Can you use Apple Music without an iPhone?

Introducing Apple Music
Apple Music is a music and video streaming service developed by Apple. It offers access to over 90 million songs and 30,000 playlists. Apple Music also has music videos, livestreams, and internet radio stations (Apple, 2023).
Apple Music has a catalog of over 90 million songs from major and independent record labels (Business of Apps, 2023). The service is available in 167 countries and regions. There are around 88 million subscribers as of June 2022 (Business of Apps, 2023).
Apple Music offers individual and family plans. An individual plan is $9.99 per month, and a family plan for up to 6 people is $14.99 per month (Apple, 2023). There is also a free radio tier and student plans available.
Using Apple Music on iOS
Apple Music is seamlessly integrated into iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad. To get started, simply download the Apple Music app from the App Store.1 Once installed, open the app and sign up for an individual, family, or student subscription plan. With a paid subscription, you’ll have access to Apple Music’s catalog of over 100 million songs that you can download and stream.2
The Apple Music app makes it easy to browse and search for music by genre, mood, activity, and more. You can view playlists curated by Apple’s music experts, check out featured albums and songs, or view charts of popular music. Your entire music library syncs across your devices, so you can download songs on your iPhone and then listen to them offline on your iPad.1 The iOS app also includes access to live radio stations, music videos, and exclusive artist content within Apple Music.
Enjoying Apple Music on Android
Android users can download the official Apple Music app from the Google Play Store to enjoy the full Apple Music experience. The Android app provides access to Apple Music’s catalog of over 100 million songs and thousands of expertly curated playlists.
The Apple Music Android app has the same library and features as the iOS version. You can stream songs, albums, and playlists on-demand, listen to radio stations personalized to your tastes, and view music videos. Just like on iPhone, you can download music for offline listening and take advantage of recommendations from Apple Music’s editors.
After downloading the app, you can sign in using your existing Apple ID or create a new account. The subscription options are identical between Android and iOS. You can try Apple Music free for 3 months, after which individual plans are $9.99/month and family plans are $14.99/month for up to 6 users.
Listening on Mac
Get Apple Music through iTunes
Mac users can access the full Apple Music library and features through the Music or iTunes app. Simply open the Music app and navigate to the “For You” tab to explore personalized playlists and stations. Or go to the search bar to look up any song, album or artist. An Apple Music subscription unlocks the full catalog of over 100 million songs that you can stream directly on your Mac.
To subscribe, go to Account > View My Account in the Music app menu bar. Here you can start a free trial or purchase a monthly individual or family subscription. This gives you the ability to download any music for offline listening and enjoy the many curated playlists and radio stations.
According to Apple’s support page, an Apple Music subscription works across iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, Mac, HomePod and in cars with CarPlay.
Once subscribed, you’ll have full access to stream any playlist or Beats 1 radio station on your Mac. You can also download any song, album or playlist by clicking the download icon next to it. This allows you to listen offline whenever you want.
Using the Web Player
Apple Music can be accessed through a web browser at music.apple.com. This allows you to stream from the Apple Music catalog directly in your browser without needing to install the Apple Music app. The web player gives you access to the full Apple Music library of over 90 million songs.
However, the web player has limited features compared to the native Apple Music app. You can search for artists and albums, view recommendations, and play songs or music videos. But you won’t get access to features like lyrics, listening stats, smarth playlists, or lossless audio.
The web player is convenient for casual listening at work or on computers where you can’t install the app. But for the full Apple Music experience, the iOS or Android app is recommended. The web player is best suited for quickly looking up and playing music when you don’t have access to the mobile app.
Trying It Out on Windows
Apple Music is available for Windows users through the iTunes app. To get started, you’ll need to download the iTunes app from the Microsoft Store. iTunes allows you to enjoy Apple Music on any Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC.
