10 Fixes: Apple Music Not Working Issue

You’re not sure why the “Apple Music not working” issue. You can’t download or listen to your favorite tunes no matter what you do. In this article, I’ll explain why Apple Music not working on your iPhone and how to resolve the issue permanently. Follow all the given procedures and check which one is the solution to this issue.

apple music not working

Check if the Apple Music subscription is still current before proceeding with troubleshooting. This appears to be the most obvious thing to investigate. Follow these procedures to see and manage your Apple Music subscription:

  • To access the iTunes & App Store menu, go to Settings-> [your name]-> iTunes & App Store. 
 iTunes & App Store menu
  • Select your Apple ID, and then tap View Apple ID. Sign in with the correct Apple ID if necessary. 
  • Go to Subscriptions and tap on it. Make your Apple Music subscription selection.
Apple Music subscription

Apple Music Not Working Issue Troubleshoot Tips

  1. Double-check these three things before problem-solving
  2. Delete & reinstall the Apple Music app
  3. Turn off iCloud Music Library
  4. Force-quit and relaunch the Apple Music app
  5. Reset iPhone to factory default
  6. Update Your Phone and iTunes
  7. Free up storage space on your phone
  8. Restart your phone
  9. Reset All Network Settings On Device
  10. Check If Apple Music Is Down

1. Check these three things before problem-solving

  1. Check whether the Apple Music subscription hasn’t run out.
  • Open the Settings app on the phone. Your name will be tapped. Select Subscriptions from the drop-down menu.
  • In Settings, the iPhone displays the Subscriptions menu option.
  • Select the subscription you’d want to manage.
  • Select Cancel Subscription from the drop-down menu.
  • If you don’t see Cancel, your subscription has been canceled and will not be renewed.
Cancel Subscription
  1. Ensure you’re using the same Apple ID associated with your Apple Music subscription.
  2. Make sure the iCloud Music Library is turned on your device.
iCloud Music Library is turned on
  • Go to the Music section of the Settings menu.
  • Activate the Sync Library feature. You won’t see an option to turn on Sync Library if you don’t have an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription.
  • Check if the Apple Music not working issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

2. Delete & reinstall the Apple Music app

Many issues can be fixed by reinstalling the Apple Music app and restoring it to its default state. Consider the following scenarios in which reinstalling the Apple Music app makes sense.

  • When you click the Apple Music app icon, it won’t launch, or you’ll get error messages.
  • Check if the Apple Music not working issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

To reinstall Apple Music on your iPhone, follow these steps:

  • Press and hold the Apple Music app icon until it begins to wiggle.
  • To close the program, click the “X” in the upper left corner of the icon.
  • To remove the app from the screen, tap “Delete.”
  • Search for Apple Music in the “App Store.”
  • Reinstall after tapping the download icon.

To reinstall Apple Music on Android, follow these steps:

  • Open your device’s “Settings” menu.
  • Find the Apple Music app under Apps or Application Manager.
  • Force-quit and relaunch the Apple Music app.
  • Restart your phone.
  • Reset all network settings on the device.
  • Check if the Apple Music not working issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

3. Turn off iCloud Music Library

If current music in your Apple Music library has vanished, or if newly uploaded songs and playlists have not appeared in the Library, toggle “Sync Library” off and then on again. After the iOS 13 upgrade, the iCloud Music Library option is referred to as “Sync Library.”

  • When using an iPhone or iPad, follow these steps: Toggle the “Sync Library” switch to OFF > Tap “Turn off” in “Settings” > “Music” menu.
Turn off iCloud Music Library
  • Turn the “Sync Library” back on after a minute or two.
  • Only individuals with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription can use the “Sync Library” feature.
  • Check if the Apple Music not working issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

4. Force-quit and relaunch the Apple Music app

Close the Apple Music app and then relaunch it. This is usually the first step when debugging an app that freezes, won’t reply, or has significant performance difficulties.

