How to Sync a Podcast to an iPod using iTunes
Podcasts
**An iPod can only be sync'd to a single computer when using iTunes. If you try to sync it to any other computer, it will erase all the data that is currently on that iPod.
*note: The instructions listed below reference iTunes versions 7.3 and greater, and a Video iPod is used in all the examples, so the actual iPod image may be different.
This tutorial will first explain the required settings needed to set up your iPod for automatically downloading the newest Podcasts and then automatically transferring it to your iPod the next time it is connect. This is termed as "syncing."
*note: (For Brand New iPods) When you first plug in a new iPod to a computer it will prompt you to register the iPod with apple. This is a quick and easy process that is recommended by Apple. Just click the "Continue" button to begin the registration process. If you choose not to register, just click the "Register Later" button but by doing so, iTunes will continuously ask you to register the iPod every time you plug it into your computer and open iTunes.
Auto sync settings for an iPod
Once iTunes connects to your iPod you must access the iPod settings.
You want to be sure that the following check boxes are checked
- "Open iTunes when this iPod is connected"
- "Only sync checked items"
- "Enable disk use"
Next click the 
tab to access the sync settings and be sure the items below are checked:
Next click the 
tab to access the podcast sync settings and be sure the items below are checked:
Now your iPod is set up to automatically sync podcasts. To save the settings you must eject the iPod.
*note: (New iPod Users) You must eject your iPod every time you are going to disconnect the iPod from the computer. Failure to do so may result in lost data or cause your iPod and/or computer to not work properly.
To eject the iPod click the 
button.
Be sure to eject your iPod now so that the settings are saved. A prompt window will ask you if you want to apply the changes to your iPod, click "Apply"
To sync a Podcast to your iPod, you must first download or subscribe to the podcast. If you choose to subscribe, iTunes will automatically check for new Podcasts, automatically download the new podcasts and then sync the podcast to your iPod every time you plug it into your computer. To learn how to subscribe please refer to the How to subscribe to a podcast using iTunes tutorial. If you choose to only download a podcast, iTunes will not automatically download the future podcasts, and you will have to manually download each new show and add it to iTunes. To learn how to download and add a podcast to iTunes please refer to the "How to download or listen to a podcast" tutorial.
If you used the "How to download or listen to a podcast" tutorial and have already downloaded the podcasts, you must import the podcast into iTunes in order to sync it with your iPod. To do so, once iTunes is open choose, "File" and then "Import." You will then be prompted to locate the downloaded file that you are requesting to import into iTunes.
*note: When you import a file into iTunes, it only referneces where the file physically exists on your computer, meaning that if you delete or move the file, iTunes will no longer be able to play or sync the file because it cannot find it. It is good practice to create an iTunes download folder on your computer, to store all these files, before importing them into iTunes.
Once you have imported or subscribed to a Podcast, plug your iPod into you computer and it will automatically sync the podcast to the device. If the iPod is already plugged in and connected to iTunes, you must first access the iPod setting. If the iPod is connected to iTunes, it will show up under the "devices" section on the left side of the iTunes screen.
To update your iPod, click the "sync" button.
For information on how to use an iPod, please refer to the instruction manual that came with the device, or go to Apple's iPod support page.
For further iTunes support, please go to Apple's iTunes support page.