How To Cancel Apple Music Subscription - The Complete 2022 Guide

Hey there music lover! So you subscribed to Apple Music but now you‘re having second thoughts. Don‘t sweat it, I‘ve been there too. Cancelling your Apple Music membership is super easy – I‘ll walk you through how to do it step-by-step.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know:

How to cancel Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android, Apple TV and online
What happens when you cancel Apple Music
How to reactivate your subscription if you change your mind
The best Apple Music alternatives for music streaming
Answers to frequently asked questions about cancelling

Plus plenty of tips, tricks and insider knowledge since I‘ve been an Apple Music user for years. Think of me as your friendly music tech guru!

By the end of this guide, you‘ll be a pro at cancelling Apple Music. Let‘s get started!

Overview – How To Cancel Apple Music on Every Device

Here‘s a quick look at how to cancel your Apple Music subscription:

On iPhone or iPad:

Open Apple Music
Tap your profile
View Apple ID > Manage Subscription > Cancel

On Android:

Open Apple Music
Tap your profile
Manage Subscription > Cancel

On Mac:

Apple Menu > System Preferences
Apple ID > Media & Purchases
Manage > Cancel Subscription

On Windows:

Open iTunes
Account > View Apple ID
Manage > Cancel Subscription

On Apple TV:

Settings > Users & Accounts
Subscriptions > Cancel

On the Web:

music.apple.com
Account > Settings
Cancel Subscription

It takes just a few taps to cancel Apple Music across all of your devices. Now let‘s look at the step-by-step process for each platform.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cancel Apple Music

Here are the detailed instructions to cancel your Apple Music membership on every device and computer.

How to Cancel Apple Music on iPhone and iPad

Got an iPhone or iPad? Here‘s how to cancel Apple Music:

Launch the Apple Music app from your home screen.
Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. It will be your initials, name, or a cartoon Memoji that you created.
On your profile screen, tap "View Apple ID". This is where you manage your iCloud and App Store settings.
Under Subscriptions, tap "Manage". This will show all your active subscriptions.
On the Apple Music subscription entry, tap "Cancel Subscription".
A popup will ask you to confirm cancellation. Tap "Confirm" to cancel.

And that‘s it! Your Apple Music membership is now canceled on your iPhone or iPad. The process works the same way on both devices since they run the same iOS operating system.

A few things to keep in mind:

Cancellation happens immediately – you won‘t have access past your current billing date.
Downloads and music you added will remain in your library.
Make sure to save any playlists or stations before you cancel!

Now let‘s switch gears and see how to cancel Apple Music on an Android device.

How to Cancel Apple Music Subscription on Android

Don‘t have an iPhone but want to cancel Apple Music for your Android device? Here‘s what to do:

Open the Apple Music app on your Android smartphone or tablet.
Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
Choose "Manage Subscription" from the menu.
On the subscriptions screen, tap "Cancel Subscription" below Apple Music.
Confirm cancellation on the popup message.

And your Apple Music membership is canceled!

The Apple Music app works very similar on Android as it does on iPhone. Just tap your profile, go to your subscription, and cancel – pretty straightforward.

If you don‘t already have the app, you can download Apple Music from the Google Play store on any Android device.

Now let‘s move on to canceling on desktop and laptop computers…

How to Cancel Apple Music on Mac

Have a Mac computer? Here are the steps to cancel Apple Music:

Click on the Apple menu icon in the top left corner of your screen.
Select "System Preferences" from the dropdown menu.
Click on your Apple ID under the "Internet Accounts" section.
In the sidebar menu, choose "Media & Purchases".
Under your Apple Music subscription, click the blue "Manage" link.
On the next screen, click "Cancel Subscription" and confirm cancellation.

Following these steps will immediately cancel your Apple Music membership on any Mac computer running macOS.

A few tips for Mac users:

Turn off iCloud Music Library so you don‘t lose access to downloads
Make sure to save playlists and stations before canceling
You can always resubscribe – your library will be intact!

Okay, time to switch to Windows…

How to Cancel Apple Music on Windows PC

Got a Windows laptop or desktop? Here‘s how to cancel Apple Music:

Open iTunes on your Windows PC.
Click "Account" from the menu bar at the top of the iTunes window.
Choose "View Apple ID" from the dropdown menu.
Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
Under "Subscriptions", click the blue "Manage" link.
Find the Apple Music entry, then click "Edit" and "Cancel Subscription".
Confirm cancellation on the popup message.