Once you have iTunes installed, launch the app and sign in using your Apple ID. Your Apple ID is the same login you use for iCloud, the App Store, and other Apple services. Signing in with your Apple ID connects iTunes to your Apple Music subscription, allowing you to stream songs, playlists, music videos and more.
The iTunes app provides Windows users with full access to the Apple Music catalog. You can browse recommendations, search for artists or albums, and stream any song instantly. iTunes also lets you download songs, playlists and albums to your PC for offline listening. So even without an iPhone, Apple Music subscribers can enjoy the service to its fullest on a Windows computer.
Streaming on Smart Speakers
One of the great features of Apple Music is the ability to stream music to smart speakers, allowing you to enjoy your favorite songs out loud at home. Apple Music is compatible with HomePod, Amazon Echo, and Google Home devices.
You can stream Apple Music directly to HomePods using AirPlay, without needing any additional setup. Just open Control Center on your iPhone and tap the AirPlay icon to select your HomePod 1.
To use Apple Music with Amazon Echo, enable the Apple Music skill in the Alexa app and link your Apple ID. Then you can ask Alexa to play songs, albums, playlists and more from your Apple Music library 2.
For Google Home, add your Apple Music account in the Google Home app. You can then use Google Assistant to request music by song title, artist, genre, and more. Google Nest displays also support Apple Music album artwork and playback controls 3.
So no matter which smart speaker ecosystem you have, you can enjoy Apple Music’s extensive library of over 90 million songs.
Apple Music on Sonos
You can easily stream Apple Music on your Sonos speakers. Here’s how to set it up and control playback:
First, make sure you have the latest Sonos app installed on your phone or tablet. Open the app and go to “Add Music Services”. Select Apple Music from the list of options. Follow the on-screen instructions to log in with your Apple ID and connect Apple Music to your Sonos system.
Once connected, you’ll see Apple Music appear as an option under “Browse” in the Sonos app. You can browse featured playlists, search for artists or songs, and access your library and playlists from Apple Music.
To play a song, album, or playlist, simply tap on it to start playback through your Sonos speakers. You can pause, skip tracks, adjust the volume, and control everything directly from the Sonos app.
Sonos recommends keeping the Apple Music app open in the background on your mobile device while streaming for the best performance. You can also use AirPlay from an iOS device to send Apple Music to Sonos.
Listening on Game Consoles
Apple Music offers apps for some of the most popular gaming consoles today. You can download and use Apple Music directly on your PlayStation or Xbox without needing an Apple device.
On PlayStation, Apple Music is available on both PS4 and PS5. Simply go to the PlayStation Store, search for Apple Music, and download the app. Once installed, you can sign in with your Apple ID to access your full Apple Music library and playlists. Streaming music in the background while gaming is a breeze.
Apple Music support on Xbox consoles is coming soon. Microsoft and Apple announced in 2021 that Apple Music and other Apple entertainment apps will eventually launch on Xbox Series X/S. Keep an eye out for the Apple Music app launching on Xbox in the future.
With Apple Music integration on major consoles, gamers don’t need an Apple device to enjoy ad-free music streaming while playing their favorite games. Apple Music brings millions of songs to accompany your gaming sessions on PlayStation and Xbox.
Do You Need an iPhone?
In short, no you do not need an iPhone to use Apple Music. Apple Music is available across a wide variety of platforms beyond just iOS devices like the iPhone. As covered in this article, you can access Apple Music on Android phones, Windows PCs, Mac computers, smart speakers, web browsers, and more.
While the Apple Music experience is often best optimized on Apple devices, especially iPhones, the service has expanded to be widely accessible across platforms. So whether you’re an Android user, have a Windows laptop, or use a smart speaker like Amazon Echo, you can still sign up for and enjoy Apple Music. It’s become a versatile service that isn’t limited just to the Apple ecosystem.
The key is downloading the Apple Music app on whatever device you want to play music on. Or in the case of smart speakers, linking your Apple ID account. As long as you have an Apple Music subscription, you can access a world of music content no matter what phone, computer, or device you own.