I have an iPod Touch 5 and and an iPad 1 (don't ask), and I have them both set to sync entire library with iTunes. My library mainly consists of mp3 files stored on my computer, with a few iTunes purchases here or there.

I like to keep a small library of songs on my devices, but I'm having trouble deleting songs from iTunes, the iPod and the iPad all in one action. If I delete songs off iTunes directly, they stay on the iPodPad until I delete them manually. If I delete songs off only the iPodPad, iTunes puts them back on next time I sync. Is there a way for me to just do this in one action?

Also to throw a spanner in the works, a lot of my library songs are no longer on my computer (broken hard drive I haven't gotten around to fixing), but are on my devices. So I can't just simply unsync and then resync the entire music library, since iTunes won't be able to put the broken-hard-drive songs back on the devices.

(This is kinda irrelevant anyway, I don't think I should have to resync the entire library just to delete a few songs)

Looked around can't seem to find an answer. This thread is similar, coincidentally no answer too... https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6122231

TL;DR: How to delete some songs off my entirely-synced iTunes, iPod and iPad without doing them all separately?


You have to understand that iTunes is the 'master' in all this, the mobile devices merely 'slaves'.
Anything you do in iTunes will be reflected in the mobiles when manually synced.

The question you linked is for 'what to do when this sync misbehaves?' & is not the same as your situation.

Your issue really stems from your iTunes library not being complete, removing the simplest option from your choices. Google 'iTunes iPhone copy' for a slew of apps that will transfer songs from the mobile to iTunes, then you can go back to doing it the recommended way - by syncing with iTunes.

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