Following these steps will immediately cancel your Apple Music subscription on any Windows PC.

Key points for Windows users:

Make sure to save playlists and downloads before cancelling
You‘ll lose the ability to add Apple Music songs to iTunes
You can always reactivate your membership later!

Almost there…let‘s look at how to cancel on entertainment devices.

How to Cancel Apple Music on Apple TV

Follow these steps to cancel Apple Music on your Apple TV:

From the Apple TV home screen, open the Settings app.
Select Users and Accounts.
Under your Apple ID, choose your Apple Music subscription.
Tap "Cancel Apple Music Membership".
Confirm cancellation on the popup message.

And that‘s it – your Apple Music subscription is now canceled on your Apple TV.

A few final pointers:

Downloaded music will no longer be accessible
Make sure to save any favorite stations
You can always resubscribe later!

Let‘s wrap up with how to cancel Apple Music online.

How to Cancel Apple Music Subscription Online

Don‘t have access to your Apple devices? No worries, you can easily cancel Apple Music online:

Go to the Apple Music website at music.apple.com.
Click on the Account icon in the top right corner.
Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
Under "Subscriptions", click the blue "Cancel Subscription" link.
Confirm cancellation on the popup message.

And your Apple Music membership is now canceled! Just log in with your Apple ID and it takes seconds to cancel online.

The key takeaway – no matter what device you use Apple Music on, cancellation is quick and straightforward. Now let‘s go over what happens after you cancel your subscription.

What Happens When You Cancel Apple Music?

When you cancel your Apple Music subscription:

You immediately lose access to the full Apple Music catalog of over 90 million songs.
Any downloaded Apple Music content that‘s not in your personal library will no longer play.
You can no longer save songs, albums or playlists to your Apple Music library.
Curated playlists, stations, recommendations and library search stop working.
You have full access until your current billing period ends.

So if you cancel Apple Music mid-cycle, you can continue using it until your next bill date. But any downloaded or saved content will go away after cancellation, so be sure to back it up first!

Now for some good news…

Your personal music library stays intact. Songs, albums and playlists you added outside Apple Music will remain in your library.

But of course, you lose access to any Apple exclusives or songs only available through the streaming service.

If you cancel during a free trial, your Apple Music access ends immediately. You won‘t be charged since you‘re still in the trial period.

I recommend downloading anything you want to keep before hitting that cancel button!

Reactivating Your Apple Music Membership

No need to worry if you cancel Apple Music by mistake. Reactivating your subscription is super easy.

On an iPhone, iPad or Mac:

Open Settings and tap your Apple ID.
Choose Media & Purchases.
Under your Apple Music membership, tap "Subscribe".
Pick an individual or family plan when prompted.

That‘s all it takes to resubscribe on any Apple device!

Your previous Apple Music library including playlists, stations and preferences will all still be there when you reactivate.

Just keep in mind you‘ll be charged immediately, since you don‘t get another free trial.

But hey, at least you don‘t have to start rebuilding your music library from scratch. Welcome back!

Top Alternatives to Apple Music Worth Trying

If you‘re cancelling Apple Music because it just wasn‘t the right fit, don‘t give up on music streaming yet! There are lots of great rivals worth checking out.

Here are my top picks for Apple Music alternatives:

Spotify

Spotify is probably Apple Music‘s biggest competitor with over 422 million users.

Pros:

Huge catalog of over 82 million tracks.
Spotify Free has ads but lets you listen at no cost.
Spotify Premium offers ad-free listening, downloads and advanced features.
Great custom playlists and music discovery.
Popular with social listening and sharing music.

Cons:

Sound quality maxes out at 320kbps even for Premium users.
Limited support for buying music or your personal library.
Free plan is light on features to push you to Premium.

Overall, Spotify is excellent for playlist discovery and sharing music with friends. Try out the free version to see if you like it.

YouTube Music

This one is convenient if you already subscribe to YouTube Premium for ad-free, background play of YouTube videos.

Pros:

Get access to YouTube Music with your Premium sub.
Over 80 million official songs, covers, and remixes.
Intuitive radio stations and custom playlists.
Listen ad-free and in the background.

Cons:

Music library management and uploads are lacking.
Sound quality is only 256kbps AAC.
Mainly based around music videos rather than audio.

If you already pay for YouTube Premium, definitely take YouTube Music for a spin since it won‘t cost you extra.

Amazon Music Unlimited

Amazon brings some nice perks for current Prime members.

