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Apple Music Playing At Slow Speed? (7 Solutions)

When your favorite music isn’t playing as it should, it can be somewhat disheartening. If your Apple Music app has started playing your music at a slower speed, almost as if it’s gone into slow motion, then you’ve found the article that can help.

There are countless simple fixes you can try for both iOS and Android. In this article, you will discover the best solutions to your Apple Music slow playback issues, just take a read below and you’ll be happily listening away in no time.

New iPhone 6 Plus is a smartphone developed by Apple Inc. Apple releases the new service for listening music and radio.

1. Restart Your Device to Stop Slow Playback on Apple Music

If you go to play music on Apple Music and the song plays at what feels like two-thirds of the speed, don’t panic – there is an incredibly easy solution to try straight away – restart your device.

This is one of the simplest methods you can try to solve your slow playback issues on Apple Music, and better yet, it only takes a matter of minutes.

Simply power down your device, whether it’s your desktop, iPhone, or Android tablet, and wait for a few minutes before starting it back up again.

Hopefully, this simple procedure will be enough to resolve the problem, but if your songs are still playing slowly, then just take a look at the other solutions below.

If your problem is less about slow playback and has more to do with sound quality, please take a look at our article about why Apple Music suddenly sounds bad

2. Update Your Device’s Operating System

Keeping your devices updated is crucial for ensuring they perform hassle-free and at their best.

Updates not only enhance your device’s general performance but also reduce any security risks your device may face.

Therefore, updating your phone, tablet, or desktop is another quick and easy solution to solve any glitchy playback issues you may be experiencing whilst using the Apple Music app – tracks playing slowly being one of them.

If you are unsure how to update your specific device, then take a look at the simple instructions below.

Here’s How to Update your iOS:

  1. Begin by ensuring your device is backed up, connected to power, and has a stable Wi-Fi connection.
  2. Open ‘Settings’
  3. Scroll down and tap on ‘General’
  4. Find and tap on ‘System Update’
  5. Simply select ‘Install Now’ or ‘Download and Install’

The update will automatically begin downloading. Once complete, check and see if your Apple Music playback issues have been resolved.

Here’s How to Update Windows:

  1. Click ‘Start’ on the Windows taskbar.
  2. Open the Control Panel.
  3. Navigate to ‘Security Center’
  4. Depending on which version of Windows you are running, either click on ‘Windows Update’ or ‘Check for Windows Update’
  5. If there are updates available, you can choose to download them, then just follow the on-screen instructions.

Here’s How to Update your MacOS

  1. Start by opening the Apple menu by clicking the Apple icon in the top taskbar.
  2. Navigate to ‘System Preferences’
  3. Click on ‘Software Update’
  4. Here you can check for updates and install them if they are available.

It’s also worth selecting ‘Automatically keep my Mac up to date’ so that you don’t have to do it manually. This way, you can be safe knowing your Mac will always be running the most up-to-date version.

Here’s How to Update your Android Device

  1. Open ‘Settings’.
  2. Locate and tap ‘System’
  3. Select ‘System Update’
  4. From this menu, you will be able to see your update status. To update your Android, simply follow the instructions on your screen.

If, however, you find that Apple Music is pausing after a few seconds, then take a look at our easy solution guide.

3. Update the Apple Music app

Similar to updating your device’s operating system, keeping your apps up to date also ensures problem-free performance.

If your Apple Music App isn’t running the most current version available, you may experience issues with the playback of your music, such as songs playing slowly.

However, simply updating Apple Music can solve this issue, and it is incredibly straightforward.

Just have a look at the steps below:

How to Update your Apple Music App on iOS:

  1. Begin by opening the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Locate your profile icon in the top right and select it.
  3. Swipe down from the top of your screen and let go in order to refresh the list of updates available.
  4. Go through the list of all of your apps and you should locate Apple Music.
  5. All you have to do next is select ‘Update’ and your device will begin the update straight away.

It’s worth noting that if you can’t find Apple Music under your list of available updates, then you are currently running the most up-to-date version.

How to Update your Apple Music App on Android:

  1. Begin by opening the Google Play Store from your Android device’s home screen.
  2. Search for ‘Apple Music’ in the search bar at the top.
  3. Once you have located the Apple Music icon, check next to it to see if there is an ‘Update’ option available.
  4. If there is an app update available, then just tap ‘Update’ and the update will start installing automatically.

Once complete, try playing a song on Apple Music and see if it is now playing at normal speed. If you are still having problems, just carry on with the following troubleshooting tips below.

4. Force Quit & Restart the Apple Music App

Force quitting an app is the best way to make sure it is properly inactive with no ongoing background processes. Simply exiting an app by pressing the home button can leave it active and does not close it down.

If there are any glitches occurring that are causing Apple Music to play your songs slowly, force quitting and then restarting the app can help resolve the problem. It’s incredibly simple, just read the instructions below.

How to Force Close Apple Music on iOS:

  1. Double-tap the home button.
  2. A menu of your active apps will appear.
  3. Scroll left or right until you locate the Apple Music preview screen.
  4. Swipe upwards to force close the app.
  5. Finally, reopen Apple Music and see if your playback issue is resolved.

How to Force Close Apple Music on Android:

  1. Begin by opening ‘Settings’.
  2. Navigate to ‘Apps’ or ‘Apps & Notifications’
    • You will either see all opened apps, or you may have to tap ‘See all apps’
  3. Tap on ‘Apple Music’
  4. Select ‘Force Stop’
  5. Tap ‘OK’ to confirm.

5. Network Connectivity Issues may be Causing Slow Playback

If you are having problems with your Apple Music playback, it could be down to an intermittent or unstable internet connection.

A weak or unstable network connection can cause a plethora of issues for your streaming, for example, times when Apple Music stops playing, is glitchy, or is playing slowly.

With Apple Music, you can stream songs online, but you need to have an internet connection that is strong enough, and if you want to listen offline, you must first download the music.

Try switching to another network if possible to test whether it’s your internet at fault. If you are able to play tracks on Apple Music hassle-free with the new network, then it may be time to talk to your internet provider.

6. Switch Devices (Your Particular Device is Potentially the Problem)

It’s always worth alternating between devices if you’re lucky enough to own more than one whenever you are encountering a technical problem. If Apple Music is playing slowly on your iPhone, try listening through your laptop or any other device instead.

If the problem persists, you know that it is because of the Apple Music app, and you can try restarting it, redownloading it, or even updating it.

If the problem no longer occurs, then you can be sure that the fault lies with one specific troublesome device. This means you will need to look into troubleshooting tips for that particular device instead of the app.

If the issues persists, take a look at our list of 20 devices that are compatible with Apple Music.

7. Download your Music for Offline Listening

Slow-playing songs on Apple Music, as mentioned previously, may be down to a low-speed internet connection. You can resolve this by downloading your music, meaning you can listen to your library offline.

To do this, just take a look at the steps below:

Download Music for Offline Listening on iOS and Android:

  1. Open the Apple Music app.
  2. Go to your Library and locate the song or album you want to download.
  3. Press and hold down on the song or album.
  4. On the menu that appears, simply tap ‘Download’

As an alternative, you can also swipe left on the chosen song or album and tap on the download arrow.

Download Music for Offline Listening on Windows or Mac:

  1. Begin by launching either Apple Music or iTunes.
  2. Navigate to your library.
  3. Next to the song or album you wish to download, simply click the download button (on your Mac, it will be a downwards arrow, for Windows it’s a cloud with a small downwards arrow inside).

Sources

Add and Download Music from Apple Music

How to Force Close apps on Android

Check & Update your Android Version

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