How to Move Content From Your Zune to Your PC

[Jason Dunn]

It seems to be one of the lesser-known functions of the Zune desktop software, and in fact something that many news stories about the Zune say isn't possible, but you <em>can</em> in fact move content from the Zune to a partnered PC very easily. It's not entirely obvious, or intuitive, but once you know what to look for it's quick and easy. Here's how.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/sync-ZUNE-to-PC.gif" /><br /><em>Figure 1: The text to look for.</em><br /><ol> <li>Connect your Zune and start the Zune desktop software (if it doesn't automatically start)</li> <li>Browse to the content on your Zune that you want to move to the PC</li> <li>On the left-hand column, where you'd normally put items you want to sync from the PC to the Zune, you'll see that the text is changed slightly. Now it says &quot;Drag Items Here: to create a list to sync from <em>ZUNENAME </em>to your computer&quot;. Drag content from the Zune and drop it into this area</li> <li>When you've queued up the content from the Zune into this zone, click the <strong>Copy From Device</strong> button at the bottom of the right-hand column<br /> </li> <li>Your content will be moved over. Where it ends up depends on what type of content it is - look in the root level of My Pictures, My Music and My Videos for the content</li></ol>I think one of the reasons why it's not obvious this is possible is that the software offers no visual cues (like a graphic showing a Zune, a PC, and an arrow moving one way or another) and the &quot;Shuffle Music to Zune&quot; text makes it seem like it's the same as the sync list from PC to Zune. There's definitely room for improvement in terms of making it more obvious, but the functionality is certainly there.

[priesmeyer]

That's good to know. Another thing that I was cussing at my Zune for was that everytime I'd add a new album or group of songs to my Zune I couldn't remember what specifically I had just added. Face it, with subscription services it's great to just go download 4 or 5 albums or 10 random songs but how can you remember the next day what you downloaded last night before falling into bed?

Why doesn't Zune have a built-in playlist entitled "Recently Added" (like the library has!)?

Well, I created a new playlist and, sure enough, if you hack through the rules enough, you'll see "Music in my library" then you can add a filter (I presume that funnel icon is support to indicate that) "Date added to my library is" then fill in the blank (I chose 7 days).

Bam - now I have a playlist on my Zune that shows me just the songs I added in the past week.

[blazingwolf]

Thanks Jason. It's good to know that you can do this. I was wondering.

[Phillip Dyson]

Thats the same process with WMP11. I actually stumbled across it when I was sharing music with my mother a few days ago.

[spoirier]

Is it possible to save the original content using this method. I accidentally deleted mine when I was first playing around.

[Jason Dunn]

Is it possible to save the original content using this method. I accidentally deleted mine when I was first playing around.

Yes, I believe it is - the pre-loaded Zune content isn't DRM'd (protected) in any way.

[blazingwolf]

I tried to move some of the preloaded content over to my computer but I get an error. The web help says that the files might be protected or some other problem similar to that. I was really hoping this would work. :(

[Jason Dunn]

I tried to move some of the preloaded content over to my computer but I get an error.

Aha, yes, I just tested this and got the same error. I believe the way to get the content off is by implementing the hard drive hack (http://www.lifehacker.com/software/zune/use-your-zune-as-a-portable-hard-drive-217010.php) then moving the files off without using the Zune software. That should work, because a friend pull off all the pre-loaded content and sent it to me because the Zune software nuked all of it on my Zune (which is far too easy to do).

[TheReasonIFailed]

Jason,

By "partnered PC", in the first post, does that mean that any PC with the Zune software installed or only the PC that the Zune is first setup on?

[Adam Krebs]

By "partnered PC", in the first post, does that mean that any PC with the Zune software installed or only the PC that the Zune is first setup on?

Any PC can sync with the Zune both ways. Just set up "guest sync" (when you connect the Zune to another computer, accept the dialog that asks if you want to sync as a guest [not move to it]), and you're good to go. This was the real selling point for me, as it allows me to work with a number of computers, a vitality to me.

[KConman12]

Ok im trying to reverse sync from my zune, and it isnt syncing all the things. or its not showing me where it is