Apple Music Keeps Freezing? 6 Typical Reasons (Solved)

By / Streaming / Last Updated: October 6, 2023

Apple Music has become one of the best online music streaming services available and the Apple Music app allows users to take their favorite tracks and listen to them wherever they go.

However, Apple Music users have on occasion found that the Apple Music app sometimes freezes up on them, and naturally, this problem can hamper their experience.

In this article, we take a look at the typical reasons for Apple Music freezing and what you can do to fix it fast.

girl looking at her phone

1. Apple Music Keeps Freezing because the App Needs Updating

Apps require updating from time to time. Updates allow developers to fix bugs and improve the functionality of an app, and Apple Music is no exception.

If you’ve missed out on updating Apple Music and are currently running an older version of the app, then a range of issues may plague your user experience.

Users with an outdated Apple Music app are likely to find that it freezes on them or even bounces offline. If this is happening to you, then you should check for updates.

Below, we take you through the process for both iOS and Android devices.

Here’s How to Update Apple Music on iOS:

  1. Open the app store on your iOS device.
  2. Tap your Profile.
  3. Find Apple Music from the list of apps.
  4. If you see the word ‘Update’ beside Apple Music, tap it.
    • If your app is up-to-date you will only have the option to ‘Open’ the app.
  5. Apple Music will now begin updating.
    • Remember, a stable connection to the internet will be needed to complete the update.

Here’s How to Update Apple Music on Android:

  1. Open Google Play Store on your Android device.
  2. Select your Profile.
  3. Now choose the option to ‘Manage Apps & Games’
  4. Tap ‘Update’ beside Apple Music if available.
  5. Apple Music will now begin updating. Once complete, you will be running the latest version.

2. Your Apple Music is Freezing because the Cache is Full

Cached data should help your Apple Music app work more efficiently and allow for a quick response time. However, if the cache becomes too large it can actually have the opposite effect.

Moreover, it is not possible to set any limit on how big the cache can become, and therefore, your cached data can grow exponentially if unchecked and managed.

Thankfully, many users have found that clearing their Apple Music cache has given their app the fresh start it needs and stops Apple Music from freezing.

Take a look at our guides below that outline how to clear your Apple Music cache on your particular device.

Here’s How to Clear Apple Music’s Cache on Android:

  1. Launch ‘Settings’ on your Android device.
  2. Select ‘Apps & Notifications’ followed by ‘Apps’
  3. Now search for the Apple Music app.
  4. Select ‘Storage & Cache’
  5. Choose ‘Clear Cache’ and then ‘delete the Apple Music cached data’

Here’s How to Clear Apple Music’s Cache on iOS:

  1. Launch ‘Settings’ on your iOS device.
  2. Tap ‘Music’
  3. Now toggle off ‘Sync Library’
  4. Wait a few minutes to allow the cache to be deleted.
  5. Now toggle ‘Sync Library’ back on.

Here’s How to Clear Apple Music’s Cache on Desktop (Mac & PC):

  1. Open the ‘Finder’ (Mac) or ‘File Explorer’ (PC).
  2. Copy and paste the relevant folder address from the options below:
    • ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Music (Mac)
    • C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes\
  3. Delete the contents from within the folder.
  4. Finally, empty the ‘Trash’ or ‘Recycle Bin’.

3. Apple Music is Freezing due to a Minor Glitch

We’ve come to expect seamless playback and functionality from Apple Music. After all, it’s one of the most renowned music streaming apps available.

However, Apple Music is not full-proof and sometimes there will be minor glitches that can occur.

These minor glitches can cause Apple music to stop or freeze on you and prevent you from playing the next track or searching for your favorite artist.

However, minor glitches that cause your Apple Music to freeze up can be solved simply and swiftly. All you need to do is force quit (or force stop) the app and re-launch it.

As GuidingTech.com explains:

“Force-stopping an app is a viable method of fixing a malfunctioning app. If Apple Music is up-to-date, but the app is still crashing or doesn’t work at all, you should force-stop the app.” [Source:Guidingtech.com]

Here’s How to Force Stop Apple Music on iOS:

  1. Double-tap your Home button on your iOS device.
    • If your device does not have a Home button then swipe up on your screen and pause.
  2. You will now be able to view all the apps that are currently running in the background.
  3. Swipe across until you find the Apple Music app.
  4. Swipe up on Apple Music to force quit the app.

