PC to Sony PSP: How do I download music?

Dave, Help! How do I download music from my HP Windows computer to a Sony PSP computer? The system says it is downloaded but the PSP says that there are no tracks available?

Dave's Answer:

Hmmm... I'm trying to figure out whether researching this question would justify me buying a Sony PSP and claiming it as a tax deduction on next year's taxes (a curiously apropos question since today is April 15th, when we file income taxes here in the United States). :-)

More seriously, here are the steps you'll need to go through to get your music to download successful from your Windows PC to your new Sony PSP unit:

Connect the PSP to your PC with a USB cable. (about $10: buy a USB cable for your PSP)
Press the "home" button on the PSP (it's a tiny button to the lower left of the screen) then use the left-right directional buttons to find "Settings", then the up-down buttons to find "USB Connection" on the PSP.
Press the "X" button (you got it, the round button with the "X" on it) and your PSP should display "USB Connection".
In a moment or two your computer should tell you that a new USB device has been connected, then show you a new generic hard drive, usually E: or F:
Click on the drive letter that corresponds to the PSP unit.
Now create a new folder on that drive and name it "psp".
Within the new "psp" folder create another folder, and name it "music".
Copy your desired mp3 files into the new "music" folder.
When you're done copying your desired music tracks, press the "O" button on the PSP to get out of USB connect mode.

Now you're ready to go! Use the left-right arrows to move to the music area, then the up-down arrows to find "Memory Stick". Chose that folder by pressing the "X" button again, and you should be able to find all your favorite music!

Note that the PSP running older firmware (firmware is the "operating system" of the PSP) does not support any Windows Media formats i.e WMA & WMV, so any music you have in that format must be converted to MP3 before copying to your PSP. Fortunately, Sony's very own Image Converter 2.1 can convert all your music with a very simple GUi and will then also manage all the measuring and transfering for you too.

If Image Converter doesn't seem up to snuff, then there are various other solutions for converting audio files, including the free Windows application Switch, written up here: How to convert WMA audio files into MP3 audio files.

If you really want to play WMA format audio files, make sure you have the latest version of the firmware from Sony (see below for update instructions).

That should get you up and rockin' in no time!

Additional useful tutorials:

• How to format your PSP memory stick
• Update your PSP firmware via wifi network
• Update your PSP firmware without a wifi network
• How to get music to play on your PSP

Thanks to PSP owner Tommy Martin for his help

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Categorized: iPod, Sony PSP and MP3 Player Help (Article 3966, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: playstation portable, psp, sony psp
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Reader Comments To Date: 695

JOHAN said, on December 10, 2008 5:59 AM:

HALLO IM FROM SOUTH AFRICA I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW DO YOU DOWNLOAD MP3 FROM A WEBSITE TO YOUR pc PLEASE,,,,,,,,,,,HELP SEASON GREETINGS

moahmed said, on December 13, 2008 5:30 PM:

i just bought a psp and i need to know how to put videos on a psp i followed the steps but it diddn't appear on the psp

Adlemi said, on December 22, 2008 9:53 PM:

My computer dos not say e or f so what do i do

Brianna said, on December 25, 2008 7:46 AM:

hey thx i had no idea! i didnt have a cable but my ipod cable worked!lol

Quintinus said, on December 27, 2008 3:27 PM:

How do I copy my mp3 files to my psp music folder?

lil tootie said, on December 28, 2008 10:05 PM:

when i put my music aint nothing but tracks what do i do?

rajala said, on December 31, 2008 9:28 AM:

I don't kown how

Matteo said, on January 3, 2009 10:02 AM:

ive managed to get the right connection name but i do not remember my pass word so it will not let me have internet

jeremy said, on January 4, 2009 7:17 PM:

ok heres the deal, i just bought new psp ratchet and clank/ national treasure bundle pack.. i been trying to get music on there, but it never seems to work. i have windows media player, roxio i use to burn cd's i download from limewire. but it alwasy takes forever to transfer music and it wont let me copy/paste directly to folder. always says missing properties, cannot transfer file, and if i do get something on there, its either corrupted or it will be like 3 songs that blend in and out, is the file thing a vista problem. i follow step by step everything, i ordered a 16g memory stick from sony hoping myabe a 1 gig is just slow, do i need a better usb? i been checking for days now and no one seems to have posted anything about this situation. please help thanks

nicole said, on January 6, 2009 3:08 AM:

on my psp there are lots folders but no tracks??

pls help me

nicole said, on January 6, 2009 3:15 AM:

ok so i went on music (memory stick) then i went on one of the folders and it tells me
the music cannot be played.
there are no tracks available.

