Apple Music Not Working on iPhone? Top Causes and Fixes

Is Apple Music not working on iPhone no matter what you do? Well, having been through this situation, I know how frustrating this can be. So, after trying and testing different methods, I have come up with the eight best ways to troubleshoot Apple Music when it’s not working on iPhone. Let’s get started.

How to Fix Apple Music Not Working on iPhone? -8 Effective Ways

When Apple Music is not working, it may not play your songs, or different functions like Family Sharing settings, Replay, lyrics, etc., may stop working. So, after a lot of trying and testing, I have come up with a list of the most effective ways to fix problems like these:

1. Force Quit Music App and Reset your iPhone

When you reset an iOS device, it automatically enters the rebooting phase. This method can resolve any errors or bugs associated with your Apple Music app. So, here’s how to reset your iPhone:

1. Force shut Apple Music.
2. Open the Settings app on your phone.

3. Scroll down and tap General.

4. Then, scroll down again and tap the Reset button.

5. Drag the Power Off slider to turn off your iPhone.
6. Wait a few seconds.
7. Then turn your phone back on again.

2. Sign out of iTunes & App Store and Sign Back In

In the case of iTunes & App Store bugs and glitches, signing out of your iTunes and App Store and signing back in again can fix the Apple Music app. So, here are the steps to sign out of iTunes & App Store and sign back in:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.

2. Tap the iTunes & App Store icon by scrolling down the screen.

3. Tap on the Apple ID that you have created.
4. If prompted, tap Sign out in the pop-up window that appears. Enter your Apple ID password if it asks for it.
5. The next step is to restart your iPhone.
6. Once you have done this, you should sign in to the iTunes Store or App Store.
7. The next step is to sign in with your Apple ID and password.

3. Turn Off and Reactivate Apple Music and iCloud Music Library

In some cases, existing songs and playlists from Apple Music and iCloud Music libraries disappear from the library. Other times, newly added songs and playlists are not added to the library. If you’re facing a problem like that, you may want to try turning off and on the Sync Library. So, here are the steps to turn off/on the Apple Music and iCloud Music Library:

1. Tap the Settings app on your iPhone.

2. After that, scroll down the screen and tap Music in the list.

3. Turn off Show All Purchases by toggling the button.

4. Then scroll down the page and toggle off the button next to the iCloud Music Library so it won’t work.
5. Now, wait for a minute.
6. Afterward, toggle on both features, and this should fix the issue.

Note: Only those with an Apple Music subscription or an iTunes Match subscription can use the Sync Library option.

4. Change Your Country Or Region

When a song is not available in your region or country, it may be grayed out or may show messages like “Apple Music item not available,” “This item cannot be played,” etc. So, if that’s the case, you’ll have to change your country.

Follow these steps to change your country or region to resolve the Apple Music not working on iPhone issue:

1. Navigate to the Settings app.

2. Tap on the name of your Apple ID.

3. Drag down and Tap on iTunes and App Store.
4. Tap the Apple ID button.
5. When the pop-up window appears, tap View Apple ID.
6. Enter your Apple ID and password.
7. Tap the Country/Region button.
8. The next step is to tap on the Change Country or Region button.
9. Here, select your country of residence.
10. Select a different country if you have already selected one. After that, wait for a few seconds and select your country again.
11. Right at the top of the screen, tap Agree.
12. Another pop-up window will ask you to confirm Apple Media Services’ terms and conditions. Tap the Agree button to confirm. 

5. Delete the Music App and Reinstall it

It is possible to resolve issues related to Apple Music by reinstalling the app and restoring it to its default state. To do this, follow these steps on your iPhone:

1. Hold down on the icon for Apple Music for a few seconds until you see it begin to wiggle.

2. You will find an X at the top left of the icon.
3. Tap Remove App on the app’s option to remove it.

4. Navigate to the App Store and search for Apple Music.

5. Reinstall the app and launch it.

6. Reset the Network Settings

Despite a strong cellular data or Wi-Fi connection, if Apple Music says, You Are Offline, you might need to reset the network settings. So, here’s how to reset your network settings on your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app.