Here’s How to Force Stop Apple Music on Android:

  1. Launch ‘Settings’ from your Android device.
  2. Choose ‘Apps & Notifications’ followed by ‘See All Apps’
  3. Tap Apple Music.
  4. From ‘App Info’ choose the option to ‘Force Stop’
  5. Confirm this action by tapping ‘OK’

Here’s How to Force Stop Apple Music on Mac:

  1. Simultaneously hit the ‘Option’, ‘Command’, and ‘Esc’ keys together.
    • Alternatively, you can find ‘Force Quit’ from within the Apple Menu.
  2. A pop-up will now appear that shows the apps currently running.
  3. Find Apple Music from the selection and choose to ‘Force Quit’ the app.

Here’s How to Force Stop Apple Music on Windows:

  1. Simultaneously hit the ‘Ctrl’, ‘Alt’, and ‘Delete’ keys together.
  2. Now select ‘Task Manager’
  3. From within the ‘Processes’ tab, you need to find Apple Music.
  4. Highlight Apple Music and choose ‘Force Quit’

If you find that Apple Music keeps signing you out while listening, it’s worth following the same force-quitting instructions above.

4. Your Device Needs to be Updated to Prevent Apple Music from Freezing

If you are running your device with an out-of-date operating system, then there is a potential for all manner of problems.

Remember, your device needs to be fully updated to run effectively and, crucially, be protected from cyber-attacks and viruses.

Despite the many benefits of updating a device’s OS, users often forget to ensure that their device is running the latest version of Android or iOS.

Security issues aside, one of the biggest problems that occur in this situation is apps not running as they should.

Apple Music has been reported to freeze up when it is being used on devices with an outdated OS.

We’ll take you through how to check for updates on your device, and you may find that this simple update will fix your Apple Music from freezing again.

Here’s How to Update your Android Device:

  1. Launch ‘Settings’ from your Android device.
  2. Select ‘About Phone’
  3. Choose ‘System Updates’ to see if your device is ready to be updated.
  4. Tap to update now.

Remember, any devices operating on Android 5.0 or below will not be compatible with Apple Music.

Here’s How to Update your iOS Device:

  1. Ensure your device is backed up on either iCloud or desktop computer.
  2. Ensure a stable internet connection is available and your device has sufficient battery.
  3. Now launch ‘Settings’ on your iOS device.
  4. Tap ‘General’ followed by ‘Software Update’
  5. Select the option to ‘Install Now’ or ‘Download and Install’

5. Apple Music is Freezing because your Download is Corrupted

Sometimes our downloads don’t always land on our devices in one piece. There’s a potential for downloads to become corrupted during the download process.

Occasionally, when we are downloading an app our connection to the internet is interrupted and the file may not download as it should.

If you’ve found that your copy of Apple Music has performance issues such as freezing while in use, then it may be that you need to delete the app entirely and redownload a fresh copy.

Don’t worry if you’ve never deleted an app before, we’ll take you through the process for both iOS and Android devices.

Here’s How to Delete & Redownload Apple Music on iOS Devices:

  1. To find Apple Music from your Home screen, you may need to swipe across.
  2. Once you’ve located the app, tap and hold until an ‘x’ appears or the option to ‘Remove App’ is displayed.
  3. Tap that option and Apple Music will be removed from your device.
  4. Once the process is complete, you should launch the App Store and redownload Apple Music.

Here’s How to Delete & Redownload Apple Music on Android Devices:

  1. Launch the Google Play Store.
  2. Select your Profile.
  3. Choose to ‘Manage Apps & Notifications’ and then tap ‘Manage’
  4. Tap on Apple Music and then choose to ‘Uninstall’
  5. Once the process is complete, find Apple Music in the Google Play Store and redownload the app.

6. Apple Music Keeps Freezing because your Device Requires a Restart

The old method of ‘turn it off and back on again’ is a classic for a reason – it still works! If Apple Music is freezing on you, then it’s worth simply restarting your device to see if it solves the problem.

To restart your iOS device:

  • Simultaneously hold down the side button and the volume, then drag the slider to switch off the device.
  • Switch the device back on by holding the side button until the Apple logo appears.
  • If your device is an older model, you will need to hold down either the top or side button and wait for the shutdown slider to appear.

Sources

A Guide to Fixing Apple Music Not Working on Android

Why Does Apple Music Keep Crashing? Fix Now – iOS 16 Supported

How to delete Apple Music cache to free space on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC 

 

 

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