How do I authorize my Apple Music account on my iPhone?

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How do I authorize my Apple Music account on my iPhone

Apple Music is Apple’s music streaming service that gives you access to over 90 million songs that you can listen to on your iPhone, iPad, HomePod, Apple TV, Mac, PC and other devices. Before you can start streaming music from Apple Music on your iPhone, you need to authorize your account.

What does it mean to authorize my Apple Music account?

Authorizing your Apple Music account links that account to your iPhone. It allows you to access all the Apple Music features on your device like streaming songs, downloading music for offline playback, listening to radio stations, using Siri to play music, viewing recommendations, adding songs to your library, sharing music and more. You can have up to 10 devices linked and authorized per Apple Music membership.

How do I know if my iPhone is authorized for Apple Music?

Here are some ways to check if your iPhone is already authorized with your Apple Music account:

  • Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone – if you see your profile name and can access your music library, then your device is already authorized.
  • Go to Settings > Music on your iPhone and check if your Apple ID email is listed under Subscriptions.
  • On your iPhone, open the App Store app, tap your profile icon and select View Apple ID. Check if there is an Active subscription for Apple Music.
  • Go to music.apple.com on a web browser, click Account and see if your iPhone is listed under devices.

If you don’t see your Apple ID or device linked to Apple Music, then you still need to authorize the app on your iPhone.

How to authorize Apple Music on my iPhone

Follow these steps to authorize an Apple Music membership on your iPhone:

  1. Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the Account icon on the top right.
  3. Select View Apple ID.
  4. Enter your Apple ID and password when prompted and tap Sign In.
  5. Tap Agree to the Apple Music subscription terms if you see them.

This will link your iPhone device to your Apple Music account. You should now have full access to Apple Music and see your library synced across any other devices also authorized with the same Apple ID.

I don’t see the Account icon in Apple Music

If you don’t see the Account icon on the top right corner of the Apple Music app, here are some things to try:

  • Make sure you have the latest version of Apple Music installed – update it from the App Store if needed.
  • Force quit the Apple Music app by swiping it up and away from the app switcher. Re-launch Apple Music.
  • Check that you’re signed in with your Apple ID on your iPhone – go to Settings > [Your Name] and confirm your Apple ID.
  • Sign out from the App Store on your iPhone by tapping your profile picture > Sign Out. Sign back in with your Apple ID.
  • Toggle off then on the Sync Library option in Apple Music Settings. Restart your device.

The Account icon should now be visible for you to tap and authorize your account.

I get an error when trying to authorize Apple Music

Some common authorization errors and how to fix them:

  • Incorrect Apple ID or password – Double check that you’re entering the right details.
  • “Cannot connect to Apple Music” – Check your internet connection.
  • “Cannot complete authorization” – Log out and log back into your Apple ID on the iPhone.
  • “Already authorized on maximum devices” – Sign out from one of your other authorized devices first.

If you see a different error message, try these general troubleshooting steps:

  1. Force quit and relaunch the Apple Music app.
  2. Restart your iPhone.
  3. Update to the latest iOS software version.
  4. Check Apple’s System Status page for any active service issues.
  5. Contact Apple Support for help.

How to easily switch Apple Music authorization to a new iPhone

When you get a new iPhone, here are two convenient ways to transfer your Apple Music authorization:

  • Use Quick Start setup – When first setting up your new iPhone, place it near your old iPhone and follow the prompts to use Quick Start. It will automatically sign in to your Apple ID and Apps like Apple Music.
  • Restore from iCloud backup – Restore your new iPhone from an iCloud backup of your previous iPhone. Make sure you back up your old iPhone to iCloud before getting your new device. This will transfer your settings and Apple Music authorization.

Do I need to cancel Apple Music on my old iPhone?

No, you don’t need to actively cancel Apple Music on your old device. Your Apple Music subscription is linked to your Apple ID and not any specific device. When you authorize your new iPhone, your old device will automatically get signed out from the service after a while.

However, you may want to manually turn off Apple Music on your old device to stop accidental usage. Here is how to do it:

  1. Open Settings and tap [Your Name].
  2. Tap Subscriptions.
  3. Tap Apple Music Membership.
  4. Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm.

This will immediately disable your access to Apple Music on that iPhone.

Troubleshooting tips

Here are some additional things to try if you are still having issues getting Apple Music authorized on your iPhone:

  • Check that you have a valid, active Apple Music membership subscription.
  • Sign out from iTunes & App Store on all devices, then sign back in.
  • Make sure the date and time are set correctly on your iPhone.
  • Update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.
  • Reset all iOS Settings on your device.
  • Contact Apple Support if the problem persists.

How to use Family Sharing for Apple Music

Apple Music allows you to share your Apple Music membership with up to 5 other family members through Family Sharing. Here is how it works:

  1. Set up Family Sharing on your device and add family members.
  2. As the family organizer, enable Apple Music sharing in Settings.
  3. Family members get Apple Music access on their devices.
  4. Each person can listen to music independently.
  5. The family organizer pays for the subscription.

Benefits include:

  • No extra cost for family members to use Apple Music.
  • Personalized music recommendations for each person.
  • Up to 6 people can access Apple Music with one subscription.
  • Stream Apple Music on different devices simultaneously.
  • Share iTunes purchases with family without sharing accounts.

To get started with Family Sharing for Apple Music, be sure each family member is running iOS 12 or later. The family organizer will need to set up Family Sharing and enable content sharing options.

Summary

  • Authorizing Apple Music links your account to the iPhone.
  • Check Apple Music Settings or Account page to see if already authorized.
  • Open Apple Music app, tap Account icon and Sign In to authorize.
  • Transfer authorization easily to new iPhone with Quick Start or iCloud restore.
  • Family Sharing allows up to 6 people to share one Apple Music subscription.

Following these steps will help you get Apple Music properly authorized on your iPhone so you can start enjoying access to millions of songs, playlists, music videos and more. It is an easy process to link your Apple ID, troubleshoot issues and also switch devices. If you have any other questions on using Apple Music on your iPhone, be sure to consult Apple’s support documentation or contact Apple Support.