When you purchase a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple TV, you may be wondering if Apple Music is included for free. With so many streaming music options available today, it’s a common question for new Apple device owners. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain exactly what you get with Apple Music when buying a new Apple device, for how long, and how to activate the free trial.
Do New iPhones Come With Apple Music?
The short answer is yes, new iPhones purchased directly from Apple do come with free access to Apple Music for a limited time. More specifically, you get 6 months of Apple Music for free when you activate a new iPhone. This gives you full access to Apple Music’s catalog of over 90 million songs, playlists curated by music experts, exclusive content like concerts and interviews, and personalized recommendations tailored to your taste.
The 6 month free Apple Music trial is available to those who purchase and activate a new iPhone, whether you’re a new or existing Apple Music subscriber. So even if you already pay for Apple Music on another device, you’ll still get 6 months free with a newly activated iPhone.
It’s important to note that this 6 month free Apple Music offer only applies to iPhones purchased directly from Apple, either online, in an Apple Store, or through a phone carrier. If you purchase a used or refurbished iPhone, even if it’s new-to-you, it won’t come with the Apple Music free trial.
Do Other New Apple Devices Get Free Apple Music?
In addition to new iPhones, Apple extends this 6 month free Apple Music offer to owners of several other newly purchased Apple devices as well:
- iPad
- iPod touch
- Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
- HomePod and HomePod mini
- Mac computer (MacBook, iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, or Mac Studio)
So if you just bought a new iPad straight from Apple, activated it, and set it up from scratch, you’ll have access to 6 months of Apple Music at no cost. Or if you purchase a qualifying Mac computer or Apple TV directly from Apple, you can sign in with your Apple ID and enjoy half a year of complimentary Apple Music access.
It’s a nice added bonus to excite new Apple device owners and tempt them into becoming paying Apple Music members once the free period ends. Again, this only applies to brand new devices activated for the first time, not used or refurbished models.
When Does the Free Apple Music Trial Start?
The 6 month free Apple Music trial begins as soon as you finish activating and setting up your eligible new Apple device. The Apple Music app comes pre-installed on devices like the iPhone, so the free trial starts immediately after you complete the initial device setup.
For Apple TV or Mac, you may need to download the Apple Music app first. But as soon as you sign in with your Apple ID, the 6 month trial will kick in. You don’t need to manually sign up or enter any promotional code – it’s automatically activated with qualifying new device purchases.
What Features Are Included in the Free Apple Music Trial?
The free 6 month Apple Music trial gives you full access to all of Apple Music’s standard features, including:
- Catalog of over 90 million songs, ad-free
- Curated playlists like Rap Life and COUNTRY in Spatial Audio
- New music recommendations personalized to your taste
- Integration with your own music library
- Downloads for offline listening
- Spatial Audio and Lossless quality
- Live radio stations like Hits 1 and Country Rhythms
- Music videos
- Behind-the-scenes content and interviews with artists
You can stream from Apple Music’s full catalog, save offline, follow friends and artists, listen to radio, and take advantage of personalized playlists. The only limitation compared to a paid Apple Music membership is that you can’t download songs for offline playback that aren’t already in your library.
Does the Free Trial Include Family Sharing?
The 6 month free Apple Music trial does allow you to share access with your Family Sharing group, similar to a paid Individual membership. Up to 6 people can enjoy the benefits of Apple Music free for 6 months.
To set up Family Sharing, go to Settings > [your name] > Set Up Family Sharing on your device. Add participating family members to the group. As long as they’re signed in to iCloud with their Apple IDs and on iOS 12 or later, they’ll automatically gain access to Apple Music and share your free trial.
Family members can also download songs offline (as long as they’re already in the cloud library), create their own playlists, follow artists, etc. You can manage your Family Sharing group’s Apple Music membership under your individual account settings.
What Happens When the Free Trial Ends?
Once your 6 month free Apple Music trial expires, you’ll need to subscribe to continue accessing Apple Music. A message will appear ahead of time notifying you that your trial is ending, along with the option to purchase an Apple Music membership.
