It can be frustrating when you open Apple Music and find that your library is suddenly empty. No matter how large your music collection is, seeing zero songs is disconcerting. Unfortunately, this problem is not uncommon and many Apple Music subscribers have reported their libraries being inexplicably empty at one time or another. There are several potential causes of this issue, from subscription problems to app glitches. The good news is that, in most cases, it is possible to restore your Apple Music library. This guide will cover the main troubleshooting steps you can take when songs disappear from Apple Music.
Check Your Apple Music Subscription
The most common reason you can’t see your music in the Apple Music app is because your subscription has expired. To check on your subscription status, open the Apple Music app and tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Then tap “View Apple ID” and select “Subscriptions”. Here you can see the status of your Apple Music subscription.
If your subscription is expired, you’ll need to renew it in order to access your music library again. You can renew your subscription directly within the app by tapping on the “Renew Subscription” button on the Subscriptions page. Apple Music individual plans start at $9.99/month and family plans at $14.99/month (Source). Make sure to review the renewal pricing and tap “Confirm” to complete the renewal.
Once your subscription is active again, you should regain access to your full Apple Music library on all your devices. If you still don’t see your music after renewing, you may need to take additional troubleshooting steps.
Update to the Latest iOS Version
An outdated version of iOS can sometimes cause issues with Apple Music playback. Apple regularly releases software updates that include bug fixes and improvements for Music and other apps. Not being on the latest iOS version means you don’t have the newest optimizations.
Check that you have installed the most recent iOS update on your device. As of January 2023, the current version is iOS 17.2.1. You can check your iOS version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Install any available updates.
According to a discussion thread, some users experienced Apple Music playback problems after updating to iOS 17.1. Upgrading to the newest 17.2.1 version could potentially resolve any issues caused by the previous update.
Keeping your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch on the latest OS version ensures compatibility with the newest Apple Music app and access to the most up-to-date features and fixes. If playback problems appeared after a recent update, installing the newest iOS may be the solution.
Restart Your Device
Before diving into more complex troubleshooting, simply restarting your device can fix many minor software glitches. As Apple notes, restarting your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device will stop all running apps and processes, clearing out any minor issues. Many users on forums like this one find restarting resolves problems with Apple Music not loading correctly.
To restart an iOS device, press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your device. After 30 seconds, press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo to restart the device. This simple reboot takes less than a minute and may fix any app freezing issues, allowing Apple Music to load properly again.
Check Your Internet Connection
One of the most common reasons why music may not be showing up in Apple Music is an unstable or disconnected internet connection. Apple Music relies on streaming music over the internet in order to play songs in the app. According to Apple Support, Apple Music subscribers can stream music they’ve added as long as they have an internet connection.
If your internet is disconnected or dropping in and out, Apple Music may fail to load any songs. Make sure you are connected to a stable WiFi or cellular data network. If switching networks doesn’t resolve the issue, try resetting your network settings on your iPhone under Settings > General > Reset. This will clear out any problematic network settings and refresh your connection.
Apple Music streaming requires a consistent, high-speed internet connection. Check that other apps and services are able to use the internet as expected. If it’s only Apple Music that’s affected, the app itself may be the issue rather than your network.
Re-download Songs
One common reason music may not be showing up in Apple Music is due to corrupted or incomplete song downloads. The Apple Music app relies on having the full song file downloaded to your device in order to play it. If the download gets interrupted or corrupted, the song may show up in your library but fail to play when selected.
The solution is simple – just re-download the songs. You can re-download individual songs or albums by going to the album or playlist and tapping the download icon next to each song. To re-download your entire Apple Music library on an iPhone, go to Settings > Music > Downloads and tap “Download All”.1
Re-downloading will replace any corrupted files with fresh downloads, which should allow the songs to play correctly again. This is often the quickest fix when music disappears from the app.
Disable and Re-enable iCloud Music Library
One troubleshooting step to try if your music is not showing up on Apple Music is to disable and then re-enable your iCloud Music Library to refresh it. Here is how:
1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on your name at the top.
3. Tap on iCloud.
4. Under Apps Using iCloud, toggle the switch off next to Music.
5. Wait a few moments and then toggle Music back on. This will re-enable and refresh your iCloud Music Library connection.
Toggling iCloud Music Library off and back on again can help resync your library if it has gotten out of date or if there was an interruption in its connection. Give it some time after re-enabling to fully sync again. Hopefully this will get your missing music to appear in Apple Music.
Uninstall and Reinstall the App
Sometimes a complete reinstallation of the Apple Music app can help resolve issues with missing music. This essentially gives you a clean slate by removing any corrupted files or issues with the app installation.
To uninstall the Apple Music app on an iPhone or iPad, find the app icon on your home screen and long press on it until the icons start to shake. Tap the X icon on the Apple Music app to uninstall it. You can then reinstall it from the App Store. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Apple Music and tap Uninstall.
For Mac, open Finder, go to Applications and drag the Apple Music app to the Trash. You can then reinstall it from the App Store. This should reset the app and clear out any problems that may have been preventing music from appearing.
As suggested in this Apple discussions thread, a complete reinstallation of Apple Music has resolved missing music issues for many users. It essentially gives the app a fresh start which can clear up underlying problems.
Contact Apple Support
If you have tried all of the other troubleshooting steps and your Apple Music content still is not showing up, it’s time to reach out to Apple Support directly for further assistance. Apple has a few different options to contact them for help with Apple Music and other services:
- Call Apple Support at 1-800-275-2273. This will connect you with an Apple representative who can walk through troubleshooting with you over the phone.
- Start a chat with Apple Support at support.apple.com/contact. The chat allows you to get live troubleshooting assistance from an Apple advisor.
- Email Apple Support by going to support.apple.com/contact and selecting Email option. You’ll be able to explain the problem in detail.
When contacting Apple Support, make sure to clearly explain your issue – that you are subscribed to Apple Music but some or all of your music is no longer showing in the app. Providing details like when it started, what troubleshooting you’ve tried already, and what device(s) are affected will help them diagnose the problem and provide targeted solutions.
Apple’s customer service team is generally very responsive and knowledgeable. If there is an underlying problem causing music to not show in Apple Music, they will be able to determine what is wrong and help get your music library restored so you can enjoy Apple Music as intended.
Why is music not showing on Apple Music?
Summary
If you are having issues with music not showing in your Apple Music library, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take:
Following these troubleshooting steps should help get your Apple Music library back up and running so you can enjoy your music again.