This method can force an unresponsive or misbehaving app to close. It will restart the app by deleting the corrupted temporary files and forcing it to reconstruct them. On the other hand, force-stopping apps are a bad habit because they reduce your iOS device’s battery life.

  • To force the Apple Music app to close on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:
  • Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the middle of the screen on an iPhone or iPad without a Home button from the Home screen.
  • Double-click the Home button on an iOS device with a Home button (iPhone 8 or older) to see the recently used applications.
  • The Apple Music app can be found by swiping right or left.
  • To close the Apple Music app, tap it and slide up.
  • Check if the Apple Music not working issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

To force the Apple Music app to close on Android, follow these steps:

  • To see the presently open apps on your device, tap the multitasking button (a little square symbol on the screen).
  • To find the Apple Music app, swipe left and right.
  • Swiping up or down (right-left) will close the Apple Music app on some Android devices.

5. Reset iPhone to factory default

If the problem persists, try restoring your phone to factory settings. I know you don’t want to do it, but it works occasionally. The most reliable way to cure the problem is to reset your device’s settings completely. Still, many customers report that removing and reinstalling the Music app solves the problem.

To restore your iPhone to its factory settings, follow these steps:

  • Make a backup of your iPhone first:
  • Turn on “iCloud Backup”  Go to “Settings” > Your Apple account > iCloud > iCloud Backup > turn on “iCloud Backup” > hit “Back Up Now.” (Before you restart, make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi.)
iCloud Backup
  • Return to “Settings” > “General” > “Reset” > “Erase All Settings” and select “Erase All Settings.” (enter your passcode again.) To reset all settings, select Erase iPhone.

To factory reset your Android, follow these steps:

  • Go to “Settings” then “System” then “Advanced” > “Reset options” > “Erase all data.”
  • To proceed, you may be required to enter your PIN.
  • To continue resetting, tap “Erase all data.”
  • Check if the Apple Music not working issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

6. Update Your iPhone and iTunes

You may need to update iTunes and iOS if Apple Music isn’t working after restarting your iPhone. Apple publishes software updates for iTunes and iPhones to improve native Apple services such as Apple Music.

These software updates can fix existing software flaws that may cause Apple Music not to work on your device.

  • Open the App Store and go to the Updates tab to see if there are any iTunes updates available for your Mac.
  • If an iTunes update is available, click the right-hand Update button.
  • Open iTunes on a Windows computer and go to the Help tab at the top of the screen.
  • Select Check For Updates from the menu. If an update is available, update iTunes by following the on-screen instructions.
Update Your iPhone and iTunes
  • To update your iPhone, navigate to Settings -> General -> Software Update, and if a software update is available, hit Download & Install.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

7. Free up storage space on your phone

You may not have sufficient space on the iPhone to save new music if Apple Music doesn’t allow you to download tracks or albums to your phone when you click the download cloud button. You can try to solve this problem by freeing up space on your phone.

  • Delete any gaming apps that are no longer in use.
  • Delete outdated podcasts, photographs, and movies that you no longer want.
  • Apps you don’t use should be offloaded or deleted.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

8. Restart your phone

Crashing, not responding, slow streaming, glitching, and other Apple Music issues can occur. One of the likely causes is that your phone has been on for a long screen time and that several apps are operating in the background.

All RAM data is cleaned off, and the apps and programs are relaunched after you restart your phone. This frees up more RAM on your device, allowing programs to load faster.

To restart your iPhone 11, X, SE, or earlier, follow these steps:

  • Press and hold the side and volume buttons together until the Slide to Power Off message appears on your screen.
  • Hold down the side button until Slide to Power Off option appears.
  • FIVE OR EARLIER iPhone SE (first generation): When the power off slider shows on the screen, press and hold the top button.
  • From left to right, swipe the Slide to Power Off slider.
  • To restart your Android phone, follow these steps:
  • Hold down the power button on the device’s right or left side until the power menu appears on the screen.
  • To restart your phone, tap the Restart option.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

9. Reset All Network Settings On Device

Reset All Network Settings On Device

What should you do if your Apple Music indicates “You are offline” even though you’re connected to Wi-Fi or have a good cell phone signal? Resetting the network settings is the best approach.

