Zune Tips
Here is a compilation of various tips I’ve discovered while visiting different forums and blogs.
The Lock Button
I’ve fallen into this trap, so I thought I’d mention it to everyone. On the top of the Zune is a small switch known as the lock button, which is used to deactivate the buttons and front touchpad. It’s often used when you’re listen to music and you want to put your Zune in it’s case or in your bag and you don’t want to accidentally press one of it’s buttons. I had activated the lock button when I slid my Zune in it’s slip cover case, and forgot that it was locked. The next day I plugged my Zune into the charging sync cable and the screen lit up but none of the buttons appeared to work. Since my Zune is brand new, I immediately thought it was defective and needed to be returned. After I realized that the lock button was on, I was at ease when the buttons began to work again. So note, if your device appears to be locked up, check the lock button!
Avoiding “Transcoding” When Syncing Video Files
If you notice that your video files are taking a long time to sync (like several hours), then they are probably being converted (or “Transcoded”) by the Zune Software. Why is that? Because they are formatted within the parameters specified for the Zune devices. Zune.net‘s support page explains the proper parameters for video files, and not all 3rd-party video converter programs will adhere to them. Check out my “Video Conversion” page for more information on how I convert my video files which avoid the transcoding process.
Changing the Background Image on your Zune
Very simple procedure. Either download or create a 240 x 320 pixel image to be used as your new background and sync it with your Zune device. Now, on your Zune go to “Pictures” and display that background picture. With the picture displayed, click the center pad button and select “Apply as Background” from the menu. Now when you go back to the main display, you’ll see your new background!
Registering your Zune With Microsoft
Don’t forget to register your Zune with Microsoft (for Warranty claims). To do so, go to service.zune.net and enter your information (Note: your Serial Number is on the back of the Zune device at the bottom. It’s in really, really tiny print!). After you register, you’ll see the warranty expiration date for your Zune.
Important Button Combinations
The small quick-start guide that came with my Zune 80 explained that holding down the “Play” button will turn my Zune off. Well, that’s not entirely true. Holding the play button down will merely put your Zune in “sleep” mode, where you can wake it up by pressing any button (so long as the lock button isn’t activated). So, power is still being used to keep your Zune snoozing until you wake it up. What if you want to save your battery power (say, on a long flight)? Is there a way to really turn it off?
Why, yes there is a way by using a combination of buttons on your Zune. If you hold down the Back Button and Down button simultaneously, the Zune will really turn off. If you then hold down the Play button, the Zune will turn back on (note, it will take about 20 seconds for the Zune to completely power up). Below are a few useful combination buttons you can use:
- Back Button + Down Button = Turn Off
- Back Button + Up Button = Reset (or Reboot)
So if your device locks up for some reason, you can always try the reboot button sequence. Now, you need to be careful as the following button combinations can be a bit dangerous:
- Back Button + Center Button + Right Button = Delete all Content
- Back Button + Center Button + Left Button = Delete all Content and Delete Firmware
So, you really don’t want to accidentally hit those last two button combinations when you’re out of town and away from your Desktop PC!
Zune Warranty
Your Zune should have a 1-year warranty (from the date of purchase). You should register your Zune at service.zune.net soon after you buy it so you don’t have any issues in the future if you need to send it in for repair. If you are having problems with your Zune, you can call the service number at 877-GET-ZUNE for support. If they deem that your problem is hardware related, they will initiate a repair order that entails Microsoft sending you a FedEx box for your Zune to be shipped to their repair facility in Texas. Note, that if your Zune show any kind of damage (e.g., scratches on the screen or a broken screen, dents, etc.) the Zune repair facility will send it back to you unrepaired.
duke said,
January 29, 2008 at 4:38 pm
thanx for the great info.
Rob said,
March 28, 2008 at 9:39 am
good stuff, didn’t know that it only went for a sleep rather than turning itself off.
good tip
zunetips said,
March 29, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Rob: Neither did I. But it’s good to know how to really turn off your Zune to save battery power.
estsban said,
December 15, 2008 at 8:33 am
thanx a lot… i thought i ve lost it…
your a zune savior
zunetips said,
December 15, 2008 at 8:45 am
estsban – You’re welcome. I’m glad you found the information useful.