Subscriptions cost $9.99/month for Individual access or $14.99 for Family Sharing access for up to 6 people. The good news is there’s no required commitment – you can cancel anytime if you decide Apple Music isn’t for you.
If you don’t manually renew at the end of the 6 months, you’ll lose access to all of Apple Music’s paid features. However, any music you’ve added to your personal library during the free period will remain accessible.
How Do I Activate the Free Apple Music Offer?
Activating the 6 months free Apple Music offer with a new Apple device couldn’t be easier. Just follow these steps:
- Purchase and activate an eligible new iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc. directly from Apple.
- Make sure the Apple Music app is installed during setup. It comes pre-installed on most Apple devices.
- Sign into the Apple Music app with your Apple ID.
That’s it! Apple Music will recognize your new device and automatically activate the 6 month trial. You’ll see “Apple Music Free Trial” displayed within the app.
If for some reason the free trial didn’t trigger, double check that you meet the eligibility requirements. You must be activating your device for the first time, not restoring a backup. Your Apple ID’s region must also be set to an area where Apple Music is available.
Can I Redeem the Free Trial Multiple Times?
Unfortunately, you can only take advantage of the 6 month Apple Music free trial once per Apple ID. Even if you purchase additional new Apple devices down the road, you won’t get another 6 months free if you already redeemed the offer previously.
However, if you decide to purchase an eligible new Apple device as a gift for a friend or family member, you could technically get 6 months free with their Apple ID if they haven’t already used the promotion.
Do Carriers Like Verizon Offer Free Apple Music?
Some mobile carriers like Verizon also offer Apple Music as a perk included free with certain plans. For example, Verizon offers either 6 months or 12 months of Apple Music to customers on select Unlimited plans.
This carrier promotion is separate from the 6 months free you get when purchasing a new iPhone or cellular iPad. If eligible through Verizon, you can stack both for a total of 12-18 months of free Apple Music access when activating a new iPhone on a qualified plan.
Other carriers may have similar Apple Music promotions, so check with your provider. Just know it’s different and in addition to the standard 6 month trial with new Apple hardware.
Can I Get Apple Music Free as a Student?
College students can take advantage of discounted Apple Music pricing. Instead of $9.99/month for Individual or $14.99 for Family Sharing access, students pay just $4.99/month or $7.99 with Family Sharing.
To qualify for the student price, you must be an active university or college student and provide proof by verifying your status through Unidays. After verification, the student subscription rate will be unlocked.
Unfortunately student status alone doesn’t qualify you for a free trial. You’ll still need to activate a new Apple device to get the 6 months complimentary. But the student pricing makes keeping Apple Music after the free period more affordable.
Is Apple Music Worth Paying For?
Now that you know how to get 6 months of Apple Music free with a new device, is it worth continuing to pay $9.99 or $14.99 per month once the trial is over? Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros
- Huge catalog of over 90 million songs, more than competitors
- Personalized playlists and recommendations
- Exclusive content and early access not on other platforms
- Spatial Audio and Lossless quality for premium sound
- Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- Family Sharing allows up to 6 users for just $4.99 more
Cons
- More expensive than Spotify, YouTube Music when not on promotion
- Limited availability on non-Apple devices
- Can’t upload your own song files
Ultimately it depends on if you find value in Apple Music’s large catalog, human-curated playlists, Spatial Audio, iOS/MacOS integration, and exclusives. If so, it may be worth keeping at $9.99/month or taking advantage of Family Sharing to lower the per-person cost.
Conclusion
New Apple device owners luck out with 6 free months of Apple Music. As soon as you activate an eligible newly purchased iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, or HomePod, the Apple Music trial will start, allowing full access to all paid features.
Once the 6 months are up, you’ll need to subscribe at the regular monthly rate of $9.99 for Individual or $14.99 for Family Sharing to keep the music playing. For many Apple users who want seamless integration, customized playlists, and early content access, the cost is well worth it.
So enjoy your new Apple toy and take advantage of half a year of free tunes courtesy of Apple Music. Time to start streaming!