Why won't my iPod Shuffle play anything in the order I've set?

December 14, 2005 11:40 AM

Why won't my iPod Shuffle play anything in the order I've set when in "play in order" mode?

I just won an iPod Shuffle and have been using it happily to play podcasts while I work. I want to set up a playlist in iTunes with my podcasts in the order I'd like to hear them, then place my iPod into "play in order" mode and listen to them in that order. Seems painfully simple, but it isn't working. The problem is, the "play in order" mode does not match the order I set, ever. I'm not sure what order it's using, however I was able to find a thread indicating the "play in order" mode is actually "alphabetical order" mode.

With this problem in mind, this morning after I set the playback order I wanted, I disconnected then reconnected my iPod. The playlist displayed in iTunes continues to match the order I've set up, but no matter what I do, I can't get the iPod to play back in that order. Is this a known issue for the Shuffle and if so, is there any workaround to it?

posted by lynda to Technology (12 answers total)

Response by poster: It might be useful to note that I just drag the podcasts I want to listen to for the day onto the ipod's icon in iTunes. After everything's on it, I go to the ipod icon and drag the podcasts in the playlist into the order I want them to be in.
posted by lynda at 11:48 AM on December 14, 2005

Play in order always works for me on the Shuffle. Are you sure you are displaying the songs by "order" in iTunes? You need to click on the space to the left of "Name" in your playlist. (to display by play order) and then arrange your songs in the order you want.
posted by reverendX at 11:49 AM on December 14, 2005

Are you sure you are in "play in order" mode?

On the back of the Shuffle is a switch (see pic here), make sure the switch is set to the middle setting, not the bottom. The middle is ordered, the bottom is random.
posted by JPowers at 11:52 AM on December 14, 2005

The play order is not defined by the order that songs or podcasts are in a playlist, but rather by the order that they are in the Shuffle's update window... If you are synching a specific playlist, you must make sure that the songs appear in order in the Shuffle's control window (or whatever you call it when you click on the iPod Shuffle's icon within iTunes)
posted by Robot Johnny at 12:03 PM on December 14, 2005

Response by poster: Yep, I'm displaying the songs by "order" in iTunes and I am definitely on the middle setting. From what I've read, the shuffle mode won't work with audiobooks or podcasts.
posted by lynda at 12:03 PM on December 14, 2005

Response by poster: Robot, by "playlist" here I am referring directly to the Shuffle's "control window" or the direct list of podcasts ON the iPod.
posted by lynda at 12:04 PM on December 14, 2005

Make sure that you create the entire ordered playlist first, and then you drag it over to the Shuffle. In other words, don't try ordering stuff on the actual Shuffle in iTunes -- all ordering must be done in playlists first.
posted by JPowers at 12:07 PM on December 14, 2005

I've never had a problem with this. It works fine for me to arrange the music on the iPod. When you switch to play in order mode, click the play button 3 times and you'll jump to the first song in your ordered list, otherwise it may start somewhere in the middle, but it will still play in order.
posted by teg at 12:29 PM on December 14, 2005

I had this problem on my Shuffle, and after some frustration, I realized that the "random" mode was on in iTunes. The playlist "appears" to be in order, but is randomized when transfered to the iPod. Make sure "random" is off and you're set.

So was the case with me...
posted by deep_sea_diving_suit at 12:46 PM on December 14, 2005

Response by poster: teg, I've jumped to the beginning that way and the first item isn't the one I've specified.

deep_sea, that might be my issue. I'll try that as soon as I get home. If that doesn't work, I'll go with JPowers' suggestion of creating a separate playlist and dragging that over to the iPod.
posted by lynda at 12:56 PM on December 14, 2005

Response by poster: Well, this is just very aggravating. I tried looking through all my iTunes preferences for a "random mode" however the closest thing I could find was the icon turning on and off shuffle and it is off.

I tried creating a playlist, deleting everything on my ipod and then copying the playlist to the ipod. The items showing ON the ipod show in the correct order when the ipod is plugged into my laptop. When I unplugged it to listen to the order, it isn't at ALL what I indicated.

I'm not sure what order it's playing in either. It seems to be semi-alphabetical by track name, but it isn't quite alphabetical. I tried arranging the playlist every way I could think of to duplicate the order the tracks were playing in on my iPod, to no avail.

So I guess this seems to be a problem unique only to me. That sucks.
posted by lynda at 5:51 PM on December 14, 2005

Response by poster: Okay, well, after spending all evening searching around, it seems this IS a known issue with the iPod Shuffle. It apparently plays podcasts in the order it was "aired" although I haven't been able to confirm that order. It doesn't order podcasts or audiobooks like it does songs.

Thread with more info and a "workaround".

The workaround involves adding all the podcasts to the library, however this still didn't work for me. I officially give up.
posted by lynda at 7:23 PM on December 14, 2005