It can be confusing when Apple Music continues working after you’ve cancelled your subscription. There are a few reasons why Apple Music may still be accessible even after you’ve ended your membership:
– Billing cycles don’t immediately expire when you cancel. You typically have access until the end of your current billing period.
– Downloaded music will remain on your devices and can be played offline.
– iCloud Music Library allows you to access your library even without a subscription.
This article outlines the key reasons Apple Music may still work post-cancellation and provides troubleshooting tips.
Billing Cycles
Apple Music operates on monthly or yearly billing cycles that renew automatically. When you first subscribe, Apple bills you on that day each month or year going forward. For example, if you sign up on March 15th, your subscription renews and you are billed again on April 15th, May 15th, and so on (source).
The billing date appears on your Apple receipt and account page. You can also view it by going to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions. If you cancel before the billing date, your subscription remains active until the end of that period. Apple does not provide prorated refunds if you cancel mid-cycle (source).
If you change plans, your billing cycle remains the same. Upgrading from monthly to yearly billing simply means you won’t be charged again for 12 months instead of 1 month. Downgrading from yearly to monthly billing prorates any unused remainder of your current year into monthly billing periods.
Offline Downloads
One reason that Apple Music may still be accessible after cancellation is offline song downloads. Apple Music subscribers can download songs, albums, and playlists to their device to listen offline when an internet connection is not available. According to this source, these offline downloads are not deleted when a subscription is canceled or expires. Therefore, any music downloaded for offline listening while subscribed to Apple Music will remain on the device and playable even after cancellation.
This allows former subscribers to continue listening to songs they previously downloaded offline. However, there are some limitations. Offline songs cannot be re-downloaded if deleted, and the user will not have access to stream any additional music from Apple Music. But the offline music library that was built up during an active subscription remains intact for access anytime without an internet connection. This persistent offline access despite cancellation is a major reason Apple Music may still seem usable and songs still playable afterwards.
iCloud Music Library
One reason Apple Music may continue working after cancellation is due to the iCloud Music Library feature. With iCloud Music Library, any music you’ve purchased or uploaded is stored separately from the Apple Music streaming catalog. According to a discussion on Apple forums, iCloud Music Library stores music you own, while the streaming Apple Music catalog must be subscribed to.
The iCloud Music Library acts as your personal music collection in the cloud across devices. So even after cancelling Apple Music streaming, you’ll still have access to music you purchased from iTunes or uploaded yourself. Essentially, the streaming and purchased libraries are distinct. This means cancelling the streaming subscription won’t remove access to songs bought via iTunes or added manually from your computer. However, you do lose access to the millions of songs available through Apple Music streaming.
Overall, iCloud Music Library allows you to continue listening to your personal music collection even after cancelling Apple Music. But access to the full streaming catalog will be cut off with cancellation. Understanding this separation explains why Apple Music may still seem available after ending a subscription.
Delayed Cancellation
Even after submitting a cancellation request, it can take Apple Music some time to fully process it and cut off access. This is because Apple often bills in monthly cycles, so the service may continue working until the next billing date passes. As one user on Apple’s support forums explained, “Cancellation can be delayed by several days after requesting it” (Source). Essentially, there is often a lag between asking to cancel and when the cancellation takes full effect.
So if you canceled but can still access Apple Music days or even weeks later, it does not necessarily mean the request did not go through. The service is likely just still active until the next billing cycle hits. But after that point, you should no longer be able to use Apple Music until resubscribing.
Shared Family Plans
Apple Music allows families to share a single subscription plan across multiple devices and households. Under the Family Sharing plan, a group organizer sets up and pays for the membership, then invites other family members to join. Each person gets their own Apple Music account linked to the same plan ([1]).
This family sharing arrangement can complicate individual cancellations. If you try to cancel Apple Music as an individual family member, you may find your access continues uninterrupted. That’s because the group organizer retains control over the family plan subscription. As long as they keep paying, the shared membership remains active for everyone ([2]).
To fully cancel your Apple Music, you need to leave the family group. This severs your access to the shared plan. You can then cancel your individual membership. Keep in mind leaving a family group can also disrupt other shared services like iCloud storage, app purchases, and location sharing.
Refund Policy
Apple offers refunds on unused Apple Music subscriptions within specific time frames depending on the subscription type. For monthly subscriptions, Apple offers refunds if you cancel within the first 3 days after your initial sign-up or your subscription renewal date. For annual subscriptions, you have 14 days after purchase to request a refund. After these grace periods, Apple does not offer refunds on paid and activated subscriptions.
To request a refund, you need to contact Apple Support directly, either by chat, phone, or email. Refunds can take 1-2 billing cycles to process after approved. Partial refunds are not offered if you’ve used Apple Music for part of your subscription period. The refund will cover the full remaining value left on your subscription.
It’s important to note that while Apple may refund your Apple Music subscription, that does not necessarily cancel your subscription. You need to actively cancel your subscription separately or you will be rebilled after the refund. Also, refunded subscription periods do not count towards any free trial eligibility.
For more details, see Apple’s subscription refund policy: https://www.spotikeep.com/blog/apple-music-refund.html
Troubleshooting Tips
If Apple Music is still accessible after you have canceled your subscription, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to force cancellation and remove access:
Double check that your subscription is fully canceled by going to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions and verifying that Apple Music shows an expired status. If it still shows as active, tap into it and select “Cancel Subscription” [1].
Turn off automatic renewals for any Apple subscriptions by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iTunes & App Store and toggling off automatic renewals. This will prevent Apple Music or any other subscription from automatically renewing [2].
Sign out of the App Store and iTunes Store on all of your devices by going to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases and tapping “Sign Out.” This will remove your Apple ID authorization from all devices [3].
Delete any offline Apple Music downloads by going to Settings > Music and tapping “Delete Downloaded Music.” This removes any songs downloaded for offline playback [2].
If you still have access after trying these steps, contact Apple Support for further assistance revoking access.
Contact Apple Support
If you are still having issues with Apple Music after trying the troubleshooting tips, you can contact Apple Support directly for assistance. Apple provides several ways to get in touch with their customer support team:
- Call Apple Support at 1-800-275-2273. This is a 24/7 toll-free number.
- Initiate a live chat through the Apple Support website. Click “Chat with a Specialist” on the main support page.
- Schedule a callback from Apple Support through the Apple Support iOS app.
- Bring your device into an Apple Store for in-person support at the Genius Bar. Make an appointment beforehand.
When you contact Apple Support, be prepared to provide your Apple ID email address and password. This allows them to access your account details and better troubleshoot your issue. Clearly explain that you cancelled Apple Music but are still able to access it. Support can confirm the cancellation and help resolve the problem.
For more detailed instructions, visit Apple’s Contact Support page.
Summary
There are a few key reasons why Apple Music may continue working even after you have cancelled your subscription:
– Billing cycles don’t always align perfectly with subscription cancellation, so you may still have some time left before the service shuts off.
– Downloaded music can continue being accessed offline for some time after cancellation.
– iCloud Music Library allows you to access your personal library even without a subscription.
– Shared family plans can complicate cancellation if the primary owner needs to cancel for all members.
If you are still able to access Apple Music even after going through the cancellation process, your best bet is to contact Apple Support directly. They can look into your account details and ensure cancellation goes through properly.