Apple Music Not Working? Here’s Why & How To Fix It

Friend, we need to have a little chat about Apple Music.

As a fellow music lover, I know how frustrating it can be when your favorite streaming app stops working properly. One minute you‘re jamming out to your perfect playlists, the next – nothing! Just error messages where your jams should be.

Not to worry though, I‘ve got you covered. After researching this extensively and troubleshooting with many Apple Music users, I‘ve discovered the most common issues, and how to fix them.

In this detailed guide, we‘ll dive deep on:

The top reasons Apple Music crashes or won‘t play music
Solutions for the various problems you may encounter
Expert tips to avoid issues and optimize the app
Answers to frequently asked questions

By the end, your music library will be restored – no more frozen screens, endless loading, or songs that won‘t download.

So get comfortable, grab a snack, and let‘s solve those Apple Music woes together!

Why Does My Apple Music Keep Stopping?

Before we fix the problems, it helps to understand what‘s causing them. Through my Apple Music detective work, I‘ve identified the most common culprits behind playback issues:

1. Slow/Unstable Internet Connection

Since Apple Music relies on streaming over the internet, any network issues can interrupt your listening experience. Songs might stop playing, fail to load, or get stuck buffering.

If you‘re on WiFi, switching to mobile data could help. Or try disconnecting and reconnecting to refresh the connection. If you‘re already on cellular data, move closer to a window or outdoors if possible to get a stronger signal.

Resetting your router can also resolve flakey internet problems. Unplug your router for 60 seconds, then plug back in and wait for it to reboot. This clears out any software glitches.

2. Outdated App Version

Like most apps, Apple Music regularly releases updates to fix bugs, patch security flaws, and add new features. Using an outdated version makes you more vulnerable to playback failures.

Go to the App Store or Google Play Store to check for any available Apple Music updates, and install them. This keeps things running smoothly.

3. Too Much Content Syncing

Apple Music has a feature to sync your music library between devices. If you have a ton of content, the constant syncing can overload Apple‘s servers and your device, causing music to stall.

Under Settings, you can toggle syncing off temporarily to lighten the load. Sync only your favorite playlists if needed.

4. Insufficient Storage Space

Downloading and saving songs for offline listening takes up precious storage capacity. If your phone is low on free space, Apple Music can‘t save music properly, leading to issues.

Delete unused apps, photos, messages and other files to open up storage room. Apple Music needs 1-2 GB free to function without hiccups.

5. Software Corruption

Sometimes the Apple Music app data itself becomes corrupted. This can happen after a bad update, unexpected restart, or hardware problem. Corrupted data makes the app unstable.

Deleting and reinstalling Apple Music (covered later) can fix corrupted data by giving you a clean slate.

6. Incompatible Hardware/Software

Apple Music requires iOS 12 or later, or Android 6 or higher. Very old operating systems may not support Apple Music fully, causing glitches. Outdated iPhone/iPad hardware can also be incompatible.

Check that your device OS and hardware meet Apple Music‘s minimum requirements. Update your software, or upgrade your device if needed.

Phew, that covers the usual suspects! Now let‘s get into the fixes…

Step-by-Step Solutions to Common Apple Music Problems

Based on my Apple Music diagnosis experience, here are the best ways to solve the most frequently reported issues:

Fix 1: Update the Apple Music App

As mentioned before, having an outdated version of the app is a recipe for problems.

On iPhone/iPad:

Open the App Store
Tap your profile icon in the top right
Scroll down to see pending app updates
Install any available Apple Music updates

On Android:

Open the Play Store
Tap menu icon in top left
Tap "My apps & games"
Update Apple Music if update is available

Updating provides compatibility improvements, fixes bugs causing crashes/freezes, and boosts app performance. Keep it current!

Fix 2: Restart Your Device

Restarting your phone, tablet or computer is an easy first step for any app misbehaving. A restart clears out old memory allocations, ends background processes gracefully, and reloads the OS.

On iPhone and iPad, press and hold the Side button and Volume up/down button until you see the power off slider. Slide to restart.

This refreshes the hardware and software environment Apple Music runs in. Many playback failures or crashing issues can be fixed with a simple restart.

Fix 3: Reinstall Apple Music

If updates didn‘t help, uninstalling Apple Music completely and reinstalling can fix deeper issues:

On iPhone/iPad:

Press and hold the Apple Music icon until icons shake
Tap the X to delete the app
Open App Store, search for Apple Music, and reinstall

On Android:

Open Settings > Apps
Tap Apple Music > Uninstall
Open Play Store, search for Apple Music, and tap Install

This wipes out any corrupted data or settings problems and gives you a fresh start. Log in again after reinstalling.

Fix 4: Switch Internet Connections

Since Apple Music relies on streaming, network issues inevitably cause problems. If music won‘t play properly on WiFi, try disconnecting and using mobile data instead to rule out WiFi as the culprit.

You can also temporarily put your device in Airplane mode to cut off the internet, then turn WiFi/cellular back on to force a reconnection.

