I run across this kind of technical conundrum far too often. Something that should be straightforward is not. Creating a USB playlists, i.e. an M3U file for easy play of certain songs on the 2024 Nissan Rogue Infotainment system is not as apparent as you might think.
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Easiest Workaround
The most straightforward workaround to this problem is to use your iPod, iPhone, or Android Phone with whatever Music app you like. Use CarPlay; it will play however your application likes. There is no fuss about USB playlists; it all just works. If you don’t like fiddling with technology, stop here and enjoy your life and music.
USB Playlists What I Have Learned so far
Here is a compendium of the technical oddities I have learned about the Nissan Rogue 2024 infotainment system, specifically in using a USB memory stick.
NTFS is the Filesystem Format
I keep coming across articles that claim FAT32 is possible, but I have never been able to make that work. Format your memory stick in NTFS format. Most memory sticks come that way, but if it does not work, out of the box, remember to format it. Security-wise, it would be better to use a long format for any new memory device.
If you wish to test this, format your stick in FAT32 or other formats and see if the Infotainment system recognizes it. I tried FAT32, and the system didn’t recognize it. NTFS works just fine.
Number of Objects Limitation
The number of folders and files on your memory stick seems limited. Many different numbers have been bandied about.
- 255 maximum folders
- 2400 maximum files
None of these have been confirmed, but there is a limitation. A 128 GB stick might be overkill unless you use a lossless algorithm to encode the music. I had this happen to me. I had over 3000 files on a 128 GB memory stick and the system only found a subset of the entries.
M3U Playlists Are a Category
No matter where you put your m3u playlists in your file system hierarchy, they end up under Playlists. If you put them in their own directory, or in the directory with your music, they will show up in the Playlists Category of the Infotainment system. If you have multiple copies of the same list, they will all show up under Playlists.
File System Hierarchy and USB Playlists
If you don’t want to just create a flat file system with everything: Music, Playlists, etc., at the top of the tree, this becomes an interesting problem. Given the limited number of entries, simply vomiting it all into one place might be nice.
I tried to be clever and create a MUSIC directory at the top of the USB filesystem, and then under it, put music as you would find it in my library. This would follow a naming standard like: <artist name>/<album name>/<song name.{mp3, m4b, aac, etc.,}. I haven’t figured out how that plays nicely with USB playlists.
Which Slash?
I was using backslashes \ for the path to files. However, it seems that forward slashes / are preferred.
Rogue USB Playlists Conclusions
It is rather cumbersome to set this all up, but it can be done. I have set things up mostly as a backup in case I forget my phone or I cannot get my Music-Playing software in Carplay to work. Included is a simple FAQ for the topic.
Bloody 2024 Rogue USB Playlists FAQ
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What file system format is needed for the USB Stick for Music on 2024 Nissan Rogue?
NTFS seems to work with some limitations. The limit is about 2500 files/folders. Most USB keys come “out of the box” in this format.
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How should the files be set up on the USB memory stick?
You can create one big flat folder at the top or under a “Music” directory. You can also create subdirectories, the system will find them.
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Will it work right away?
Initially the system will need to read the memory key, so it may take a minute or two to find all your music.
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Do Playlists work on USB Stick for Music on 2024 Nissan Rogue?
Yes, you need to create M3U files to do this, either manually or using whatever tool you wish. Remember to use front slashes “/” in your pathnames for your music files.