Apple Music not working on Wi-Fi, Apple Music won’t load the library, and Apple Music won’t play can all be resolved by resetting all network settings.

  • To reset the network on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Reset Network.
  • Go to “Settings” and select the “General” tab.
  • Scroll to the base of the page and select “Reset.”
  • Your network settings should be returned to their default state once you tap “Reset Network Settings.”
  • To reset the network on an Android device, go to the “Settings” app.
  • Scroll down to “System” and tap it.
  • Reset Wi-Fi, mobile, and Bluetooth by going to “Advanced” > “Reset options” > “Reset Wi-Fi, mobile, and Bluetooth.”
  • The confirmation box will appear; touch “Reset settings” to confirm.
  • Enter your screen unlock code (PIN, Pattern, or Password).
  • To continue, use the “Reset” button.
  • If you reset your network settings, your data will not be deleted, but it will wipe out any saved Wi-Fi passwords and other connection information.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

10. Check If Apple Music Is Down

You may check the current status of Apple Music on the Downdetector website. It allows you to check Apple Music’s status in different countries, including Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and Germany.

When you go to the Downdetector website, you’ll see a live report of the Apple Music server’s status. When the quantity of reported concerns exceeds the red baseline, a problem has been identified. Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

Most Reported Apple Music Issues & Solutions

  1. Apple Music Not Loading Library
  2. Apple Music Activity Draining iPhone Battery
  3. Apple Music Not Playing Songs On iPhone
  4. Apple Music Keeps Skipping Songs
  5. Apple Music Won’t Play On Android
  6. Apple Music Songs Won’t Play Offline
  7. Apple Music Song Is Not Available
  8. Apple Music Songs Won’t Download
  9. Apple Music Library Disappeared
  10. Apple Music Randomly Stops Playing Songs
  11. Apple Music Keeps Freezing Or Crashing
  12. Apple Music Keeps Deleting Downloaded Songs

1. Apple Music Not Loading Library

After an upgrade to the latest version of iOS, Apple Music not working on the loading library, and some users have reported that when they restore a backup to a new phone, Apple Music does not load songs.

  • Some areas of the Apple Music collection require an online connection to view.
  • To access areas like “For You,” “Browse,” and “Radio,” you’ll need to connect to WLAN or Cellular Data if you’re using an iPhone.
  • If you don’t have internet access, the “For You” – “Browse” – “Radio” tabs will say “You’re Offline.”

If Apple Music fails to load songs or your library when you connect to the internet, you can attempt the following techniques.

  • Reauthorize your computer in iTunes using the same Apple ID that you used to sign up for Apple Music.
  • Reset your device’s network settings.
  • Check the signal strength of your phone’s 2/3/4G network. Change your location and try again if your mobile network is weak or inconsistent.
  • Turn the airplane mode on and off.
  • Join a reliable Wi-Fi network.
  • Log out and back into your Apple ID account. Ensure the Apple ID you use to sign in to Apple Music is the same one you use to sign in to Apple Music.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

2. Apple Music Activity Draining iPhone Battery

According to some customers, Apple Music continues to drain its battery even when not used. See if you’ve been affected by your iPhone’s Apple Music battery problem.

Open Settings > Battery and check if the Music app uses a powerful battery when operating in the background.

If it indicates tens of hours of battery usage, there is a problem.

