Ask Dave Taylor
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • YouTube Videos
  • Top Categories
  • Subscribe via Email
  • Ask A Question
  • Meet Dave
  • Home
  • iPod & MP3 Player Help
  • I can’t get music to play on my Sony PSP?

I can’t get music to play on my Sony PSP?

January 1, 2006 / Dave Taylor / iPod & MP3 Player Help / 214 Comments

Ok I am about ready to throw my Sony PSP out the window. i have done everything your directions have said and i cannot get music to play on it. i know it stores it to my memory card because it uses up the memory. i made the music folder and dragged the mp3 files into it but it refuses to play on my PSP. i do not know what else to do. please help me..

This is a distressingly common question here at Ask Dave Taylor so I thought it would be useful to detail exactly how to get music onto your PSP and play it.
Step One: Make MP3 Format Audio Files!
First off, you need to have music in MP3 format (the PSP supports other music formats, but the majority of reports I get are that they either don’t work or are quite difficult to set up). If you are ripping your own personal music CDs, you might well find that your music library is in a different audio format (Apple prefers AAC and Windows Media Player prefers WMA format, for example).
Here’s how to tweak each of these programs to save your future rips in MP3 format:
• MP3 audio CD rips from Apple iTunes
• MP3 audio CD rips from Windows Media Player
If you find yourself with music files that are in the wrong format, then you need to use a format translator. Two applications that look like they’d do a good job in this department are Switch (for Windows) and Music Man (for Mac OS X). In fact, you can read a tutorial about Switch here: How to convert WMA audio files into MP3 audio files.
Once you have the files in the correct format, check that they work properly by double-clicking on one of them. Your preferred audio player should launch and, hopefully, you should hear music out of your computer speakers.
Step two: Connect!
Hook up your Sony PSP to your computer via a USB cable. Turn on the PSP and put it in “USB CONNECT” mode (it should display the words “USB CONNECT” on the PSP display during the entire time you’re transferring files, and plug it in if you don’t have a fully charged battery).
If your computer complains that you are connecting a high-speed USB device on a low-speed USB port, try unplugging it (which is to say, take your PSP out of “USB CONNECT” mode, then unplug the cable from the PSP) and plugging it into a different USB port. Somewhere on your computer you have a higher-speed port, which you should certainly use if you can. If not, or if you can’t figure out which port is USB 2.0, then you should be able to safely ignore the warning message and proceed anyway. Once you rehook up your PSP, do make sure you remember to put it back into “USB CONNECT” mode).
Your PC or Mac should just magically show a new removable hard disk on the desktop (or, if needed, go to My Computer to find it). On a Mac it’ll probably show up as a device called “Removable Drive”, but on a PC it can show up as drive E:, F:, G: or whatever else is the next available drive name on your computer. If it doesn’t show up and you’re running Windows XP, then you might need to search for the proper driver, which is hopefully an option. If you’re running an earlier version of Windows, you’re kinda on your own because earlier versions don’t support pluggable hard drives. There’s an untested Windows98 driver you can download from Interia.pl, but I haven’t heard from anyone whether it actually works or not.
Once your PSP shows up on your computer, you should be able to navigate the different directories to find a folder called MUSIC. That’s where you want to drag and drop your MP3 files, so do so now, realizing that each music file typically takes up 2-3MB of space, so the default 32MB Memory Stick Duo that came with the Sony PSP is only going to be able to hold about one CD of music before it’s full, and that’s assuming you don’t have any game saves on it. Instead, you might consider buying a bigger Memory Stick: I have a 512MB one that gives me plenty of space and it didn’t cost much (Amazon.com, for example, sells this funky green 512MB PSP-compatible Memory Stick for less than $40, with free shipping).
(If you don’t have a “MUSIC” folder on your PSP then you might need to have the PSP unit itself reformat the memory stick (rather than your PC) so that all of the folders are setup properly. You can learn how to do this here: reformat your Sony PSP memory stick)
Step Three: Listen!
Once you’ve copied your music files onto your Sony PSP device, you should be done. Take the PSP out of “USB CONNECT” mode, then unplug the cables, hook up headphones so you can hear the PSP audio, and then go to the MUSIC area on the PSP.
One of the items listed in “MUSIC” is something called Memory Stick. Your songs are in that folder. To get to them, move the highlight bar to “Memory Stick” and press the “X” button:

