iPod Nano 1st Generation Replacement Program: What Happened

In November 2011 Apple launched a worldwide iPod nano 1st generation replacement program after finding that, in very rare cases, the battery in the original iPod nano could overheat and pose a safety risk. Here is what the free exchange offered, how to identify a first-generation iPod nano, and what to do if you still have one in 2026.

Quick answer: Apple’s free iPod nano (1st generation) exchange program started in November 2011 and covered units sold between September 2005 and December 2006, whose batteries came from one supplier with a manufacturing defect. Apple has since closed the program in the US (it was gone by January 2017). If you still have an original iPod nano, stop using it, don’t charge it, and take it to an electronics recycler or ask Apple Support whether anything can still be done in your country.

What the iPod nano 1st generation replacement program offered

Apple advised owners to stop using their original iPod nano and apply for a free replacement. The problem was traced to a single battery supplier, and it affected only the first-generation iPod nano, not any other iPod.

• Who qualified: iPod nano (1st generation) units sold between September 2005 and December 2006.
• How it worked: Apple checked your iPod nano serial number for eligibility, you sent in the device, and a replacement arrived about 6 weeks later.
• Personalized units: engraved iPods were replaced with non-engraved ones.
• Backup: Apple asked owners to back up their music with iTunes first, since the original device was not returned.

Online service was only available in listed countries. Around a month after launch, some owners reported receiving the then-current iPod nano rather than an identical first-generation model.

How to identify a first-generation iPod nano

The original iPod nano has a black or white plastic front and a silver metal back. Later iPod nano models have a metal front and back.

The serial number is printed on the back of the device. Apple used it to check whether your unit was part of the affected batch.

Is the iPod nano exchange still available in 2026?

Not in the US. Reports from January 2017 noted that the program had disappeared from Apple’s list of service programs, and Apple stopped selling the iPod line altogether when it discontinued the iPod touch in 2022. Availability elsewhere has varied by country, so if you still own an affected unit, contact Apple Support (external site) and ask what applies where you live.

What to do with an old iPod nano today

• Stop using and charging it if it is a first-generation model, especially if it feels hot or the case looks swollen.
• Copy off any music you care about on a Mac with Finder or on Windows with Apple Devices or iTunes, before you part with it.
• Recycle it properly. Lithium-ion batteries should never go in household trash; take it to an electronics recycling point.
• Other iPods: later models were not part of this program. If you are restoring an older classic iPod, see how to replace an iPod hard drive or upgrade to flash.

Apple has run other free repair programs too, such as the MacBook bottom case replacement in 2011, so it is always worth checking whether an Apple product you own was covered.

FAQ

Why did Apple recall the first-generation iPod nano?

A battery from a single supplier had a manufacturing defect that could, in very rare cases, cause overheating and a safety risk.

Which iPod nanos were affected?

Only the iPod nano (1st generation) sold between September 2005 and December 2006. No other iPod model was included.

Can I still get a free iPod nano replacement?

The US program has ended. Ask Apple Support in your country if you still have an affected unit.

How do I tell if I have a first-generation iPod nano?

It has a plastic front in black or white and a silver metal back. Later nanos are all metal.