Alt text: tapping-on-settings

2. Scroll down the screen and tap General.

3. Afterward, scroll down the screen and tap Reset.

4. Here, tap on Reset Network Settings.
5. Once that is done, you will need to enter the passcode of your iPhone.
6. To confirm, tap Reset Network Settings.

7. Re-sign into your Apple ID after Signing Out

Several account-related factors can cause Apple Music tracks to be grayed out. So, signing out of your Apple ID and signing back in can help fix such an issue. Here are the steps to sign out and sign back in with your same Apple ID:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap on your name.

3. To sign out, scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out.

4. The pop-up window will ask you for your Apple ID password. Turn off your Apple ID by entering your password.
5. The next step is to sign out by following the instructions.
6. Wait for a while.
7. Sign in to your iPhone now.
8. Enter your Apple ID and password.

8. Reset All Settings

If you are not able to identify the root cause of the problem and all fixes fail, your last option is to reset all settings on your iPhone. This will help fix any hidden or unidentifiable issue with your phone that may be preventing Apple Music or other apps from working properly. So, here’s how to reset all iPhone Settings:

1. Go to the Settings app.

2. Navigate to General.

3. Tap on Reset at the bottom.

4. Tap Reset All Settings.
5. If prompted, enter the passcode.
6. Again tap on Reset All Settings in the pop-up window to confirm this process.

How to Fix Apple Music Not Working on iPad? -7 Best Methods

Apple Music usually won’t play on iPad because of various issues like sync failures, network problems, wrong settings on Apple Music, and damaged or corrupted music.

Fortunately, a few easy fixes can restore Apple Music to its original state. Here’s how to fix Apple Music not working on your iPad:

1. Restart Apple Music

Restarting the Apple Music app is another effective way to fix minor glitches in the Apple Music app. So, follow these steps to restart Apple Music:

1. Tap the Home button twice on your iPad device. It will show you a list of recent apps.
2. You can now exit Apple Music by sliding it up.
3. Tap on the Home Page to restart it.

2. Turn on Airplane Mode

You can also try turning on the Airplane mode on your iPad and turning it off again to fix minor issues with your Apple Music app and network. To put your iPhone on Airplane mode in your Apple iPad, follow these steps:

1. Tap on Settings.

2. Enable Airplane mode.

3. Take a few moments to wait.
4. Again, turn off Airplane Mode.

3. Restart your iPad

Restarting the iPad is another effective way to deal with minor glitches in your iPad, along with apps like Apple Music. So, here’s how to restart your iPad:

1. Hold the volume and top buttons until the power off slider appears.
2. When you drag the slider down, your device will turn off in 30 seconds.
3. Then, turn your iPad back on, and the Apple logo will appear on your device.

4. Reset Network Settings

At times, your Network Settings can come in the way of apps like Apple Music that require active internet connectivity. If the fixes above have not worked out for you, you may try resetting your Network Settings. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to the Settings menu.

2. Go to the General tab.

3. Select Reset from the menu.

4. Select Reset Network Settings.

5. Make sure iTunes is Up-to-Date

iTunes, just like other apps, is updated every once in a while. Not keeping up with these updates can make your Apple Music malfunction. So, make sure that your iTunes is up to date. Here’s how to do it:

1. Launch iTunes.

2. Select Help on the top menu bar of the iTunes window.

3. Tap Check for Updates.

4. As soon as you follow the prompts, iTunes will download and install the new version.

6. Launch Apple Music Differently

If you’re still struggling with Apple Music not playing, simply launching the Apple Music app from Settings works sometimes. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to Settings.

2. Go to the Music section.

3. Tap Join Apple Music.

Now, you should be able to play tracks on Apple Music.

