Apple Music Not Working: How to Fix Every Apple Music Error

Apple Music is a great service, the obvious streaming choice for anyone within the Apple ecosystem. But hey, it’s far from perfect.

In fact, we heard more than a few people saying they want to cancel Apple Music over these issues – they’re annoying, it is what it is.

Not all content is universally accessible, or you may struggle connecting your siblings to the Apple Music Family Plan you purchased, or run into the infamous Apple Music error codes. 

We’ve prepared a comprehensive guide on some of the most common issues that you can experience in Apple Music, complete with simple solutions to clear them. So, is your Apple Music not working? We have the fixes!

• TL;DR Version
• Why Is My Apple Music Not Working on My iPhone
• Apple Music Not Working on Mac
• Apple Music Playback Issues
• Apple Music This Song is Not Available in Your Region: Why it Happens
• This Content is Not Authorized Apple Music Error Explained
• Why Does My Apple Music Keep Pausing?
• Tesla Apple Music Playback Error
• Apple Music Function Issues
• Family Sharing Apple Music Not Working
• Apple Music Cannot Connect Error
• Crossfade Apple Music Not Working
• Apple Music Error Codes
• How to Transfer Apple Music Playlists When Leaving
• Summary

Why Is My Apple Music Not Working: TL;DR Version 

Honestly, there are too many reasons that cause your Apple Music not to work to come with a single TL;DR to cover them all.

But, we were surprised by how many times all it took was to restart your phone, or log in and out from your Apple Music profile – especially related to Family Sharing. So, try that first, and if the issue persists, read on!

Why Is My Apple Music Not Working on My iPhone

Internet connection issues and expired subscriptions are the two most common reasons why Apple Music won’t work as intended on an iPhone device. 

Once you’ve checked your internet connection and everything is in order, check the status of your Apple Music subscription by following these steps:

1. 1. Launch the Settings app and select your profile name.
2. 2. Choose “iTunes and App Store”.
3. 3. Click on your Apple ID.
4. 4. Find and select your Apple Music subscription

Apple Music Not Working on Mac

Virtually all problems that may prevent Apple Music from working properly on iPhones can also affect Mac devices.

If you’re wondering, “Why is Apple Music not working on my Macbook?”, know that the iPhone fixes can be applied to Mac devices, so it’s only important to pinpoint the exact problem and use the corresponding solution from this guide. 

As a rule of thumb, you should first restart your Mac when you encounter persistent problems by following these steps:

1. 1. Tap the Apple Menu icon.
2. 2. Select “Restart”.
3. 3. Alternatively, long-press the power button until shutdown, then press it again after waiting at least 15 seconds to boot it up again.

Apple Music Playback Issues

If you don’t have any problems logging into your account, accessing (and changing) the settings, but you can’t play any music tracks or playlists, you’re having Apple Music playback issues. Let’s take a look at the most common playback problems and how to solve them. 

Apple Music Not Playing Songs

If you’re wondering, “Why is my Apple Music not playing songs?”, there may be multiple answers depending on the root of your issue. 

If you are certain that you are attempting to play authorized content available in your region, you should also ascertain whether you’re using an internet connection channel that is both fast and reliable enough to support the quality setting you’ve chosen. 

Other notable reasons may include a variety of technical bugs relating to the dreaded library synchronization issues, family sharing settings not working, or Crossfade malfunctioning. We’ll explore all of these instances throughout this guide. 

Apple Music This Song is Not Available in Your Region: Why it Happens

Certain content on Apple Music is region-locked due to music distribution or licensing policies. A screen saying, “This song is not currently available in your country or region” will pop up whenever you try to play an unavailable tune, which can’t be avoided by conventional means.

However, this problem is far more common for Apple users who use links to Apple Music versions from other countries. You’ll rarely encounter the song unavailability issue if you’re looking for (licensed) tunes from the Apple Music search bar.

There is only one additional potential cause of this issue – Apple Music’s region settings. If you accidentally change the “Country/Region” setting in your Apple Music account, the app will apply a different set of rules for song availability.

On the upside, reverting these changes is quite easy, so just follow these steps:

1. 1. Log into your Apple Music app.
2. 2. Open “Settings” and tap “Account”
3. 3. Launch the “Media and Purchases” app.
4. 4. Tap “View Account” and select “Country/Region”.
5. 5. Select the “Country” box and choose your country from the drop-down menu.
6. 6. Log out and log back to your account for the changes to take effect.

