How do I put Apple Music on my lock screen?
Having quick access to Apple Music playback controls directly on your iPhone’s lock screen can be incredibly convenient. With just a glance, you can easily play/pause music, skip tracks, like songs, and more without having to fully unlock your device.
This capability allows you to quickly control music playback when you are on the go, driving, exercising, or anytime you don’t want to take the extra step of unlocking your iPhone. Many users enjoy having their music at their fingertips from the lock screen.
The Apple Music lock screen integration is supported on iPhone models running iOS 16 or later. So as long as you have an iPhone that can run iOS 16 and have an active Apple Music subscription, you can take advantage of music controls on your lock screen.
Prerequisites
In order to add Apple Music to your iPhone’s lock screen, there are a couple requirements that need to be met:
First, you must have an active Apple Music subscription. Apple Music is Apple’s music streaming service that gives you access to over 90 million songs, playlists, music videos and more. Without an active subscription, you won’t be able to enable the Apple Music widgets and controls on your lock screen.
Second, your iPhone must be updated to iOS 16 or later. The lock screen customization features like widgets and music playback controls were introduced in iOS 16, so your iPhone will need to be updated to take advantage of them. You can check what iOS version you’re running and update to the latest version in the Settings app.
Enable Apple Music app access
To enable the Apple Music app to access your iPhone’s lock screen, you’ll need to adjust some settings in the Settings app:
First, open the Settings app and select Face ID & Passcode (https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/09/22/how-to-customize-your-iphone-lock-screen-in-ios-15).
Next, scroll down and toggle on ‘Allow Access When Locked’ for the Music app (https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/show-music-playing-lock-screen-ios-16/). This will allow the Music app to access your lock screen and display playback information.
Once you’ve enabled this setting, the Music app will be able to show album artwork, playback controls, and more on your lock screen whenever music is playing.
Add Apple Music Widget
To add the Apple Music widget to your lock screen, start by long pressing on an empty space on your lock screen until the “Customize” button appears, then tap “Customize.” This will take you to the widget customization screen.
Next, scroll down and find the Apple Music widget. Tap on it to add it to your lock screen. The Apple Music widget allows you to quickly see what song is currently playing as well as controlling music playback right from your lock screen.
According to Apple’s support article, you can also drag widgets to rearrange them on your lock screen. Position the Apple Music widget wherever you’d like it to appear on your lock screen.
Once you’ve added the Apple Music widget, it will display the album art and controls for whatever content is currently playing through the Apple Music app. The widget provides an easy way to control your music without having to unlock your iPhone.
Customize widget
Once you’ve added the Apple Music widget to your lock screen or home screen, you can customize its appearance to match your preferences. To customize the widget:
- Tap and hold the widget. This will open the widget edit menu.
- On the edit menu, you can choose from different widget sizes and layouts like Listening History, Recently Played, or What’s Next.
- Tap on the color circle next to the layout to pick a different background color for the widget.
- You can toggle between a light or dark color scheme using the theme button.
- Tap the artist image in the top left to change which artist is pictured.
- The options along the bottom let you enable or disable song titles and other elements.
Once you’ve customized the Apple Music widget to your liking, tap Done. The widget will update on your Lock Screen or Home Screen with your selected appearance. You can repeat these steps at any time to change how the widget looks.
Control music playback
Once you’ve added the Apple Music widget to your lock screen, you can easily control music playback directly from the lock screen without unlocking your iPhone. Here’s how:
To access the widget, simply swipe left on your lock screen. This will reveal the Apple Music widget if you’ve added it.
The widget includes playback controls that allow you to play/pause the current track, skip to the next or previous track, and adjust the volume – all without leaving your lock screen.
You can tap the album artwork in the widget to open the full “Now Playing” screen. This gives you access to additional options like lyrics, AirPlay, and more. Tapping the song title will open the Music app.
So with just a swipe and a tap, you can fully control music playback right from your iPhone’s lock screen. No need to unlock your phone every time you want to manage your tunes. It’s a very convenient way to access Apple Music’s media playback features (source).
Disable access
If you want to remove the Apple Music widget from your lock screen, simply follow the same steps to add the widget, but instead of adding it, remove it. This will immediately take the widget off your lock screen.
You can also disable the Music app’s access to your lock screen in your Settings if you don’t want it to have the ability to show up. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode). Scroll down and tap “Allow Access When Locked.” Here you will see a list of apps that can access your lock screen. Find the Music app and toggle it off. This will revoke its permissions to display any widgets or information on your lock screen. Restart your iPhone after making this change (Source).
Troubleshooting
If you are having issues getting the Apple Music widget to appear or function properly, here are some troubleshooting tips:
First, try restarting your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your device. Wait 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button again to turn your iPhone back on. This can help resolve any software glitches preventing the widget from loading properly.
Also check to make sure your iPhone is updated to the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for and install any available updates. Apple sometimes releases bug fixes and performance improvements in software updates that could fix widget issues.
Finally, verify your Apple Music subscription is active. The widget will only work for subscribed members, so check in Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions to confirm your membership is current.
If you’ve restarted, updated iOS, and confirmed your subscription status but are still having widget problems, you may need to contact Apple Support for further assistance.
Additional features
Apple Music offers a couple of useful additional features to enhance the lock screen experience:
Lyrics view on lock screen – You can follow along with the lyrics of the currently playing song directly on your lock screen. This allows you to glance at your phone to view the words without having to unlock it. To enable, open the Music app, tap the player to view Now Playing, then tap the Lyrics button. You can tap specific lyrics to jump to that part of the song.
Use Portrait mode photos as background – Portrait mode photos with blurred backgrounds can make for visually pleasing lock screen backgrounds behind the Music widgets. To use them, open Photos, select a portrait mode photo, tap the Share button, then choose “Use as Wallpaper”. You can move and scale the photo before setting it.
Conclusion
Adding the Apple Music widget to your iPhone’s lock screen provides convenient access to your music library. With just a couple quick steps to enable app access and add the widget, you can start enjoying the benefits of music controls and playback without having to unlock your phone.
Having the Apple Music widget on the lock screen allows you to easily:
- Quickly skip tracks or pause playback without leaving the lock screen
- See what song is currently playing at a glance
- Shuffle songs or change playlists without fully unlocking the device
Overall, putting Apple Music on your iPhone’s lock screen greatly improves convenience and quick access to your music. Just enable app access, add the widget, customize it, and you’ll be able to control your tunes without ever leaving the lock screen.
