Fix: Apple Music Not Working on iPhone After iOS Update
After a major iOS update, finding that Apple Music won’t play songs, shows an empty library, or fails to load can be incredibly disruptive. Users often report these problems in places like this Apple Community discussion, describing how the app becomes unusable. The issue typically stems from a few core causes: a bug in the new iOS version, a broken connection to your iCloud Music Library, an account authentication error, or corrupted network settings.
Why Apple Music Stops Working After an Update
Apple Music is deeply integrated with your Apple ID and iCloud Music Library to sync your playlists, downloads, and preferences across devices. An iOS update can sometimes disrupt this delicate connection, causing the app to lose track of your library or fail to verify your subscription status. The update process can also corrupt the app’s cached data or interfere with its network connection, preventing it from streaming songs or loading content like Radio and For You pages.
How to Fix Apple Music Not Working
1. Restart the Music App
Force closing and reopening the app is the quickest way to resolve minor glitches. This clears the app’s temporary state and forces it to re-establish a connection to Apple’s servers.
- Swipe up from the bottom of your screen and pause in the middle to open the App Switcher. (If your iPhone has a Home button, double-press it instead).
- Find the Music app preview card.
- Swipe up on the card to close the app.
- Return to your Home Screen and tap the Music icon to relaunch it.
2. Check Your Network Connection
Apple Music requires a stable internet connection to stream songs and sync your library. If your Wi-Fi or cellular connection is unstable, the app may fail to load or play music.
- Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and ensure you are connected to a working network.
- If using cellular data, go to Settings > Music and confirm that Cellular Data is toggled on.
- As a quick reset, you can also go to Settings and toggle Airplane Mode on for 10 seconds, then toggle it off.
3. Restart Your iPhone
A simple reboot clears your iPhone’s temporary memory and can fix underlying software conflicts that may be affecting the Music app.
- Press and hold the Side button and either of the Volume buttons.
- When the “slide to power off” slider appears, drag it to the right.
- Wait 30 seconds for the device to shut down.
- Press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears.
4. Toggle Sync Library
This is one of the most effective solutions, as it forces Apple Music to re-sync your entire library from iCloud. If your music is missing or songs won’t play, this action often restores the connection.
- Go to Settings > Music.
- Toggle the Sync Library switch off.
- Wait about 30 seconds.
- Toggle Sync Library back on. Your library will begin re-syncing, which may take several minutes depending on its size.
5. Sign Out of Media & Purchases
Signing out of your Apple ID for media services and then signing back in can resolve authentication issues that prevent Apple Music from verifying your subscription.
- Go to Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap Media & Purchases.
- Tap Sign Out from the pop-up menu.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Return to the same menu (Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases) and sign back in with your Apple ID.
6. Check for an iOS Update
If the problem was caused by a bug in the initial iOS release, Apple often releases a follow-up update with a patch.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- If a newer version of iOS is available, tap Download and Install.
7. Reset Network Settings
If the issue is related to a persistent network problem, resetting your network settings can help. This will erase all saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN configurations.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your passcode to confirm. Your iPhone will restart.
8. Delete and Reinstall the Music App
Reinstalling the app deletes its local data and forces a completely fresh start. This can resolve issues caused by corrupted app files.
- Press and hold the Music app icon on your Home Screen.
- Tap Remove App, then tap Delete App.
- Open the App Store, search for “Apple Music,” and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it.
If none of these solutions work, contact Apple Support.