This Content is Not Authorized Apple Music Error Explained

Like all other music streaming services, Apple Music must first ascertain that the user has a valid active subscription before allowing any songs to be played. The “This content is not authorized” message bubble will usually appear whenever Apple Music’s link to the user’s data is disrupted. 

The most common culprit in this case is a poor or unstable internet connection. If you are using Apple Music while latched onto a public Wi-Fi channel, any major drop in signal strength can cause this problem.

Similarly, if you’re using mobile data and run out of internet memory, you can expect to see the same message. 

Solving the unauthorized content problem is simple, but it requires stable internet access. Once that is achieved, simply log out and back into your Apple Music profile. 

This solution won’t solve the problem if your Apple Music subscription is due (and unpaid) or canceled. To check the status of your current Apple Music plan, follow these instructions:

1. 1. Launch the Settings app and tap on your profile name.
2. 2. Select “iTunes and App Store”.
3. 3. Tap “Subscriptions” and choose your current Apple Music plan.

Why Does My Apple Music Keep Pausing?

If your Apple Music keeps pausing, you may be using an internet connection with a speed lower than the minimum required to play selected tunes. 

If you encounter this issue while listening to online Apple Music songs, you’ll need to ensure that your internet speeds are at least on par with (or exceed) the demands of the selected playback quality. 

For reference, let’s assume that an average song lasts about three minutes.

Apple Music will need different amounts of time to load the song depending on the quality setting, including about 1.5 megabytes at High Efficiency, 6 megabytes at High Quality, approximately 36 megabytes at Lossless, and a whopping 145 megabytes at High-Resolution Lossless. 

The most common fix for this issue is to shift between strong local Wi-Fi or cellular data when playing at higher quality and local Wi-Fi or other weaker connections when playing music at lower quality.

Tesla Apple Music Playback Error

The “Tesla Apple Music not working” is among the more complex Apple Music playback issues. This glitch commonly occurs when the system version of a Tesla vehicle is not compatible with the installed version of the Apple Music app. 

Tesla vehicles and Apple Music receive different updates at different time intervals. On some occasions, a new Tesla system app might be incompatible with the latest Apple Music version or vice versa.

Updating both apps to their latest versions is one of the most reliable fixes for this problem. You can’t update Apple Music individually, and you don’t need to update connected devices in your iCloud as they’ll sync with the latest software upgrade whenever one becomes available.

Detailed instructions about updating Tesla software can be found on the company’s official website, but here’s a shortened version that works in nearly all instances:

1. 1. Open the Tesla app.
2. 2. Select “Controls”, then tap “Software”.
3. 3. If any new updates are ready to download, a button “Update Available” will appear, so tap on it, and the process will begin automatically.

Apple Music Function Issues

Unlike the previous category, function-related issues with Apple Music affect highly specific features. You may be able to listen to certain songs or playlists or even make adjustments to your Apple Music profile.

However, some basic functionalities, like song downloads, library synchronization, or family sharing, might not work as intended. Let’s explore how to solve these issues. 

Apple Music Not Downloading Songs

Apple Music music allows users to download content and play it offling. However, the app periodically validates all downloaded data and checks authentication to confirm you still have an Apple Music subscription. 

Also, iCloud manages your library and occasionally need an internet connection to verify the integrity of existing files and eliminate discrepancies. Given that, several things can cause Apple Music not downloading songs or playing downloaded content. 

To start, as always, check your internet connection – consistently. Your connection to the iCloud server can glitch even if your connection is stable. Reboot it by following these steps:

1. 1. Open the Settings app.
2. 2. Click on your profile name.
3. 3. Select “iCloud”.
4. 4. Scroll down and tap “Access iCloud Data on the Web” to disable it.
5. 5. Wait at least 15 seconds and tap again to re-enable it.

This fix should resolve most download-related glitches. However, if the problem persists, you may need to update your iPhone’s software to the latest version. You can toggle automatic updates and initiate manual updates by following these instructions:

1. 1. Open the Settings app.
2. 2. Tap “General” and select “Software Update”.
3. 3. Tap “Automatic Updates” if they’re off to allow automatic updates.
4. 4. If an update is available and not installed, a blue button “Update Now” will appear, so click on it.