Mike said,
December 19, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I was wondering if you can help me. My return button on my 4gb zune dosen’t work. Do you know why?
zunetips said,
December 19, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Mike – When you say “return button” I’m assuming you mean the back button (left most button on the front of the Zune). I’m not sure why yours is not working. I would guess it’s a hardware issue. If your Zune is still under warranty, I suggest you send it into the Microsoft Repair Center to get it fixed. If it is out-of-warranty, I might try opening up the Zune and see if I can fix it myself (you need to be some what handy with electronics and fearless). http://www.rapidrepair.com has instructions on how to open up a Zune and they also provide tools if needed (in fact, you could see if rapidrepair.com would fix it). Otherwise, you might search the forum postings on http://www.zunescene.com to see if someone else had the same issue and see if they were able to resolve it.
Lori said,
January 11, 2009 at 9:08 am
I have a 30gb zune, it has worked great for a year now until last week. I was watchting a movie and when it was finished the battery was low so instead of plugging it into the computer like I usually do I used the AC adapter (which I had never done before since I have owned it). came back after about 5 minutes and the battery icon wasn’t moving, when I unplugged it, it said “low battery”. It was time to close so I put it in the case, put it in my purse and went home. When I got there I turned it on and it said the same thing “low battery”. I plugged it into my computer and usually when I do this the zune program automatically will boot up. Nothing happened. I tried all the reset ricks like pushing the back and up buttons and emptying the hard drive, still nothing. I left it there overnight and the next morning it still said “low battery”. When I got home that night I tried to plug it into the AC adapter again but I couldn’t even get the screen to come on. I have left it plugged into my computer for several days now and still nothing. I have ordered a new battery but Im not sure if this will fix the problem. Does anybody know, if this means Im going to have to replace the hard drive and motherboard also? I love this zune because they just don’t make the screens this big anymore. Please feel free to email me with any sudgestions. I have also looked online for a program that will scan the zune and tell me what is wrong but I haven’t had any success with that either my email is happy_2_be_here@hotmail.com Thanks
zunetips said,
January 11, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Lori – It’s hard for me to say whether it’s a battery issue or not (probably 50-50 chance). What I would do, is order the $20 battery from http://www.rapidrepair.com and try to install it myself, then see if charging the device works. If not, then it must be the motherboard. I believe you can get the motherboard from rapidrepair.com, but at that point you’ll need to way the option of repair vs buying a new unit. Good luck, and please let us know if the battery replacement fixes the problem!
mike said,
February 4, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I tried to delete albums from my Zune 4GB. I was logged on to the Microsoft Zune site, and I had the Zune connected to my laptop via the USB port.
The albums deleted from my Zune site but not from the Zune itself. I thought I was synched OK to do this. Now, the albums are not on the Zune site but they are still on my Zune. How do I delete the albums/songs from the Zune itself now??
Thanks
zunetips said,
February 4, 2009 at 5:30 pm
In the Zune Software on your Desktop PC, connect your Zune and then click “Device” on the top line then “Videos” or “Music” to see those items on your Zune device. You can then right-click on the individual items and delete them from your Zune if you wish.
Mike said,
March 1, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I have 8 albums loaded in the Zune program but I cannot drag them or individual songs to my Zune. As info, these were all loaded in my Zune but my wife accidently deleted them by pushing the forward and backwards buttons at the same time. Actually, the entire Zune emptied, but I was able to reload about 2/3 of the music, but it won’t let me drag and drop about 8 albums. Any ideas? Thanks,
zunetips said,
March 1, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Mike: Do you have enough room for those 8 albums? Also, where did you get them? Are they DRM protected?
Will said,
March 3, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I have a very very very small chip in the corner of my zune. do you think that they will repair it????
zunetips said,
March 3, 2009 at 9:52 pm
What model Zune do you have? I don’t think the Microsoft Repair Center will fix it (under warranty or not), but you might have http://www.rapidrepair.com fix it (or buy the case from them and repair it yourself).
Will said,
March 4, 2009 at 3:29 pm
No i am sorry you misunderstood my question. My Zune wont turn on and i have tried a lot of stuff but it won’t work so i am sending it in to zune support to fix. will they fix it eventhough there is a small chip in the corner
zunetips said,
March 4, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Will: I’m not sure. It will depend on whether they think you damaged your Zune by dropping it and that was the cause of the problem. If it’s still under warranty I would send it in an see what happens…
Mike B said,
March 25, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I have a Zune 4 Gig. I click on an album to play, and then I click “play all”. Then I click back and choose another album, and click “add to now playing”. Here is where my problem starts. The 1st song on the 1st album starts playing, once that 1st song is over, the 1st song on the album I added starts to play. In other words, I don’t hear any songs on the 1st album except for the very first one and then the Zune starts playing the 2nd album I added to now playing. What do I do to get all of the songs on the 1st album to play before the “add to now playing ” album kicks in??