What should i do?

steve said, on January 7, 2009 1:33 AM:

Thanks Dave - I'd been tearing my hair out trying to download music onto my sons psp, then i blundered into your site & had it all up & running in 5 minutes flat!!

Ghost said, on January 9, 2009 5:22 AM:

thnx a lot dave... ^^
now...im already listening music from my PSP
instead from my computer,, ^^
it really helps me a lot..
but can you tell me how to download pictures from my computer to my PSP..
thnk u...
more power..and God bless..

Tyrese said, on January 11, 2009 7:06 PM:

i dont know how to download videos or music to my psp

Linda Bennett said, on January 12, 2009 3:00 PM:

I Got an IMAC Computer I install everything passwor and all I install an NX400 printer to it and it's asking me for a password.
I put the password in but it still asking for my password what is wrong or am I doing something wrong so that the IMAC and the printer work together.

Justin said, on January 16, 2009 10:50 PM:

I know how to do mines

helper said, on January 20, 2009 4:05 PM:

IF YOU DON'T HAVE USB CABLE FOR PSP AND YOU WANT TO PUT MUSIC ON YOUR PSP . NO PROBLEM. HERE WHAT YOU NEED (WIRELESS INTERNET AND MEMORY STICK)THEN OPEN YOUR PSP BROWSER AND TYPE IN SKreemR.com and then type the music name or artist name that you want .then select the song you want and click where it say file.bla bla bal .after you click on file download will pop up then click save and then go to music and enjoy song

harvey said, on January 22, 2009 11:32 AM:

i have followed the steps you have said to but when i go onto my psp and look for the tracks there is still nothing there!!!!!!!!!!!

cr said, on January 30, 2009 11:06 PM:

umm ur stuff didnt help i do not know what to do still =(

lee said, on January 31, 2009 1:27 PM:

still no tracks the names are there but no track

trish said, on February 4, 2009 5:47 PM:

i need alot of help how to put music on a psp and i downloaded all the music on windows media player and then transfer it all on to a mp3 player what do i need to do please help

martha said, on February 13, 2009 8:25 PM:

how can i transfer a song from a file in my computer to my cell phone as a ring tone?

tyrone said, on February 17, 2009 4:51 PM:

Do i cut and paste?

jack said, on March 1, 2009 6:18 PM:

my psp still won't connect to the internet

Jennifer said, on March 2, 2009 10:54 AM:

I have a new psp, I connected the usb cord into the psp, I went to settings and went to usb connection. I clicked on that and it says USB MODE, I have re connected it and it tells me the same thing.

Arlenys said, on March 2, 2009 1:24 PM:

which homr button r u talking about which left-right direction buttons and how do u find the setting button thank u for the hel[p anyway if u can right me back because i wnat to download music in my PSP i have the USB cabel thaks

Quentin Gardner said, on March 5, 2009 2:15 AM:

Dave,

I got the music downloaded to my PSP just fine. The problem I am having now is that some of the songs will not show up because it says that the music is copy rights protected, but I downloaded the music from my discs that I bought in the store and the same music works on my computer mediaplayer. I also got the newest firmware on my psp. What can I do to get past the issue?

Brandon said, on March 6, 2009 6:07 PM:

My coumputer is not saying u connected a new device.

Brandon said, on March 6, 2009 6:40 PM:

I connected the ubs cord and i dont know how to creat a new folder on my computer or psp?????

