Why Does My Apple Music Keep Pausing?
There’s nothing more frustrating than getting in the zone with your music pumping, only to have Apple Music pause.
Okay, maybe you bumped the pause button on your watch.
But then it keeps happening. This isn’t just a random issue, but something Apple Music users commonly experience.
Why Does My Apple Music Keep Pausing?
Because Apple Music is a streaming service, there are a lot of reasons why it could keep pausing on you. Common reasons Apple Music may keep pausing include a glitch in the app, problems with the Apple service, a device glitch, poor connectivity, device settings, or corrupted music files.
Use the guide below to understand why you may be having problems playing your music, and then what you can do to attempt to resolve the issue.
Why Does My Music Stop Playing Randomly?
If the issue only happens once or twice, it could very well be a user error of some kind.
However, when your music continues stopping randomly, it’s more likely an issue with the device or software is causing the problem.
Here are the most common reasons you may be experiencing these annoying random pauses.
Glitch in the App
Any mobile app can experience a glitch, which simply means the app doesn’t run properly in that instance.
Often, this is a simple problem resolved by restarting the app.
Problem With the Service
If you’re streaming your music, the Apple Music service must be active.
Like many streaming services, there are short periods where it is unavailable.
If it pauses, and you can’t get your music restarted, it very well could be an issue with the service being unavailable.
In this case, you’ll just have to wait until it comes back online.
One way to ensure you have the music you want, even if the service goes offline, is to download the songs.
Poor Connectivity
Just like the service must be available to stream, you also must have a strong data connection.
This is especially problematic on public WiFi hotspots.
Some users report being kicked from the hotspot randomly, and forced to agree to the terms repeatedly.
You may also be in an area where your cellular data signal isn’t strong, causing problems with streaming.
Another common connectivity issue happens in the WiFi settings.
Specifically, this happens with the settings communicated between the device and router, known as the DHCP settings.
These settings are temporary and can become corrupt, especially when moving from network to network.
To resolve these issues, you’ll need to renew the settings lease, found in Settings > WiFi > [name of the wireless network] Info
Device Settings
Some device settings may interfere with Apple Music playback, especially if you’re streaming your music.
These settings help reduce battery consumption in certain instances and give you a better user experience.
The settings commonly associated with random music playback issues include:
- Low Data Mode
- Low Power Mode
- AirPods Automatic Ear Detection
You’ll want to disable these settings and see if that resolves your issue.
There are instructions on where to find these settings below.
Device Glitch
Devices will sometimes appear to glitch, which really just means there’s a conflict between pieces of software.
These conflicts can arise in the operating system, between system components, or even between apps that use the same system drivers.
Many of these conflicts are resolved when restarting your phone, though in more extreme cases, it may mean deleting and reinstalling apps.
Corrupted Music Files
If the songs that keep pausing are your downloaded files, you could have a simple corrupted file.
This can happen with just about any kind of file you download, from apps to music and more.
Simply delete the file and try to download a fresh copy to see if that solves the problem.
How Do You Stop Apple Music From Pausing?
You may not know which problem you’re experiencing, so trying to find the right place to start can be frustrating.
As with most things tech-related, start with the simplest solution, and start working your way backwards.
If you find one of the steps helps resolve the problem, then you’ve learned what may have caused it.
Here’s a quick guide of what you can do to fix your randomly pausing Apple Music, from easiest to more complex.
Shut down and restart Apple Music
The first step to troubleshooting any mobile app is simply to shut the app down completely and restart it.
To do this on any handset, starting with iPhone X, simply swipe up and hold from the bottom of the screen.
You’ll then see the carousel of apps that are open. Find Apple Music, and swipe it up, then tap anywhere on the screen to exit the carousel.
Open Apple Music and see if that resolved the problem.
Check Apple Music’s service status
If you’re using Apple Music to stream your tunes, you’ll want to check the status of the service.
To see this, simply visit the Apple System Status page, and make sure it’s labeled as available.
Check your data connection
Streaming only works when you have a solid data connection. If you’re on a WiFi connection, check to make sure you actually have Internet access.
Some public hotspots have a sign-in page where you have to accept the terms and conditions of using their access.
If you’re on your cellular data, check to make sure you have a strong signal, and check the speed of your signal.
If it’s less than 4G LTE, you may have trouble streaming anything.
You may need to renew the lease of the settings between your device and the network.
To complete this, go to Settings > WiFi, and then tap on the info button for the network to which you’re connected.
Toward the bottom of the screen you’ll find a “Renew Lease” button, try tapping that.
Some networks restrict access to certain services, like various games and even Apple Music.
If you want to get around network restrictions, try a VPN service like Sufshark, ExpressVPN, or NordVPN.
Restart your phone
Restarting any kind of computer, including your phone, can resolve many minor issues.
If the service is available, and you have a good data connection, try restarting your device.
This is a little inconvenient, but may quickly solve your problem.
Check your device’s settings
Start with Low Data Mode, which is both in the WiFi and cellular settings, and can interfere with streaming.
Go into Settings > WiFi and then Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Setting to double-check that this is disabled.
Next, check that Low Power mode is turned off. This is in Settings > Battery, and it easily toggles off.
You’ll also want to try turning off Automatic Ear Detection for your AirPods. This is located in Settings > Bluetooth, then tap on Info for your AirPods.
Delete downloaded music files and download them afresh
Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner of the album or song, and then tap Remove Download.
You can then easily find the song in your library again and try to download it afresh.
Delete Apple Music and try to reinstall
If none of the above works, you can attempt to delete the app and reinstall it.
Simply tap and hold the icon on your home screen, then hit Remove App.
You’ll need to find it in the App Store to download again.
Keep in mind, this will also delete any downloaded music you may have, so you’ll need to download that again once you reinstall the app.
Factory reset your device
As a last-ditch effort, you may need to factory reset your device.
This is helpful if there’s been a problem with an iOS update that has caused a problem with Apple Music.
It could take hours to restore everything to your phone, so make sure you’re ready.
Before attempting this, back your phone up to your local machine or iCloud to avoid losing any important information.