Thanks
tyler said,
July 6, 2009 at 11:09 pm
i have a 4gb zune and my scroll pad wont work and nothing happens when you push the center button but my play and back buttons both work how do i fix this?
zunetips said,
July 7, 2009 at 7:05 am
tyler: All I can recommend is that you do a “soft-reset” to see if that helps, and if not try a “hard-reset” (see the “Zune Tips” page for details). If that doesn’t work, then the problem is most like hardware-related and you’ll need to send in your Zune for repair or decide on getting a new one.
pretoria said,
October 2, 2009 at 3:37 pm
i have a 4GB Zune that won’t turn on or respond to the computer when i plug it in, and the computer doesn’t recongnize that its plugged in either. i tried the delete all content and firmware option and my computer actually showed signs of knowing that it was plugged in by saying USB device not recognized. but it didn’t do anything else after that. but another problem i’m facing is the fact that my warranty is expired and i bought my Zune at circuit city so they closed down and plus i don’t have enough money to get it fixed because my mom won’t let me. i need something that i can do to fix it myself or by the computer. i am really out of luck and desperately need help since my Zune has been this way for almost six months and i can’t live without music.
zunetips said,
October 3, 2009 at 11:32 am
pretoria: You need to rule out if the problem is with your Zune or with the computer you are trying to connect to. I suggest you install the Zune Software on a different computer, and see if you can make a connection with your Zune. If you can, then that tells me the problem might be a fried USB port on your original computer.
Also, I suggest you make sure your sync cable is working properly. Can you borrow a sync cable from a friend and see if that works?
pretoria said,
October 17, 2009 at 1:09 pm
i guess so, but the problem is that i only have 1 computer in my house that has a usb port.
zunetips said,
October 17, 2009 at 1:19 pm
pretoria: If you only have one computer available, then you won’t be able to rule out if the problem is with your Zune or with the computer. Sorry.
My wife recently was having some problems with her Zune 120, where the up and down buttons didn’t work (they just didn’t do anything). Because the up button didn’t work, I could do the back button+up button to do a reset. So, I told her to let the Zune 120 drain of power completely by playing a video over and over. She did so until all the power was gone from the Zune. I then had her charge it up again, and it self-reset and worked fine. You might try that, since it’s something easy to test out.
pretoria said,
October 18, 2009 at 5:17 pm
thnaks for the advice. i got a friend’s usb cable and i’m guna try that solution. hopefully it’ll work.
pretoria said,
October 21, 2009 at 3:35 am
but i also think it isn’t a fried usb port because my sister has an iPod and it connects to the computer judt fine…..so i’m guessing it’s a fried sync cable instead.
Nicole said,
November 24, 2009 at 5:42 pm
I just brought a Zune HD as a present for my boyfriend. I got it yesterday and now today the back button doesn’t work. When I called the number on Zune’s website the guy on the phone told me there was no back button and hung up on me.
Any ideas on what I could do, to fix this issue?
zunetips said,
November 24, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Nicole: The rude Zune support guy was right– there is no back button. To move back to the previous page, you tap near the top of the screen. This area is called a “bread crumb”, and tapping it will move back one screen.
Note, that the user-interface for the Zune HD is definitely different than the original Zunes. It took me a little while to figure out and get use to it. But after owning it for a while it is all habit now.
dAtR said,
December 9, 2009 at 3:37 am
I have a Zune 80gb.. I had to replace the battery myself when it died as I had no warranty but now the unit is stuck on Hold – I’ve got the back off and I’ve tried moving the Hold switch back and forth but this doesn’t do anything.
After being Zuneless for about 4 months while I decided whether or not to risk taking the unit apart and getting the soldering iron out to sort the battery problem, I’m so close to having a functioning Zune again, if only I could press any of the buttons!!
Any advice any one has would be greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance
kelly said,
December 25, 2009 at 9:54 pm
i have a Zune hd and cant figure out how to down load games. i also want a calendar but cant figure out how to at all!
zunetips said,
December 26, 2009 at 7:25 am
If you use the Zune software on your PC you can click “Marketplace” on the top line and then “Apps” on the second line to see all available apps and games that you can download for your Zune HD.
pretoria said,
January 17, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Instead of using my friend’s sync cable, my dad bought me a new one along with a wall charger. I plugged it up to the wall charger all night and the screen still stayed blank, the Zune only got warm, as if the battery were full. I don’t understand why it’s doing this, could it be because I didn’t use the CD that the Zune came with and downloaded the software on the computer instead, because the same thing happened to all of my sisters’ MP3 players because they downloaded it from the computer instead of the CD, and theirs don’y work either. But mine is more serouis because mine won’t even turn on. One of my sisters has a Samsung P2 and it turns on, but the screen reads RTC ERROR and our new computer won’t even recognize it. My other sister has a Sansa Sandisk and it just stays on the logo screen after it turns on.