Apple Music Not Syncing

The “Apple Music sync library not working” error strikes on two fronts. The first one is affecting how Apple Music synchronizes content between multiple connected devices, and the second one prevents your phone from syncing local music with the iCloud server. 

In the first case, you have to check that the Sync Library setting is activated on all connected devices. The wording might be different in certain Apple products, but the usual steps to enabling Sync Library are as follows:

1. 1. Launch Apple Music.
2. 2. Open the “Music” tab.
3. 3. Select “Settings or Music” and tap “Preferences”.
4. 4. Select “General”.
5. 5. Tap “Sync Library” if it’s turned off. If it has been active, disable it, wait 15 seconds, and turn it back on. 

Rebooting your iCloud is the solution for the second problem (syncing local data), so just follow the same steps as with the issue of “Apple Music Not Downloading Songs” to disable and re-enable the Cloud.

Family Sharing Apple Music Not Working 

The common root of the “Apple Music Family Plan not working” problem is that the status of each user included in the Family subscription won’t update automatically and at the same time.

You may see other members of the group listed as having access to all Apple Music apps, yet they might not be able to do it from their devices.

The simplest solution to this issue is to sign out from each Apple ID and log back on. Even though this is not an official solution approved by Apple’s wizards, hundreds of Apple Music forum users reported it worked. So let’s break down how to log out of your Apple ID.

1. 1. Open the Settings app.
2. 2. Find the “Sign Out” button at the end of the drop-down menu.
3. 3. Enter your password and select “Turn Off”.
4. 4. To reconnect, open the Settings app again.
5. 5. Select “Sign In”.
6. 6. Type in your Apple ID and password.

Apple Music Cannot Connect Error

When a message pops up saying, “Apple Music says cannot connect”, the first thing you should do is verify that your internet connection is stable. Yes, that thing again.

Even with fast internet plans (and public WiFi channels), if the connection is unreliable, Apple Music may struggle to verify your profile and Apple ID, showing you this window as a hint that a steady connection cannot be established. 

However, the same message may appear even if your internet connection is superb. In such cases, you should disable and re-enable your Apple Music subscription from “Media & Purchases”. This will clear all minor bugs that may have been blocking your authentication routes, so follow these steps to do it:

1. 1. Open the Settings app.
2. 2. Tap your profile name.
3. 3. Select “Apple ID”, and go to “Media & Purchases”.
4. 4. Choose “Sign Out”.
5. 5. Select “Media & Purchases” to sign back in.

Crossfade Apple Music Not Working 

 

If your Appel Music Crossfade feature is not working, the first thing to check is whether it’s activated. Follow these steps:

1. 1. Open your Apple Music app.
2. 2. Select “Music” from the top menu and then “Settings”.
3. 3. Go to “Playback”.
4. 4. Make sure the “Crossfade” checkbox is ticked and adjust the time slider for the Crossfade feature.

To activate Apple Music Crossfade on iPhone, you will need to open the Settings app, find Music (with Apple Music logo next to it), and scroll down to the “Crossfade” slider.

It’s very important to note that Crossfade will only work if the songs are played from start to finish. Skipping or interrupting songs might glitch the feature, preventing it from activating in your current listening session. 

Some users on Reddit have reported that they’ve managed to circumvent this issue by disabling the Lossless setting.

Another Common Issue: How to Stop Apple Music From Autiomatically Playing

Apple Music Error Codes

These are pesky. Apple Music error codes are numbers assigned to specific issues the system encounters while processing a request.

Issues can be related to adding new songs to the library, playing content that you don’t have access to, or trying to use specific features without the required settings being active. The pesky part is that you’ll just see the error code number but not the explanation. 

So let’s cover some of the most common Apple Music error codes, what they mean, and how to solve the issues they are causing. 

Apple Music Error Code 43173: How to Fix

The Error code 43173 Apple Music is classified as “unauthorized content”. This issue is common for users who own multiple devices without the same Apple ID, so they forget that they’re not logged into the “right” Apple Music profile when attempting to access certain songs or playlists. 

Similarly, this code may appear when you’re trying to launch Apple Music on an unsupported device, which includes iOS devices running on outdated software, by the way, plus non-iOS smartphones or tablets.