7. Sign Out of Your iCloud Account and Sign Back In

By logging out of iCloud and then signing back in again, you can start over with your iCloud account. Before you do that, you will need to turn off Show Apple Music by following the steps below:

1. Tap Settings.

2. Choose Music.

3. Navigate to Settings now.
4. Choose iCloud.

5. In this section, you will find options for signing out and signing in.
6. Sign out of iCloud first, then sign back in again.

4 Common Apple Music Issues and Fixes

When Apple Music doesn’t work, try these simple fixes first. You can restart the Music app, restart your device, and see if Apple Music is down for everyone. If these fixes don’t work, make sure you’ve updated your Apple Music.

So, if you are one of them, here are some common Apple Music issues and fixes that can help you:

1. Apple Music Activity Drains the Battery of an iPhone

Sometimes, Apple Music may consume too much batter than it should. If you suspect such a thing, navigate to Settings > Battery and see how much battery Apple Music is consuming. In case it is consuming too much battery, here are some fixes for overheating and battery drain if you’ve got this problem after the latest iOS update:

1. Activate Low Power Mode
2. Force Apple Music to close
3. Close any unused apps
4. Restart your device after forcing it to shut down
5. Reset your iPhone’s settings. Choose Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings.

6. To save battery life, disable Background App Refresh for unused apps. You should navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh > Search for unused apps and toggle the switch off.

2. The Library is Not Loading in Apple Music

Most Apple Music functions– like For You, Browse, and Radio– need an internet connection to work. If you are unable to load any of these tabs and Apple music shows You’re Offline, you probably have internet connectivity issues. To fix this issue, you can try doing the following:

1. Move to a different location if your cell phone’s 2/3/4G signal is weak or unstable.
2. Activate and deactivate airplane mode.

3. Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is strong.
4. Ensure your Apple Music subscription is linked to your Apple ID when reauthorizing your computer in iTunes.

5. Reset your device if nothing works.

6. Ensure that the Apple ID you are using to sign in to Apple Music is the one you logged out of.
7. Restart the app after forcing it to close.
8. You could also try restarting your iPhone after shutting it down.

3. Apple Music Doesn’t Play Songs on iPhone

Quite some users report problems playing songs on their Apple Music after an iOS 11/12 update. Here are some solutions to help fix the issue:

1. Restart your iPhone’s Apple Music app.
2. Remove Apple Music from your device and reinstall it.
3. Restart your iPhone after forcing the Apple Music app to quit.
4. Switch your iPhone to Airplane mode and leave it on for 1-2 minutes.

5. You can reset your iPhone’s network settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

6. You should check whether your iPhone has enough storage space to run Apple Music and save new Apple Music tracks.

7. If none of the above methods are successful, you should reset your iPhone to its default settings.

4. There’s No Song on Apple Music

If certain songs on Apple Music are grayed out, or you are experiencing issues like Item not available, Can’t play this item, etc., the following fixes might help:

1. Turn Off/On iCloud Music Library

Switch off the iCloud Music Library by navigating to Settings > Music > Sync Library. After a few minutes, turn it on by following the same process. Now, you can download the music again.

2. Sign Out/In from iTunes and Apple Music

If you’re an iOS user, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > tap your Apple ID > tap Sign Out > wait 1-2 minutes, then sign in. But if you’re an iTunes user, tap Account > Sign Out, wait a few minutes, then sign in.

3. Country-Specific Music

Some songs are only available in specific countries. So, if you don’t see them after changing country or region, make sure you change them back to the country from where you bought the music. To do this, do the following:

Navigate through Settings > iTunes & App Store > tap your Apple ID > choose View Apple ID. Then, select Country/Region > Change Country or Region. Now, pick your original country from the list.

4. Remove and Download the Songs Again 

If none of the above methods works, you should remove the songs that you can’t play and download them again from the Apple Music app. This simple trick helps fix the issue many times.

Frequently Asked Questions