Pros:

Over 90 million songs available.
Members can get it for just $7.99/month
Listen across all your devices.
Voice control with Alexa is slick.

Cons:

Mobile app is lacking compared to rivals.
Radio stations and playlists aren‘t as smart.
Prime member discount only applies to single user.

If you have an Alexa speaker or shop a lot on Amazon, the Prime discount alone makes this one worth a look.

Pandora

Pandora takes a different approach based around personalized radio stations.

Pros:

Stations automatically match your tastes.
Free version has ads while Plus and Premium are ad-free.
Pandora Premium lets you search albums/songs on demand.
Student discount brings Premium down to just $4.99/month.

Cons:

iOS app is dated compared to slick rivals.
Maximum audio quality is 192kbps.
Limited music library management and playlist features.

Pandora is great if you like effortless radio stations based on favorite artists or songs. The Premium plan adds on-demand playback.

Tidal

Tidal caters to audiophiles and fans of high fidelity sound.

Pros:

Lossless CD-quality sound on Tidal HiFi.
Full catalog of over 70 million tracks.
Decent selection of playlists and music discovery.

Cons:

Expensive – Tidal HiFi costs $19.99/month.
Other services match it for less on features.
Mobile apps trail rivals.

If sound quality is your top priority, Tidal HiFi delivers with lossless 1411kbps FLAC streaming. Just be ready to pay for it.

Apple Music vs. Top Alternatives

Here‘s how Apple Music stacks up to the top competing services:

Music Service	Price	Songs	Sound Quality	Offline Play
Apple Music	$9.99/month individual	Over 90 million	256kbps AAC	Yes
Spotify	$9.99 Premium	Over 82 million	320kbps Ogg Vorbis	Yes
YouTube Music	$9.99 Premium	Over 80 million	256kbps AAC	Yes
Amazon Music	$7.99/month single $9.99 standard	90 million	256kbps AAC	Yes
Pandora	$9.99 Premium $4.99 Student	Over 80 million	192kbps AAC	Yes
Tidal	$9.99 Premium $19.99 HiFi	Over 70 million	320kbps AAC 1411kbps FLAC	Yes

Pretty much any of these services give you tens of millions of songs for under $10 bucks a month. It really comes down to personal preferences for music discovery, sound quality, and mobile apps.

Take advantage of the free trials to experience Apple Music alternatives first-hand. There‘s a good chance you‘ll find one that suits your listening habits even better.

Canceling Apple Music FAQs

Have any other questions about canceling your Apple Music membership? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

How do I turn off auto-renewal for Apple Music?

When you cancel your Apple Music subscription, auto-renewal is automatically disabled. You can also turn it off manually by going to your Apple ID account settings and toggling off the Auto-renew option.

What happens if I cancel Apple Music during the free trial?

If you cancel during the free trial period, your Apple Music membership ends immediately and you will not be charged at all.

Can I get a refund for an unused Apple Music subscription?

Unfortunately Apple does not provide refunds for any unused portion of a paid subscription. Your access simply ends on the next billing date when you cancel.

What if I cancel Apple Music accidentally – can I reactivate my subscription?

No worries – you can easily resume your Apple Music membership at any time. Just subscribe again on one of your Apple devices and your entire library will still be intact.

Will my personal music library be deleted if I cancel Apple Music?

Music you purchased or imported into your library outside of Apple Music will remain after cancellation. Only music saved from the Apple Music streaming catalog will no longer play.

Do I lose my playlists if I cancel Apple Music?

Playlists you created will remain in your library but any streamed songs on them will be grayed out and won‘t play. To preserve playlists intact, you‘ll need to stay subscribed.

Hopefully these cover any other questions you might have! Feel free to reach out to me via email if you need any other Apple Music cancellation advice.

Closing Thoughts

The bottom line is – don‘t feel trapped if you want to cancel Apple Music. Terminating your membership is quick and straightforward across all of your devices.

Before you cancel, I do recommend downloading any playlists, albums or other content you want to keep access to. Your personal library will remain intact but anything strictly from Apple Music will go away.

Don‘t think of it as goodbye forever though. One of the great things with Apple Music is you can resubscribe again down the road and your library and preferences will be waiting for you when you come back!

I hope this guide gave you all the details you need to successfully cancel Apple Music with no regrets. Remember, there are plenty of solid Apple Music alternatives worth exploring like Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora and more.

But if Apple Music does become your music streaming service of choice again, your music collection will welcome you back with open arms. Regardless of what you decide, happy listening!