The Issue
Many Apple Music subscribers find themselves having to repeatedly enter their Apple ID and password to re-authorize the app on their Mac or PC. This can be frustrating, especially when it happens frequently. So why does this authorization prompt keep popping up?
There are a few potential reasons why Apple Music may require re-authorization on a regular basis:
Software Updates
Whenever there is a major update to the Apple Music app or operating system, it may trigger the need to re-authorize. This is often done for security purposes – to ensure you are still the valid user of the account after changes have been made.
Multiple Devices
If you use Apple Music across multiple devices, like a Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV etc., each device usually needs to be authorized individually. Jumping between devices can cause you to be prompted more often.
Token Expiration
The authorization or access “token” that Apple Music uses has an expiration date. When it expires, you need to re-authorize. This token may expire frequently depending on your usage patterns.
Corrupt Files
Sometimes there may be corrupted preference files, cache files or app data that is causing conflicts with the authorization. Deleting these files could resolve the issue.
How to Minimize Re-Authorization Requests
While re-authorizing regularly is usually just a minor annoyance, there are some steps you can take to try and minimize how often it happens:
Keep Software Updated
Maintain the latest versions of the Apple Music app and your computer’s operating system. Updates often include fixes for authorization issues.
Use One Primary Device
Pick one device to use Apple Music on most of the time, rather than jumping between many different devices. The fewer devices in use, the less often you’ll need to authorize.
Sign Out Before Uninstalling
If you ever need to uninstall or delete the Apple Music app from a device, make sure to open it and sign out of your Apple ID first. This cleans up the authorization credentials.
Reset Authorization
On a Mac, you can try resetting Apple Music’s authorization by going to Applications > Apple Music, right click and select “Show Package Contents”. Then delete the file called “token” in the Contents/Resources folder. Restart Apple Music after.
Delete Cache & Preferences
Corrupted app data can cause authorization prompts. On a Mac, delete the preference plist files related to Apple Music in ~/Library/Preferences/ and ~/Library/Caches/ folders.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you continue having chronic issues with re-authorizing Apple Music, try some of these troubleshooting suggestions:
Update Payment Info
Make sure your Apple ID payment information is up to date. Outdated payment details can interfere with service authorizations.
Turn Off Auto-Renew
If your subscription auto-renews each month, turn this off temporarily to see if it has any effect on the prompts.
Sign Out Everywhere
Sign out of Apple Music on all of your devices, then sign back in to the one you use most often first. This can reset any glitchy auth tokens.
Contact Apple Support
If all else fails, reach out to Apple Support. They can check your account status and troubleshoot authorization issues more deeply.
Preventing Future Re-Authorizations
Once you get the immediate authorization issue resolved, you can take measures to help prevent it from happening as frequently:
Avoid Multiple Logins
Don’t stay signed into Apple Music on multiple devices simultaneously for long periods of time. Use it on one device primarily.
Turn Off Auto-Launch
On your Mac, stop Apple Music from auto-launching on startup. This prevents automatic re-checks of your authorization status.
Use Stable Versions
Don’t install the Apple Music app beta versions. Stick to stable release versions that are less prone to auth glitches.
Set Authorization Reminders
Make a calendar reminder every few months to open Apple Music and proactively re-authorize your session to refresh the token.
Key Takeaways
Having to repeatedly authorize Apple Music can be mildly frustrating. Here are some key tips to remember:
- Software updates, new devices, and expired tokens often trigger re-authorization needs
- Updating apps, limiting devices, and resetting authorization can help minimize prompts
- Contact Apple support if issues persist after troubleshooting
- Avoid multiple logins, auto-launching, and beta software for prevention
While keeping authorizations up-to-date is usually just a minor inconvenience, it does strengthen the security of your Apple ID account. With a few proactive measures, you can reduce authorization prompts and get uninterrupted access to Apple Music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Apple Music keep logging out on my Mac?
If Apple Music keeps logging you out on a Mac, it’s likely due to an expired or corrupted authorization token. Try resetting authorization by deleting the “token” file, updating software, deleting cache files, or signing out then back into Apple Music.
Why do I have to verify Apple Music when I already subscribe?
You have to periodically verify/authorize Apple Music even with an active subscription because the login token expires. This is done for security reasons. Frequent verification requests could indicate a problem with the token that requires troubleshooting.
How do I stop Apple Music from opening on its own on Mac?
To prevent Apple Music from auto-launching when you start up your Mac, head to Users & Groups in System Preferences > Login Items. Find Apple Music and remove the checkmark so it doesn’t automatically open each time.
Does Apple Music not work on multiple devices?
Apple Music can work across multiple devices, but it requires separate authorization on each device which may lead to more frequent verification prompts. Using it consistently on only one or two devices reduces this issue.
Why do I have to update my Apple ID to use Apple Music?
If prompted to update your Apple ID for Apple Music, your login credentials may be outdated and need to be refreshed. Make sure your password, contact info, and payment details are current.
Conclusion
Having to repeatedly authorize Apple Music is an indication that your access credentials are expiring or there are corruption issues that need to be addressed. While it can be annoying, staying on top of software updates, limiting devices, contacting Apple support, and taking preventative measures can help minimize authorization prompts so you can enjoy uninterrupted access to Apple Music. Consistent re-authorizations are usually just a minor hassle for ensuring account security.