Jack Maki said, on March 12, 2009 2:19 PM:

My psp will not connect when I go to usb connection. It does nothing

garrason said, on March 12, 2009 10:03 PM:

so i downloaded it from rhapsody and it says its an mp3 file and that it downloaded but on the psp it has a folder with the artist name and it says there is no music that can be played

nitu said, on March 15, 2009 11:47 AM:

thanks, for the information u have put on net.

daminque said, on March 22, 2009 8:53 AM:

my computer won't show that my psp is connected

CP said, on March 29, 2009 9:34 AM:

This is a great help website. Thank you. I didnt get a manual with my used PSP, this is great. Thank you !!!!

mickey said, on March 29, 2009 4:52 PM:

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

orlando said, on April 14, 2009 5:18 PM:

i need help gettin musiq for my psp. i followed the instrucions but my psp wont load to the computer

ruih said, on April 21, 2009 2:01 PM:

love it

martin said, on April 22, 2009 3:59 PM:

my computer doesnt respod to the connection
why can i do?

electric said, on April 25, 2009 12:42 PM:

Hi ive got the best answer to solve your problem

your problem is how do i download music ?

my answer is go to this link http://www.downloads.nl
click on the wierdly spelled music button and type in your artist then click on the song name what you want and then click download

DO NOT DO THIS ON YOUR COMPUTER

You must do this on your psp browser and it will save the music under music on your psp system.

The site is safe and contains no viruses of any kind so dont be worried about it wrecking your psp system cos it wont.

Thanks and i hope this information comes in handy

victor said, on April 25, 2009 10:48 PM:

i downloaded some music and it says it dosent got
any tracks on it and i dont know to do

Ristan said, on April 28, 2009 5:34 PM:

i did everything but i still don't have any tracks!

nige said, on June 6, 2009 10:40 AM:

brilliant! - really helpful. i'm now a genius in the eyes of my son.... ta

antonio said, on June 10, 2009 5:14 PM:

go to psp files and go to music file then drag music to the music file.

Gayle said, on June 12, 2009 3:12 PM:

Dave, I can get the music folder downloaded onto the PSP, the song names are listed however it says no tracks available. Can you help me please...we are going on vacation and my son wants some songs!

reane said, on July 24, 2009 6:27 PM:

hey dave my UMD dragonball evolution is doing fine when i accidentaly updated my psp to 3.71 to 5.03. it was working fine when i didnt updated yet my psp to5.03 version but i updated it then went it back to 3.71.it says when iclick it to games then umd it says you need to update it to5.03 to play it.please help dave!

Jasmine said, on August 3, 2009 7:40 PM:

ok when i connect my usb and i put my psp mode but it wont do nothing it doesnt show e dive or nothin

Isaac said, on August 14, 2009 2:51 PM:

Okay Dave you told me how plug up and get started but you didnt show/tell how to specficly get the music.Com`on man WHATS UP with that MaN

ogimieeeeflop said, on August 19, 2009 3:35 AM:

oit does work but it confuses 2 many people tho so peple who are good with pcs do it and paople who arent do it easier way

Natalee said, on September 2, 2009 12:03 PM:

after the music is on the psp how do i get it to play?

tyler said, on September 5, 2009 7:39 AM:

my psp is not connectioning to the computer....

phil crosbie said, on October 7, 2009 7:48 PM:

if you want to download FREE demos, game trailors, ect WITHOUT USING A PC, go to ur browser on ur psp and put in..... PSPdemocentre, you can download demos from europe, u.s.a. japan, ect. it also gives you links to other free sites like.... psponme.... pspoof, you can even play gemes (but games run slow) try it guys n galls. its the best thing that ever happened tp my psp. lol, have fun!!!!

phil crosbie YET AGAIN said, on October 7, 2009 8:34 PM:

1 more thing... if you download demos from america, then login as a japenese user, u cant play ur usa demos UNTIL you login as a usa user, and that goes 4 every different country u use, so go 2 PSPdemocentre.... and download as much as u can from there (u can play these no matter what country ur loged in as)... hope u find this usefull... even though i STILL cant download music directly to my psp WITHOUT THE USE OF A P.C. ps its my b/day 10th oct so if n e 1 knows a solution, it will b best prezzie EVER.