Oh! And the reason why we downloaded it from the computer was because our CD slot broke so we couldn’t download the CD. We also got a new computer, so I took all of your advice, got a new computer, new sync cable and it still won’t even turn on! I have an iPod and all, but this 4 gig Zune is the best music technologyIi have! I have ancient iPods. I’m glad you replied all of my other posts, and it’s been hard for me to find this page since we got a new computer but I appreciate your help!
zunetips said,
January 17, 2010 at 5:24 pm
It sounds like your big problem is your Zune 4GB won’t turn on. So, when you try to turn it or when you charge it via a USB Cable connected to your PC you don’t see anything on the screen? I had a similar problem with my Zune where it didn’t seem to turn on, but after closer inspection I was able to see a vary faint image on the screen. It seemed that the backlight for the screen was not working and I sent the Zune into the Microsoft repair center to get it fixed (it was still under warranty).
So, I’m not sure what to suggest to you at this point. It seems that you have a good power source (wall charger and new cable) so your Zune most likely is being charged sufficiently, but the screen just won’t turn on. One thing I would try is to do a hard-reset (see my Zune Tips page) and see if that corrects the problem. If not, the only recourse I see is either have it repaired or considered it broken and get a new Zune.
pretoria said,
January 19, 2010 at 2:28 pm
So is Back Button + Up Button = Reset (or Reboot) the hard reset?
pretoria said,
January 19, 2010 at 2:30 pm
and what about my Zune not being setected by the computer?
pretoria said,
January 19, 2010 at 2:45 pm
i used the “hard reset” and now my computer detecs it, but not the Zune software, instead, the computer keeps on flashing USB Device not recognized. i keep on reseting it with the “hard reset” but it keeps on flashing the same thing what should i do? (please disregard all the other little unnecesarry comments i put before)
pretoria said,
January 19, 2010 at 3:02 pm
oh! and i checked all of my updates for my computer and my Zune and there aren’t any, by the way i have Windows XP.
Ryan said,
April 7, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Help! My zune only works when its plugged in now and when its not it shuts off and dies and trying to turn it on without plug shows Battery Low. If I then plug it in, it starts up and battery symbol is full so I guess maybe they just don’t have any other symbols to show me! xD
Any tips to get it working again?
Oh and its a zune30.
zunetips said,
April 9, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Are you using a wall charger to charge it, or a USB port? It might be that the USB port you are using isn’t putting out enough amps to charge the battery on your Zune 30. You might try using a different USB port or a wall charger to see if that works better. If not, then I would guess your battery is bad and you’ll need to replace it.
renee said,
July 6, 2010 at 9:57 am
My Zune 80 is new and under warranty . My lock switch fell off somewhere and I can’t find it. Will my warranty cover it? If not where can I find a replacement button?
zunetips said,
July 10, 2010 at 6:20 am
If I were you, I would certainly contact Microsoft Services to see if it is covered under warranty. Otherwise, you might try visiting http://www.rapidrepair.com to see if that have that part for sale.
Johana said,
August 3, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Hi!
So My 4GB zune has been working fine. Just lately it was running out of battery so i decided to plug it in to my outlet instead of the computer. I usually use my camera charger to charge my zune because it has a usb adapter which i can just use the zune usb cord. So i left it to charge and then i realized that my screen went blank, but it didnt go black it had the light on but just blank. So i left it charging for a whole day and still no success. I finally got it to turn on completely and it charged (it showed a green battery) but once i unplugged it, it turns off and it doesnt turn on. So the general idea is that my zune only turns on when its plugged. I plugged it to my computer and it detects it and it works fine. So i dont know what the problem is.
Any ideas?
Thank You!
zunetips said,
August 3, 2010 at 9:03 pm
It sounds like either your battery is shot and you need a replacement, or the power source you are using to charge your Zune isn’t pushing enough amps to charge your battery. Since you tried charging with a wall charger, I think your Zune is getting enough juice. I suggest you try using a different sync cable for charging just to make sure that isn’t the problem. After you tried all those things, I can only guess its the battery that is the problem. If you go to http://www.rapidrepair.com you’ll see that they have batteries for $30 US which you can install yourself. They have guides describing how take apart your Zune which you can download.
