Sleep timer for iTunes

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Sleep timer for iTunes

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Q: Is there a way to get sleep timer functionality on iTunes for Windows?

- Luisi

A: Sure. Keeping things simple, a basic sleep timer can be accomplished with a smart playlist.

To make a shuffling sleep timer smart playlist, simply select “New Smart Playlist” from iTunes’ “File” menu, and change the properties like this:

Deselect “Match the Following Rule”
Check “Limit to” and select 30 (or however many) minutes selected by “random.”

This will automatically choose 30 minutes of music from your library at random. Want to limit it to “Quiet” music? Try changing property (1) above to “Match the following rule: Genre / is / Classical,” or a similar modification. Play around with the various settings here (and take a look at our Smart Playlists tutorial).

The major limitation here? This simply ensure iTunes will stop playing your music, but doesn’t ensure that your computer will sleep/hibernate/shut down at the appropriate time. Play with your computer’s power management settings (preferred, and free) or use a third party utility like Sleep Timer Pro to accomplish this. We also include information on iTunes clock utilities in our Free iPod Book.

Jerrod Hofferth is an iLounge Contributing Editor, with frequent contributions to our iPod 101 and 201 tutorials, plus occasional hardware and software product reviews. As “azdude_40gb,” he also serves as an Administrator of the iLounge Discussion Forums.

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