The Music app is a default app that comes pre-installed on all iPhones. It allows you to access your music library, stream music from Apple Music, listen to radio stations, and more. While the Music app can’t be deleted like other apps, there are a few workaround options for removing it and reinstalling if needed.
Can You Actually Delete the Default Music App?
No, the Music app cannot be fully deleted or removed like a standard third-party app from the iPhone. The Music app is embedded into the core iOS system and classified as a default system app. So there is no direct way to permanently delete or uninstall the Music app from your iPhone.
If you try to delete the Music app like you would any other app (by holding the icon down until the X appears and tapping it), you’ll simply get an error message that says it can’t be deleted. The Music app icon will return after the iPhone is restarted.
Why Can’t You Delete Default iPhone Apps?
Here’s why Apple does not allow users to delete most of the built-in default apps like Music, Messages, Phone, Safari, Settings, Photos, Camera, etc.:
- The default system apps contain core functionality and services that are tied to the iOS operating system.
- Removing default system apps could cause instability, crashes, and other issues.
- Apple wants to ensure a consistent and optimized experience across devices.
- Some default apps are required for accessing services like iCloud, App Store, iTunes, etc.
- Default apps can be updated and secured more easily via system updates.
- Apple uses some default apps to promote its own services (e.g. Apple Music).
So in summary, the Music app is deeply embedded into iOS and not designed to be fully removed from iPhones.
Can You Hide the Music App Icon on iPhone?
While you can’t permanently delete the Music app, you can hide the app icon from appearing on your iPhone’s home screen. Here’s how to hide the Music app icon on an iPhone running iOS 14 or newer:
- Go to your iPhone’s home screen.
- Long press on the Music app icon until all of the apps start jiggling.
- Tap the minus “-” icon that appears in the top left corner of the Music app icon.
- Confirm that you want to remove the Music app from the home screen.
This will hide the Music app icon from your home screen. However, the Music app will still be accessible and functional on your iPhone:
- You can access it by searching for “Music” from the iPhone’s home screen search bar.
- You can find it in the App Library if you scroll to the end.
- Any music playback or control widgets on your home screen will still open the Music app.
- Any links to music content will still open in the Music app.
So the app still exists on your iPhone, but this trick lets you hide the icon if you prefer not to see it.
How to Disable the Music App on iPhone
If you want to essentially deactivate the Music app without deleting it, you can disable the app by turning off cellular and Wi-Fi access:
- Go to Settings > Music
- Toggle the switch off for Cellular Data and Wi-Fi Data
This prevents the Music app from downloading or streaming any content over the internet while still allowing you to access any downloaded music in your library. The Music app icon will still be visible.
Can You Reinstall the Music App if Deleted?
As mentioned above, you can’t fully delete the Music app in the first place. But if for some reason the Music app disappears or experiences issues, you can reinstall or restore it to your iPhone.
If the Music app icon is missing but the app still appears in the App Library, simply drag it back onto your home screen to restore the icon.
If the Music app is actually missing from your iPhone entirely, you have a couple options to reinstall it:
- Do a full restore or update of your iPhone software in iTunes or Finder. This will reset all default apps.
- Reinstall the latest iOS software update on your device – this usually brings back missing system apps.
- As a last resort, do a factory reset of your iPhone, which will restore all of the original default apps.
In most cases, the Music app disappearing is a software glitch and can be fixed by fully updating your iPhone operating system.
Options for Using Custom Music Apps
If you really don’t want to use the default Music app on your iPhone, there are alternative third-party music apps you can download instead, such as:
| Spotify | Popular music streaming service with over 80 million songs. |
| Pandora | Free music streaming radio with stations based on your tastes. |
| Amazon Music | Music app connected to Amazon’s library of 100 million songs. |
| YouTube Music | Music streaming from YouTube’s catalog of official songs, covers, and remixes. |
| SoundCloud | Listen to music and podcasts from emerging and established artists. |
The advantage of third-party apps is you can freely download, customize, and delete them. The disadvantage is they won’t integrate as seamlessly with iPhone features and Apple Music. But these music apps do provide alternative options to the default Music experience.
Other Ways to Limit the Music App
If you don’t want to outright hide or disable the Music app, there are a few other things you can try to downplay it:
- Remove the Music app widgets from your iPhone’s home screen.
- Delete Apple Music and disable syncing music libraries.
- Turn off Show in App Library in Settings so Music doesn’t appear in search.
- Stop using Siri suggestions for music-related activities.
- Remove Music app notifications in Settings to hide pop-ups.
- Delete all downloaded music and playlists to clear up storage space.
Combining some of these limitations can essentially declutter your iPhone interface from the Music app without fully deleting it.
Conclusion
The Music app cannot be permanently deleted from iPhones given its deep integration with iOS. But you can hide the Music icon, disable cellular/Wi-Fi access, download alternatives, and limit the app’s presence in various ways. Fully removing the Music app risks operational problems, so it’s wise to keep access intact even if you don’t use it actively.