  • The remedies listed below should assist you in resolving the overheating and battery depletion concerns.
  • Switch to Low Power Mode.
  • Apple Music will be forced to close.
  • Close any apps that aren’t in use.
  • Restart your gadget after forcing it to shut down.
  • Reset your iPhone’s settings to factory defaults (go to “Settings” then “General” > “Reset” then “Reset All Settings”)
  • To save battery life, disable Background App Refresh for unused apps. 
  • Go to “Settings” > “General” > “Background App Refresh” > “Background App Refresh” Toggle the switch to the OFF position
  • Find the unused apps > Toggle the switch to the OFF position.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

3. Apple Music Not Playing Songs On iPhone

Following an iOS 11/12 upgrade, several consumers discovered that Apple Music songs would no longer play on their iPhones.

  • On your iPhone, restart the Apple Music app.
  • Remove the Apple Music app from your device and reinstall it.
  • Restart your iPhone after forcing the Apple Music app to close.
  • Turn on Airplane mode on your iPhone for 1-2 minutes, and then turn it off.
  • Reset your iPhone’s network settings: Select Settings > General > Reset > Rest Network Settings from the drop-down menu.
  • Check if your iPhone has the adequate storage capacity to operate Apple Music and save new Apple Music tracks.
  • If none of the previous techniques work, restore your iPhone’s default settings.
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

4. Apple Music Keeps Skipping Songs

Apple Music has been unexpectedly skipping tracks during playback for select customers. It only plays about half of the song before switching to the next one.

  • Check if the music you missed is available or playable in your library. If a song is greyed out, it isn’t available, and you won’t be able to play it.
  • Disable and then re-enable the iCloud Music Library. After that, manually re-download your Apple Music music.
  • If you’re listening to Apple Music tracks via streaming rather than downloading, ensure the app has Wi-Fi or cellular data access. To listen to streaming music, you’ll need an internet connection.
    • Select “WLAN & Cellular Data” from “Settings” > “Music” > “Cellular Data.”
  • Check if the “Apple Music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

5. Apple Music Won’t Play On Android

Since its introduction, the Apple Music for Android app has gotten mixed reviews from Android users. Some customers have given this app a low rating because the Apple Music experience on Android is constantly flaky and irritating.

  • On Android, the Most Common Apple Music Issues
  • On Android, the Apple Music library will not load (either the library or the song).
  • The downloaded playlist will not play (it is not possible to play it offline).
  • The Apple Music app crashes for no apparent reason after each music.
  • Songs will randomly cease playing in the middle or beginning of a tune.
  • Apple Music glitches out and won’t play the following song.
  • “This action is not available while your library is upgrading,” says the error notice.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

Solutions to fix this issue

  • Upgrade your Android phone’s operating system. Check to see if your Android device is running Android 4.3 or higher. 
  • The Apple Music for Android app is not compatible with older Android phone devices running Android 4.2 or lower.
  • Ensure you’re using the latest version of Apple Music for Android. If it isn’t already updated, do so first.
  • Use your Apple ID to log in and out of the app, or delete and reinstall the Apple Music app.
  • If your Apple Music error app on the Android device isn’t working as it should, you can “clear cache” to fix the Apple Music not working problem and enhance performance.
  • Turning on/off Airplane mode is a simple remedy. To activate Airplane Mode, go to Settings. Turn off Airplane Mode after a few seconds.
  • Close all other apps on your iPhone and solely utilize the Apple Music app to observe how things go.
  • If none of the previous procedures work, try restarting the phone.

6. Apple Music Songs Won’t Play Offline

You’ve downloaded some music from Apple Music, and they sound great when you’re connected to the Internet. These tracks, however, will not play if you disable Wi-Fi or cellular data. Does this sound familiar to you? If that’s the case, look at the options available here.

  • Sign out and back into Apple Music.
  • Clear the app’s data or reset your phone’s settings.
  • Attempt another Apple Music Downloader.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

7. Apple Music Song Is Not Available

The most common issues reported by Apple Music users are “Apple Music item not available,” “This item can’t be played,” and “Apple Music tracks grayed out.” Several factors could cause this problem.

