Summary Pane

Select “Open iTunes when this iPod touch is connected” to have iTunes open and sync iPod touch automatically whenever you connect it to your computer. Deselect this option if you want to sync only by clicking the Sync button in iTunes. For more information, see Automatic iTunes Syncing.

Select “Sync only checked songs and videos” if you want iTunes to skip unchecked items in your iTunes library when syncing.

Select “Convert higher bit rate songs to 128 kbps AAC” if you want iTunes to convert larger audio files to the standard iTunes audio format during syncing.

Select “Manually manage music and videos” to turn off automatic syncing in the Music and Video settings panes. See Manually Managing Content.

Select “Encrypt iPod backup” if you want to encrypt the information stored on your computer when iTunes makes a backup. Encrypted backups are indicated by a lock icon, and a password is required to restore the information to iPod touch. See Backing Up iPod touch.

To turn on Accessibility features (iPod touch 3rd generation or later), click Configure Universal Access. See Accessibility.

Apps Pane

Use the Apps Pane to sync App Store apps, arrange apps on the iPod touch Home screen, or copy documents between iPod touch and your computer.

Select “Automatically sync new apps” to sync new apps to iPod touch that you downloaded or synced from another device. If you delete an app on iPod touch, you can reinstall it from the Apps pane as long as it was previously synced.

You can create documents on iPod touch with apps that support file sharing, and then copy those documents to your computer. You can also copy documents from your computer to iPod touch, and use them with apps that support file sharing. See File Sharing.

Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, iTunes U, and Books Panes

Use these panes to specify the media you want to sync. You can sync all music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, iTunes U collections, books and audiobooks, or select the content you want.

If you create a playlist folder (collection of playlists) in iTunes, the folder and its playlists will be synced to iPod touch. You can’t create playlist folders directly on iPod touch.

If you listen to part of a podcast or audiobook, your place in the story is included if you sync the content with iTunes. If you started listening to the story on iPod touch, you can pick up where you left off using iTunes on your computer—or vice versa.

If you want to watch a rented movie from your computer on iPod touch, sync it to iPod touch using the Movies pane in iTunes.

Only songs and videos encoded in formats that iPod touch supports are synced to iPod touch. For information about which formats iPod touch supports, go to www.apple.com/ipodtouch/specs.html.

Photos Pane

On a Mac, you can sync photos with Aperture or iPhoto 4.0.3 or later, and videos with iPhoto 6.0.6 or later. On a PC, you can sync photos with Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0 or later. You can also sync photos and videos from any Mac or PC folder that contains images.

Info Pane

The Info pane lets you configure the sync settings for your contacts, calendars, mail accounts, and web browser.

• Contacts

  You can sync contacts with applications such as Mac OS X Address Book, Yahoo! Address Book, and Google Contacts on a Mac, or with Yahoo! Address Book, Google Contacts, Windows Address Book (Outlook Express), Windows Contacts (Vista and Windows 7), or Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 on a PC. (On a Mac, you can sync contacts with multiple applications. On a PC, you can sync contacts with one application at a time.)

  If you sync with Yahoo! Address Book, you only need to click Configure to enter your new login information when you change your Yahoo! ID or password after you’ve set up syncing.

• Calendars

  You can sync calendars from applications such as iCal on a Mac, or from Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 on a PC. (On a Mac, you can sync calendars with multiple applications. On a PC, you can sync calendars with only one application at a time.)

• Mail Accounts

  You can sync email account settings from Mail on a Mac, and from Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 or Outlook Express on a PC. Account settings are only transferred from your computer to iPod touch. Changes you make to an email account on iPod touch don’t affect the account on your computer.

  Note:  The password for your Yahoo! email account isn’t saved on your computer, so it can’t be synced and must be entered on iPod touch. In Settings, choose “Mail, Contacts, Calendars,” tap your Yahoo! account, and enter the password.

• Bookmarks

  You can sync bookmarks from Safari on a Mac, or from Safari or Microsoft Internet Explorer on a PC.

• Notes

  Sync notes in the Notes app on iPod touch with notes in Mail on a Mac or with Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 on a PC.

• Advanced

  These options let you replace the information on iPod touch with the information on your computer during the next sync.