phil crosbie YET AGAIN said, on October 9, 2009 6:58 AM:

thanks LOADS to electric for the link to be able to download music directly to my psp without the use of a p.c. now all i need is a BIGGER memory card, thank you. ive had my psp or years but only had it on the net for about a year and it was doing my head in..... no more stressing out, like i say.... THANK YOU!

josh said, on October 19, 2009 3:35 AM:

Am really finding it difficult to download mp3 to my psp. so how do I go about it.

maria said, on November 17, 2009 5:15 PM:

hey! can some one help me? for some reason my mp3 is turnig on and off every 5 secons...help!!

brindha said, on November 29, 2009 5:19 AM:

thanks a lot for u r help

sarah alameri said, on December 5, 2009 12:39 AM:

what happens if the psp says"there is no memory stick inserted."

abu said, on December 17, 2009 7:30 PM:

hey, i got the usb connector, but when i go to the usb connection in settings on my psp, it says "please wait..." and just stays like that, i connected the usb to my computer and im still waiting for it to connect, am i doing somthing wrong?

Liz said, on December 21, 2009 3:25 PM:

when i transfer a MP3 document to my PSP file it says it is going to transfer and then it says it cannot locate the file and itt isz frustrating!!!! helpp meh!!!!!!

aryana conyers said, on December 22, 2009 1:05 PM:

well whats a pc well if its a kind of computer i dont have one so wat do u do instead, to download music on ur psp

Joy said, on January 10, 2010 6:35 PM:

I cant get my computer to find my PSP so that i can download the music

jon said, on January 12, 2010 12:37 PM:

dave when i plug it into my pc it says device not reconized and nothin comes up. what is the problem?

Enrico L.Antonio said, on January 13, 2010 5:04 AM:

Dave good day to you I already have the Sony 290 GPS RECEIVER but how can I download the GPS NAVIGATION MAPS from gooles the easy simple ways hoping for your kind reply GOD BLESS US

Lyndzey said, on January 16, 2010 7:09 PM:

i do everything that is required but my computer never recognizes it when i plug it in. ive even got it on "usb connection" and its no readin it or anything. help me!!! email me asap

sukhmani said, on January 23, 2010 2:22 AM:

i cant find a way to download music on my psp

Kyle said, on February 13, 2010 9:45 PM:

I traded my Game Boy Advance SP & 100$ for a PSP 2000 in the last month I have been downloading lots of music to my 8G Memory Stick and I been downloading videos and other things I have some questions.....

Home-brew applications I go to these sights and none of them look decent is their any must have awesome home-brew applications I have missed?

Games I have 1 game its pretty lousy I hear God Of War is epic on it what are 3 must have games for the PSP?

PSPtube my friend said its a must have what is it and whats your opinion?

What is a good PSP web page built for the PSP professionally?

I have uploaded the newest version of the software, uhh that is all THANKS!

One more thing I find free sights to download music but when I cross over the mp3 to my PSP it says its a broken file any advice on that?

cody said, on February 22, 2010 12:43 PM:

i tried to get on the internet and it siad 100% and it still would'nt let me on.

gabriel said, on March 22, 2010 9:07 AM:

how can i download music from the internet to my computer then to my psp

BRENDA said, on March 25, 2010 5:01 PM:

HI DAVE
JUST WANTED 2 THANK U 4 THE GREAT INFORMATION ON DOWNLOADING MUSIC TO MY IPOD, U R SIMPLY GREEEEEEAT!!!!! THIS IS MY FIRST TIME VISITING UR PAGE N MY SOOOO GLAD I FOUND IT N 4 SURE I WILL NEVER LET U GO MAN U R GENIOUS!!!!!
THANK U SO MUCH DAVE, GOD BLESS U!!!!!

Jane said, on March 28, 2010 9:14 PM:

You are great at this whole thing, but I have been trying to find a way to get things on my brother's and my used PSP systims and our computer will not let me put up the "PSP" and "Music Folder" on it.

sathya said, on April 3, 2010 11:40 AM:

hi dave i just bought a psp and i followed all the instructions to store a song but when i have stored it the psp system tells that it is a corrupted file please help me

manisha said, on April 5, 2010 8:30 AM:

hi dave i've bought a new psp with a memory card..i upload all my stuffs in the memory card and insert it in my psp .. but is being displayed in my psp..... now please give me a suggestion to find a soluttion for this problem...