  • Turn off and then on the iCloud Music Library. If you’re using an iPhone or iPad,
    • Go to “Settings” > “Music” > Sync Library and turn it off. 
    • Wait a few minutes before turning on the iCloud Music Library. 
    • The song must then be re-downloaded into your collection.
  • Sign out of the Apple ID and sign back in using an iOS device.
    • Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > tap your Apple ID > hit Sigh Out > wait 1-2 minutes, then sigh back in.
  • Users of iTunes should go to Account > Sign Out, wait a few minutes, and then sign in using their Apple ID.
  • Your computer should be deauthorized and then re-authorized.
  • Change the country to the one where you bought the music initially.
  • If your Apple Music goods are no longer available after changing the country or region, you must return to the original country.
    • To view your Apple ID, go to “Settings” > “iTunes & App Store” > tap your Apple ID > pick “View Apple ID.”
    • Choose “Country/Region” > “Change Country or Region” > “Your Original Country”.
  • Remove any items you can’t play and re-download tracks from the Apple Music library. This solution is compatible with iOS and iTunes users.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

8. Apple Music Songs Won’t Download

If Apple Music is refusing to download songs and albums to your device, examine these associated factors first:

Make sure your iPhone/iPad/Android Internet connection has enough storage.

If you don’t want to waste your cellular data, it’s advisable to download music over Wi-Fi.

  • Sign out of your iTunes account and sign back in (Account > Sign Out/In).
  • Go to “Settings” > “Music” > “iCloud Music Library (or Sync Library)” > Restart your device and enable iCloud Music Library once more.
  • Delete the music from the collection that has download difficulties. Find the items removed from your playlist in Apple Music’s library and add them back to your playlist. Then try again to download them.
  • Restart the phone by turning it off and on.
  • There are a few more options for resolving the Apple Music download problem.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

9. Apple Music Library Disappeared

Apple Music Library Disappeared

When you erase the Music app from your iPhone, all your downloaded songs will be deleted. The previously downloaded songs won’t appear when you reinstall the Music app.

  • Make sure that “Show Apple Music” is set on in “Settings” > “Music.”
  • Make sure that the iCloud Music Library is turned on.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

10. Apple Music Randomly Stops Playing Songs

The music abruptly stops playing, which is irritating. If you keep pressing the play button, it will continue to play, but it will pause again at the song’s end.

If you’re listening to music over the internet, try downloading it and listening to it offline.

  • Force-quit and relaunch the Music app.
  • Delete songs that stop playing unexpectedly, search for them in the Apple Music collection and re-add them.
  • Restore your phone from a backup and reset it to factory defaults.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

11. Apple Music Keeps Freezing Or Crashing

Some basic approaches should be able to solve an app that is constantly stalling or crashing.

  • Restart the Apple Music application.
  • Log out and back into the Apple Music app.
  • Restart your computer or device.
  • The Apple Music app should be updated to the most recent version.
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

12. Apple Music Keeps Deleting Downloaded Songs

It’s inconvenient to discover that some songs are missing or being removed by Apple. If “Optimize Storage” is activated in the Music app settings, downloaded tracks that haven’t been played in a while will be automatically erased from your iPhone to free up music storage. With the following strategies, you can prevent Apple from doing so again.

Users of a PC:

  • Deauthorize and reauthorize your computer, then download this music again.
  • Go to “File” > “Library” > “Update iCloud Music Library” in iTunes.

For iPhone and iPad users:

  • Turn off the optimize storage option by moving the button to “OFF” in “Settings” > “Music” > “Optimize Storage.”
 optimize storage option
  • Check if the “Apple music not working” issue is fixed or not. Otherwise, move to the next step.

Conclusion

“Apple Music not working” or having trouble getting Apple Music to function on iPhone. Follow all the solutions listed above to get some potential answers and workarounds to help you figure out what’s wrong and fix it. 

Meet the Author

Abdul Rahim has been working in Information Technology for over two decades. Learn how Abdul got his start as a Tech Blogger , and why he decided to start this Software blog. If you want to send Abdul a quick message, then visit his contact page here.