To solve these two cases, you only need to restart your device after checking you’re using the right Apple Music credentials:

1. 1. Long-press the volume and side buttons on your iPhone simultaneously until you see a Power Off slider.
2. 2. Swipe the slider, and the phone will turn off within 30 seconds.
3. 3. Long-press the side button until the Apple logo appears to reboot your phone.

Apple Music Error 9039: How to Fix

The error code 9039 is an umbrella term that blankets dozens of possible scenarios in which Apple Music struggles to connect to the internet.

What’s unique about this code is that it will appear even if your device can access any other internet content, but not Apple Music or iTunes. 

Apple support hasn’t been too clear about what causes this error, but they’ve managed to pinpoint a solution – disabling security apps, confirming that the date and time are correct, and restarting the app can ultimately fix this problem. 

The main security culprit on iPhones is the Stolen Device Protection. You can temporarily disable it with the following steps:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Select “Face ID and Passcode”.
3. Choose “Stolen Device Protection” and switch it off. 
4. Return to re-enable it later.

To ensure date and time settings on your iPhone are accurate, do this:

1. 1. Launch Settings.
2. 2. Tap “General”.
3. 3. Go to “Date & Time”.
4. 4. Enable “Set Automatically”.
5. 5. To do it manually, tap “Date” and input the current date and time.

After completing both processes, reboot your device by long-pressing the volume and side buttons and swiping the Power Off slider. 

Apple Music Error 1852797029: What it Means + Fix

If you’ve been wondering “Why my Apple Music is not working” when listening to tunes with your headphones on, you’re facing the longest error code in Apple Music’s library of issues, the dreaded error 1852797029. 

The issue is categorized as “an unknown error” and typically occurs when the phone cannot recognize the headphones. 

The simplest and most efficient solution to this error code is to update your Apple-friendly phones. Assuming that you’re using the all-popular AirPods, updating them is a breeze with these instructions:

1. 1. Connect your AirPods to the charging station.
2. 2. Ensure the charging station is powered on.
3. 3. Place your iPhone near the charging case, and AirPods will automatically search for an available update.

Apple Music Error Code 15527

Both error codes 15527 and 43173 fall under the “unauthorized content” category. However, the solution to this problem is slightly different, as the issue stems from Apple Music’s heavy data usage. 

To fix this problem, several Apple Music users have discovered that they could disable the Spatial Audio feature, thus lightening the virtual load Apple Music is processing. This resulted in clearing the code 15527, so here’s how to do it:

1. 1. Check that your headphones are connected to your Apple device.
2. 2. Open the Control Center app.
3. 3. Long-press the Volume button.
4. 4. Select “Spatial Audio”.
5. 5. Select “Off” to completely disable Spatial Audio & Head Tracking features

Read more: Spotify Not Working: Every Spotify Error Fix + Explanation (Easy Solutions)

How to Transfer Apple Music Playlists When Leaving

OK, if your Apple Music is not working to the point it’s making you want to leave, you’re free to choose another streaming service. But we think you deserve to take your carefuly curated playlists with you.

Sure, you can manually recreate your Apple Music playlists on your new streaming service, and waste heaps of time, or do it for free in a few clicks using Tune My Music.

Note that you can also use the service to transfer your Apple Music playlist to a new Apple Music account. Anyhow, here’s how it’s done.

1. 1. Visit Tune My Music.
2. 2. Hit the “Let’s Start” button.
3. 3. Set Apple Music as your source and then hit “Connect” if prompted.

1. 4. Sign in using your Apple ID.
2. 5. Click the “Allow” button to give TMM access to your library.

1. 6. Select the playlist for transfer and hit the “Choose Destination” button.

1. 7. Set the destination (your new streaming service).
2. 8. Log in to your new streaming service if prompted.
3. 9. Start the transfer. It’s free for the first 500 songs.

Apple Music Not Working: Summary

OK, we hope we solved some problems today, because that was a lot of Apple Music errors!

Again, don’t panic, and try to turn your device on and off, and log out and back in to your Apple Music account first. It did the trick for a lot of people.

If that doesn’t do the trick, the issue behind your Apple Music not working is more complex. But, we covered a lot of ground here so take it from the top and you’ll solve it.

Check out more stuff in our How To section and as always – enjoy the music!