Logging Out of Apple Music
You can log out of Apple Music across devices to switch accounts or reset recommendations. Here’s how to sign out on iOS devices, Macs, PCs, and the web:
On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > Tap Apple ID > Sign Out. This will sign you out of Apple Music and the iTunes Store.
On a Mac, go to iTunes > Account > Sign Out. This signs you out of all Apple services including Apple Music.
In a web browser, go to music.apple.com and click your profile photo > Sign Out. This signs you out of Apple Music on the web.
On a Windows PC, open iTunes, go to Account > Sign out. This will sign you out of Apple Music and other Apple services.
Logging out is a straightforward process across devices. It ensures your account is signed out so you can securely switch to a different Apple ID for Apple Music if needed.
Why Log Out?
There are a few key reasons you may want to log out of your Apple Music account:
Using a shared device – If you are using a shared device, like a family computer or iPad, logging out prevents others from accessing your Apple Music account and playlists.
Troubleshooting issues – Sometimes logging out and back in can help resolve syncing problems or other technical issues with Apple Music. Logging out resets the app and clears any cached data that may be causing problems.
Switching accounts – You can only be logged into one Apple Music account at a time. To switch to another Apple account, you’ll need to log out of your current one first.
Privacy and security – Logging out ensures your full Apple Music profile and listening activity is not accessible on that device. This gives you more control over privacy.
Effects on Downloads
When you log out of Apple Music, any songs you have downloaded for offline listening will remain on your device. The downloads are tied to your Apple ID rather than your Apple Music membership. This means you can continue to access and listen to downloaded music even when logged out of Apple Music, as confirmed by sources such as this Apple discussions thread.
However, you won’t be able to re-download any music or download new songs for offline listening until you log back in. Your download limit is also tied to your Apple Music membership, so you may need to delete some downloaded songs to make room for new downloads after logging back in.
Overall, logging out does not delete music you have already downloaded, but it pauses your ability to download additional songs until your Apple Music account is active again.
Effects on Playlists
When you log out of your Apple Music account, the playlists you created will remain in the Apple Music service but you will no longer have access to them. This is because the playlists are associated with your Apple ID, so logging out removes your ability to view or modify them. However, the playlists themselves are not deleted from Apple Music’s servers when you log out (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8212102).
If you log back into your Apple Music account later, you will regain access to all of the playlists you previously created. They will reappear just as you left them, with all of the same songs and customizations. So logging out does not permanently delete your playlists, it just removes your access until you sign in again (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7301815).
The key thing to understand is that playlists are tied to your Apple ID rather than a specific device. So logging out on your iPhone, for example, will remove access on any device you are logged into with that Apple ID. Your playlists will still be waiting for you when you log back in.
Effects on Listening History
When you log out of Apple Music, your listening history and recent plays are deleted and reset https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253737885. This means any songs, albums, playlists or stations you listened to previously will no longer appear in your listening history or affect recommendations once you log back in. Apple Music relies on your listening history to make personalized recommendations in sections like “For You” and “Listen Now.” Logging out clears that history and data, so you’ll start fresh with no existing listening patterns influencing recommendations.
Effects on For You Recommendations
When you log out of Apple Music, the algorithm used for the “For You” section will reset and no longer use your previous listening history and preferences to recommend music. This means the personalized daily playlists like “New Music Mix” and “Favorites Mix” will no longer be tailored specifically for you.
According to discussions on Apple’s support forums, logging out resets the For You algorithm as if you are a brand new user [1]. The For You section will start making recommendations based on general popularity rather than your unique tastes.
The implications are that you’ll need to spend some time re-training the For You algorithm by adding music to your library, listening to full albums and playlists, liking and disliking song recommendations, and following artist profiles. Over time, logging back in will allow For You to learn your preferences again and provide better daily playlists.
Effects on Following
One of the effects of logging out of Apple Music is that you will stop following any artists or music profiles that you previously followed while logged in (source). The Apple Music “For You” recommendations are personalized based on the artists and genres you follow. So when you log out, Apple Music will no longer have access to that data on the artists and music you like to follow.
This means your Apple Music “For You” recommendations may be less personalized if you log back in later. You would have to search and follow artists again in order to regain that personalized element. Overall, logging out resets any artist following you did within Apple Music.
Effects on Up Next
When you log out of Apple Music, the Up Next queue is cleared. The Up Next feature allows you to queue up songs and albums to play next in the Music app. However, this queue is tied to your Apple Music account. So when you log out, that queued list of upcoming tracks gets erased.
According to discussions on the Apple support forums, users have reported frustration with losing their Up Next queue when logging out of Apple Music or even just backgrounding the Music app on iPhone (Source). The queue does not get synced across devices or stored if you switch accounts. Logging out deletes the Up Next instantly.
If you want to maintain an Up Next queue, make sure to add the songs to a playlist before logging out. Playlists will be preserved even if you log out. You can then easily refer back to the playlist to recreate your queue.
Logging Back In
If you log out of Apple Music, logging back in is straightforward. Simply open the Settings app, tap on your name at the top, then tap “Sign in”. Enter your Apple ID and password to sign in again.
After signing back in, your full Apple Music access should be restored, including downloaded music, playlists, listening history, recommendations, artists you follow, and Up Next. However, it may take some time for everything to sync back up with iCloud. Be patient and leave your device on WiFi for an hour or two to allow full synchronization.
If your music library seems missing or incomplete even after signing back in, you can manually restore it in the Music app. Go to Settings > Music and turn on iCloud Music Library. The Music app will re-scan your iCloud storage and rebuild your library, re-downloading any missing songs and playlists. This usually resolves any issues syncing your full Apple Music content after logging back in.
As a precaution, you may want to enable iCloud Music Library before logging out in the future, to ensure your music and playlists remain available offline. Just remember your Apple ID password and you’ll have seamless access to Apple Music if you log out and log back in.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you have issues logging out of or logging back into Apple Music, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Force quit the Apple Music app – Go to Settings > Apps > Apple Music > Force Quit to fully close out of the app.
- Check your internet connection – Make sure you have a stable WiFi or cellular data connection.
- Restart your device – Turn your iPhone, iPad or Mac completely off and back on.
- Update iOS or macOS – Install the latest software update, which may include Apple Music bug fixes.
- Reset network settings – Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings to refresh your network connections.
- Sign out everywhere – Go to appleid.apple.com to sign out of your Apple ID on all devices.
- Contact Apple Support – If other troubleshooting fails, reach out to Apple support via chat or phone for further help.
Logging in and out of Apple Music is generally straightforward, but occasionally technical glitches can occur. Following these tips should help get you back up and running.