Jacky said,
November 17, 2010 at 5:56 am
I have a 4 GB zune, not under warranty any more. Recently, after updating to version 3.1, its back button has stopped responding. All the other buttons work, the lock is not on, and I have tried several hard resets. I can still press the button, just nothing happens. What should I do? Should I try the back-center-left combo to see what’ll happen? I’m a bit skeptical about using RapidRepair, but I’m starting to think about it.
Also, when I press and hold the play/pause button (to make it go to sleep), the screen goes black but then it turns back on without me pressing any buttons.
I have never dropped my Zune, never manipulated it, always used the cord Microsoft sent with my Zune to charge it (plugged into my computer), never downloaded anything I shouldn’t, and there is no damage to it that I can see.
Jacky said,
November 17, 2010 at 5:57 am
Oh yeah, I’ve also updated to version 3.3 now, on request of another site, and nothing has happened. Please help me!
zunetips said,
November 17, 2010 at 11:21 am
Jacky: To be honest, I think it’s a hardware issue with your device. So, no amount of hard-resetting will fix the problem. Just my guess. You could try to send it into http://www.rapidrepair.com but I don’t know if it’s worth it to repair the 4 GB Zune. It might be more economical to go with a new Zune HD or maybe buy a 4 GB Zune off ebay for a cheap price.
khamera said,
November 23, 2010 at 8:11 pm
im literally crying. i read every single word on this site and heres my prob: when i plug my zune into the computer it works but doesn’t charge; then when i take it out, it just completely goes blank. I’m scared something worse might happen, i really need help im not in a happy mood right now:(
zunetips said,
November 23, 2010 at 9:23 pm
khamera: Did you try plugging your Zune into an AC Wall Adapter? Your computer might not have enough current to adequately charge your Zune from the USB port. I know from experience that USB ports can get shorted out or be damaged to the point where they can’t charge devices sufficiently. If your Zune won’t charge even from an AC Adapter, then the problem could be a bad battery.
Felicia said,
December 31, 2010 at 10:06 pm
I just got a Zune HD for Christmas it worked for a few days then it stopped. I tried resetting it a bunch of times and nothing happened, I plugged it into my computer and it didn’t even show up on the program. Its done that twice but the first time it worked the next day. Now it doesn’t work. WHAT DO I DO!?
zunetips said,
December 31, 2010 at 10:12 pm
My suggestion would be to return the Zune HD to where ever it was purchased and get a new one. If that is not possible, I would check the http://www.zune.net web site for a phone number to call for warranty repair. Before you do all that, make sure you’re sufficiently charging the Zune HD as some times a computer’s USB port may not be outputting enough volts and/or amps to correctly charge the Zune. You should try charging your Zune with a wall AC charger just to be sure. If after you try that and the Zune still doesn’t turn on or work properly, I would deem it as defective and try to exchange it for a new one.
Levi said,
April 12, 2011 at 8:30 pm
I can’t find my serial number ! I have no clue where it is at.
zunetips said,
April 15, 2011 at 8:16 pm
I suggest you do a Google search for “Zune serial number where is it” and see what answers pop up.
bill said,
June 12, 2011 at 7:18 am
Great website / info. My Zune is now able to boot up!!!
khanh said,
June 14, 2011 at 5:45 pm
my zune wont turn on even i try everything to restart it
Denise Hullsiek said,
December 16, 2011 at 7:55 pm
I bought a used Zune player and had no idea it was scratched and dented. I wanted to know how I could possibly get it fixed or sent to be repaired? Also, how much it would cost? I would really appreciate as much information as possible to get this fixed. Thank you!! -Denise Hullsiek
Susan Fortenberry said,
January 25, 2012 at 6:02 pm
I bought a used Zune 120gb to use for my audiobooks. The software works fine. I listened to 1 audio book and now my Zune will not play another one. It will play that one book I listened to over again but will not play another book. Movies do play fine. I reset the device and then took everything off the Zune and put it back on. Still won’t play anything else. The updates are current. Any ideas?
zunetips said,
February 12, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Sorry, I don’t have any suggestions. Unfortunately, the Zune has been discontinued and there’s no real support for it any more.
Joe said,
March 8, 2012 at 4:05 pm
I hard reseted my 120GB Zune. Now, it says plug it in to a PC, which I did. The PC is not picking it up, the USB port charges it but it does not attempt to sync it or acknowledge it in anyway. Help?..