If switching networks fixes it, contact your ISP about the WiFi difficulties. Or get a router upgrade.

Fix 5: Update Your iPhone/iPad Software

Having outdated iOS/iPadOS software can introduce Apple Music glitches and crashes, especially after major Apple updates.

To update:

Open Settings
Tap General > Software Update
Install any available iOS/iPadOS updates

This keeps your device firmware current with the latest Apple Music optimizations and fixes. Stay updated!

Fix 6: Free Up Storage Space

As mentioned earlier, Apple Music requires free storage space to save songs for offline playback. A full device leads to errors.

Check your available space under Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage. Then delete unneeded apps, photos, messages and files until you have at least 1-2 GB free.

This gives Apple Music breathing room to download songs without filling up your storage.

Fix 7: Sign Out, Then Sign Back In

Sometimes Apple Music loses track of your account credentials, subscriptions, downloads, and more. Signing out and back in again resets these:

Open Settings > [Your Name]
Tap Media & Purchases
Below your Apple ID, tap Sign Out
Open Apple Music, tap For You, and sign in again

This often resolves account-related issues, restarts downloads, and refreshes your libraries.

Fix 8: Contact Apple Support

If you still have no music after trying everything, Apple‘s support team can help investigate further:

Visit https://support.apple.com and request contact
Call them at 1-800-275-2273
Tweet @AppleSupport with your issue

They can check server status, verify your account details, troubleshoot your device, and more. You can also request refunds for any downtime.

Expert Tips to Avoid Apple Music Disruptions

In addition to fixing issues, here are some pro tips to optimize Apple Music and prevent problems in the first place:

When setting up Apple Music, download only your most-played playlists and albums for offline listening. Syncing huge libraries causes issues.
Under Music settings, turn off "Cellular Data" and "Automatic Downloads" to avoid unwanted streaming and downloads eating up data limits.
Always keep 1-2+ GB of free storage available. Apple Music requires breathing room, especially for offline content.
Favor WiFi over mobile data for heavy streaming to avoid hiccups. Cellular networks are less reliable than WiFi.
Update iOS/iPadOS regularly to ensure compatibility with the latest Apple Music versions.
Use Apple‘s recommended iPhone models and Android devices for maximum compatibility. Very old hardware may not fully support Apple Music.
If you won‘t use Apple Music for awhile, cancel your subscription to avoid unnecessary monthly charges during downtime. You can resubscribe anytime.

Apple Music Not Working? FAQs Answered

Let‘s wrap up with answers to some frequently asked questions about fixing Apple Music:

Why does my Apple Music keep buffering?

Constant buffering is almost always caused by shaky internet connections. Try switching between WiFi and cellular data to see which works better. Reset your router and modem to refresh the connection. If buffering only happens in certain locations, the issue is environmental.

How do I troubleshoot Apple Music not loading?

Start by checking for app updates, then restart your device. Try deleting and reinstalling Apple Music next. Switch between different internet connections. Make sure you‘re updated to the latest iOS/iPadOS version. Check that you have sufficient storage available. Test other apps to see if it‘s an isolated Apple Music problem or device-wide issue.

Why are my Apple Music downloads so slow?

Downloads can stall due to poor network connections, outdated app versions, too many downloads happening simultaneously, and insufficient storage space. Try downloading on WiFi instead of mobile data. Pause other downloads. Disable Automatic Downloads. Free up storage capacity. Update the app.

How do I fix Apple Music playback error?

"Playback error" messages typically indicate an issue with the downloaded song file. Try redownloading the song(s). Make sure Automatic Downloads is disabled to avoid downloading corrupted files. Check your storage space. Reset network settings. Update the app. As a last resort, delete and reinstall Apple Music to start fresh.

Why does Apple Music crash when I open it?

Frequent crashes on launch point to corrupted data or conflicts with iOS/iPadOS. First, update the app and your device software. Reset network settings. Delete and reinstall Apple Music to wipe corrupted data. Free up storage space in case the crashes are storage-related. Test after each step to isolate the cause.

How do I troubleshoot Apple Music not syncing playlists or libraries?

Go to Settings > Music and check that Sync Library is enabled. Also verify iCloud Music Library is turned on, and that you‘re signed into iCloud properly under Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud. Turn syncing off, restart your device, then enable syncing again. Sign out and sign back into Apple Music to restart the sync.

Let‘s Get Your Tunes Back!

Well my friend, we‘ve covered a ton of ground here. By this point, you should have the knowledge to get Apple Music up and rocking again when issues arise!

To quickly recap, you now know:

The top reasons Apple Music malfunctions
Step-by-step solutions for common problems
Expert tips to avoid issues proactively
Answers to frequently asked troubleshooting questions

Armed with these troubleshooting skills, you can confidently tackle any Apple Music glitches. I hope this guide brings your music listening experience back up to pure harmony!

If any other questions come to mind, don‘t hesitate to reach out. I‘m always happy to chat more and help a fellow Apple Music lover.

Rock on!