AJAY VARDHAN SINGH said, on April 17, 2010 5:05 AM:

thanks for telling how to download music from pc to psp............

bhavik said, on June 18, 2010 7:57 PM:

thankyou so much man im a 12 year old boy and i get every single thing you say you are so helpfull

Daaaaaaaai said, on June 24, 2010 8:23 AM:

thank you!:DD
this helped me loads!
im going on holiday tomorrow and i dont currently have a phone so i decided to try and put music on my psp for the flight. im so glad i found this:)
x

ishwinder said, on July 7, 2010 7:41 AM:

hey ,dave i want to install games on my SONY psp.so,would u like to give me some brief instructions about that or is there any software which convert any gaming format into the psp compatible format if there is tell me name of that one.

jr. said, on July 12, 2010 8:58 PM:

thankz 4 dha info

ace said, on July 21, 2010 9:40 PM:

i downloaded all my songs from my ps3 to my psp go and all of my songs did not show up how do i fix that and all of my music are mp3

victor said, on July 28, 2010 12:17 AM:

but it tells me pleas wait for hours why?

mellany said, on August 6, 2010 5:03 PM:

on limewire i downloaded a game when it finished downloading, i clicked on it twice to open it then it brough me to my computer's desktop program listings and it showed the game then i clicked it twice again to play and it said sorry its already being uploaded. i really just want to play the game any help?

jack said, on August 29, 2010 8:25 AM:

hi guys anyone can help me i cant dowloand videos from my pc to my psp someone can tell me the way plz? 10x

suhas doshi said, on October 24, 2010 8:14 AM:

Dear PSPian

kindly help me for PSP downloading. Shall i require memory stick for downloading all music,vedio etc.

Mary said, on January 9, 2011 9:07 PM:

Hey ..

i have a PSP but it wont let me download any music or pictures on it . please tell me how , sometimes i get really confused

ateeq warsi said, on January 13, 2011 1:31 PM:

whenever i download somthin on my psp. (e.g. music) it does not work.

it says that download music on PC.

hayden said, on April 6, 2011 6:17 AM:

hi

I have got a USB lead but it still is't working do you think it is becaese i dot have a memory stik.

thank you

susie sullivan said, on July 3, 2011 3:08 AM:

I have three songs saved in Favorites...I am wanting to record those songs onto a cd. My husband, tried to do just that. The cd was blank. Please, can you help him on this, and please use language we both will understand what you are trying to tell us to do....I need these songs as a soundtrack....hope to hear from you on this.

Amber Travelbee said, on July 21, 2011 3:27 PM:

Hey i have a question....i was putting a anime on my PSP so its in the right format MP4 and its in the right file 100MNV01 but i cant seem to get it to play....i know its on the PSP but it wont pop up!! is their any way to fix this?

idk said, on July 28, 2011 6:28 PM:

i keep on tryin to download music it says ive used up memmory but it says i dont have any music

jibon said, on July 31, 2011 3:03 AM:

i want to know what kind of videos play on sony psp

Tiffany said, on September 6, 2011 12:33 AM:

THANK YOU, DAVE!!! You are an absolute LIFESAVER and I was able to get this completed in 5 minutes (and I had a lot of music files to copy over). My son is VERY happy!!! Thanks again for the easy instructions!

SUDDUUUU said, on October 7, 2011 7:25 AM:

THANKS........DUDEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hussain said, on November 3, 2011 1:03 AM:

my psp does not connect the pc with usb what to do

alexa said, on December 2, 2011 2:25 PM:

wow. your instructions are very clear! thank you!
[like]

lorraine said, on January 14, 2012 9:29 AM:

can u tell me how to download music from the computer to the psp

butt said, on May 31, 2012 4:06 PM:

very helpfull you are a star.Thankyou very much.

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

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I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

PC to Sony PSP: How do I download music?

Reader Comments To Date: 695

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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