Sony Playstation Portable (PSP)

You can see the “X button on this photo: it’s the lowest of the four buttons on the right side control area.
You should then move into the Memory Stick music area and see all of your MP3 files. Click on one to play it!
Hopefully these detailed instructions will help you avoid tossing your PSP out the window. If not, well, let me know when you’ll be tossing it and maybe I can catch it and use it as another test device. 🙂
Updated to explain what to do if you don’t have a “MUSIC” folder, based on comments added to this article.

Let’s Stay In Touch!

Never miss a single article, review or tutorial here on AskDaveTaylor, sign up for my fun weekly newsletter!
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please enter all required fields
Correct invalid entries
No spam, ever. Promise. Powered by FeedBlitz
Please choose a color:
Starbucks coffee cup 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!
psp memory stick, psp music, sony psp

214 comments on “I can’t get music to play on my Sony PSP?”

  1. Alessandro says:
    March 2, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    How to download music from your phone to your PSP please help

    Reply
  2. Julio Zilli says:
    May 29, 2014 at 4:37 am

    Can you tell me the psp song list (songs that already come with it) cheers

    Reply
  3. sobin says:
    November 8, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    I did all the things that you have told but when i start psp and open the folder called memory stick teir will be the file that i had copied from my pc and when i want to play that music then it say that enable wma play back

    Reply
  4. Tracy says:
    January 5, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    i am trying to put videos on daughters psp from my itunes account. when i open memory stick on psp the movies are saying unsupported data error. what do i do?

    Reply
  5. Callum says:
    October 19, 2011 at 9:58 am

    Plz help i just can not do it. it isn’t working. I have tried evry thing it just does NOT work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  6. Anonymous says:
    August 2, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    I do the first part right, I hook it up and what not, but once it gets to the usb connection screen, its says Please wait… What do I do?

    Reply
  7. Gaby says:
    July 14, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    Also when I click USB CONNECTION it constantly switches from “Please Wait…” to “USB Mode.” Can someone please tell my why?

    Reply
  8. Gaby says:
    July 14, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    Whenever i try to connect my PSP to my computer and open “removable drive” there are no folders and I can’t create any folders because “the system cannot find the file specified” or it just says i/o error and doesn’t even let me open the “removable drive. I tried formatting my PSP but that didn’t work either. Please help!

    Reply
  9. Tangeni says:
    July 4, 2011 at 8:37 am

    Thanx alot Dave youre advice realy helped me alot now I can enjoy music on my PSP

    Reply
  10. JUNAID IMTHYAS says:
    July 3, 2011 at 10:17 am

    I KNOW IT WORKS BUT I HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM ITS THAT WHEN I CONNECT MY PSP TO MY PSP IT SAYS THAT THE MEMORY CARD IS NOT INSERTED.
    FOR THAT I CHECK WETHER MY MEMORY CRD IS INSERTED OR NOT BUT THEN IT IS INSERTED . ND WEN I TRY TO FORMAT MY MEMORY STICK ITS LIKE THEY TELL MEMORY CARD IS NOT INSERTSD ………….
    PLS HELP……..OR I’LL BE ……………

    Reply
  11. Lyndsey says:
    May 15, 2011 at 10:43 am

    I downloaded a bunch of songs last night on my PSP. This morning, not only could I not access those songs, but I couldn’t open my music file at all. Each time I tried, the machine shut off. I’ve tried taking out the battery, holding the off button, every roundabout way to access that file. It’s an 8gb memory card that cost me a bit more money than I could afford, and I’ve got hundreds of beloved songs on there.
    The same thing happened to my last card but, strangely, I *can* access those songs on my old psp, and it still lets me open the file when it is linked to my computer, showing me a list of the songs I’ve downloaded.
    Do you why it’s doing this? I’d like to know if there’s anything I can do to fix it, but more importantly, I’d just like to understand what’s going on. Please? It’s really bothering me. I don’t have enough money to keep buying memory cards. :~(
    I’d very much appreciate any help you could offer.

