device appears when it is plugged in. I select sync all episodes of all podcasts.
Upgraded to Big Sur. When I plug in this device, which had working podcasts, I see no podcasts listed in the window - I changed to sync all episodes of selected podcasts, which used to make the list of podcasts appear. I carelessly didn't look the first time I plugged it in and selected all episodes of all podcasts, which wiped my iPod clean of podcasts. I do have many subscriptions, they are all there and appear to all be playable from my MacBook Pro. Running latest available Big Sur update and version 1.1.0 of Podcasts.

 

[mgcrafts]

I "solved" this by finding a workaround. The problem still exists however. I tried many combinations of options from the drop down menus for syncing "all", or "selected" podcasts. This did not work. I tried several combinations of "Selected Podcasts" and the dropdown the specifies how many to keep. Found that selecting "5 unread" triggered the populating of the podcasts list which displays below. It is possible that other options worked here but "all" in this drop down definitely does not, and definitely always did work on Catalina. I am hoping that now that I have the list populated that it will remain so. And I'll be back to the earlier problem of the fact that new podcasts added to this list are not covered by the "all" option. In my opinion, the podcast app has always been one of apple's poorest efforts and separating it from iTunes did not make it any better. It's still a pretty buggy chunk of software.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Sorry we didn't get to answer you, but glad you at least found a workaround.

Wow...didn't think the old iPod Classics would still sync properly still. Which iPod Classic model is it:
-iPod Classic
-iPod Classic (120GB)
-iPod Classic (Late 2008)

C

 

[mgcrafts]

I have an old, but fully functioning iPod Classic. Just 80 GB storage. Current version of Podcasts works much better than any prior version, up until I upgraded to Big Sur.

 

[MySoftwareTutor]

Hello and welcome.

Sorry we didn't get to answer you, but glad you at least found a workaround.


Still not solved for me. Have a brand new iMac running Big Sur 11.4 and a Gen 7) nano. The device is recognized and looks like I can synch music but not podcasts. The nano with the same cable works flawlessly on my old Mac running Catalina. Tried the suggestions from mgcrafts above and no cigar. What can you suggest?

 

[pucicu]

Hello,
I have the same problem. There are new posdcasts in the Podcast-App, but they don't appear in the sync-window of the Finder. Therefore, they will also not be copied to my iPod. I had this problem already in the summer, but somehow could solve it (but I forgot how). Now it is again not working. Very annoying.
Any idea what could help?
Best
N

 

[Facetable]

After getting online chat suggestions from Apple, I did the following: 1. Boot in safe mode (hold Shift key while restarting until the login screen appears). 2. Connect iPod and check that Podcasts are populating the Finder sync window. 3. Restart as normal.

This solved the problem for me. Hope it helps...

 

[thedebaser]

After getting online chat suggestions from Apple, I did the following: 1. Boot in safe mode (hold Shift key while restarting until the login screen appears). 2. Connect iPod and check that Podcasts are populating the Finder sync window. 3. Restart as normal.

This solved the problem for me. Hope it helps...

This worked for me

 

[tappazee]

After getting online chat suggestions from Apple, I did the following: 1. Boot in safe mode (hold Shift key while restarting until the login screen appears). 2. Connect iPod and check that Podcasts are populating the Finder sync window. 3. Restart as normal.

This solved the problem for me. Hope it helps...

I did this and it worked, but it really begs the question: why does it work?!? Why would safe mode suddenly kick the podcasts sync feature in finder into action? Bizarre.

 

[pucicu]

My final solution was to buy an older MacBook and use it with a macOS which still allows to run iTunes. My experience was that the newer macOS are not reliable in syncing my iPods. It was so annyoing experience that I finally gave up and use now the old Mac. It has the advantage that I can also the other software which is not supported anymore by the new systems. It is a strange future … running and maintaining several systems for tasks that should actually be possible to be performed on a single system.

 

[tappazee]

My final solution was to buy an older MacBook and use it with a macOS which still allows to run iTunes. My experience was that the newer macOS are not reliable in syncing my iPods. It was so annyoing experience that I finally gave up and use now the old Mac. It has the advantage that I can also the other software which is not supported anymore by the new systems. It is a strange future … running and maintaining several systems for tasks that should actually be possible to be performed on a single system.

Oh dear I shall await problems with the syncing, then. So what’s the best version of MacOS to use if I have to go down the same road as you?

 

[pucicu]

It runs 10.14 (Mohave). But perhaps you are more lucky than myself and your solution works.