    Reply
  12. cread says:
    March 6, 2011 at 5:26 am

    i have loaded lots of songs in mp3 format on my psp using both the media go program from sony + windows media player and in both ways only some mp3’s work and others will stop at a random point and say it is corrupt but i know it’s not, please help!

    Reply
  13. jerome says:
    February 26, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    when i connect my psp to my macbook my psp says please wait please help!!!!! ASAP

    Reply
  14. marc says:
    December 19, 2010 at 2:21 am

    OK, i own a Sony psp 1000 series. now i have tried a few things especially that the one you listed, and even though the music was in mp3 format the songs would get corrupted and i would have to delete them. is this uncommon for my psp model series, or is this problem easily fixed? or could it have something to do with the memory card i use for my psp, and the i am using is a 4GB sandisk dual memory pro.

    Reply

Comment navigation

← Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Recent Posts

  • Can I Send Texts in iMessage with Effects from my Mac System?
  • How Do I Convert a Webp Graphics into a PNG in Windows?
  • How Can I Delete My Phone from My Mom’s Mitsubishi Outlander?
  • How Do You Lower the Volume on Apple Watch Alerts?
  • How do I Schedule a Google Meet call with Colleagues?

On Our YouTube Channel

Tonor ORCA-001 USB Desktop Microphone -- REVIEW

ONFORU Outdoor Bluetooth LED Light-Up Lantern Speakers -- REVIEW

Categories

  • AdSense, AdWords, and PPC Help (106)
  • Amazon, eBay, and Online Shopping Help, (161)
  • Android Help (201)
  • Apple iPad Help (145)
  • Apple Watch Help (53)
  • Articles, Tutorials, and Reviews (344)
  • Auto Tech Help (12)
  • Business Advice (199)
  • Chrome OS Help (25)
  • Computer & Internet Basics (764)
  • d) None of the Above (165)
  • Facebook Help (383)
  • Google, Chrome & Gmail Help (180)
  • HTML & Web Page Design (245)
  • Instagram Help (48)
  • iPhone & iOS Help (607)
  • iPod & MP3 Player Help (173)
  • Kindle & Nook Help (93)
  • LinkedIn Help (85)
  • Linux Help (166)
  • Linux Shell Script Programming (87)
  • Mac & MacOS Help (895)
  • Most Popular (16)
  • Outlook & Office 365 Help (26)
  • PayPal Help (69)
  • Pinterest Help (53)
  • Reddit Help (18)
  • SEO & Marketing (81)
  • Spam, Scams & Security (92)
  • Trade Show News & Updates (23)
  • Twitter Help (217)
  • Video Game Tips (66)
  • Web Site Traffic Tips (62)
  • Windows PC Help (922)
  • Wordpress Help (204)
  • Writing and Publishing (72)
  • YouTube Help (46)
  • YouTube Video Reviews (159)
  • Zoom, Skype & Video Chat Help (57)

Archives

Social Connections:

Ask Dave Taylor


Follow Me on Pinterest
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Instagram


AskDaveTaylor on Facebook



microsoft insider mvp


This web site is for the purpose of disseminating information for educational purposes, free of charge, for the benefit of all visitors. We take great care to provide quality information. However, we do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this site or on any linked site. Further, please note that by submitting a question or comment you're agreeing to our terms of service, which are: you relinquish any subsequent rights of ownership to your material by submitting it on this site. Our lawyer says "Thanks for your cooperation."
© 2022 by Dave Taylor. "Ask Dave Taylor®" is a registered trademark of Intuitive Systems, LLC.
Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions - Accessibility Policy