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This article we will show you how to play Apple Music on Amazon Alexa devices. If you have an Amazon Echo with Alexa and an Apple Music subscription, you can use the smart speaker to play songs, artists, playlists, and other things from Apple Music or playlists from your Library. Ker, like the Echo, you probably use Amazon Music most of the time, since that’s what Amazon speakers are set to by default. Amazon Alexa works with a lot of streaming services, both free ones and ones that require a subscription. The voice-controlled app lets you change almost all of the voice commands you use with your speakers, and it keeps track of these commands for you.
But if you have Apple Music or just want to try something new, you can connect your Amazon Alexa speaker to Apple Music and use the platform to play music. Once you’re connected, any Alexa-enabled smart speaker can play music from your Apple Music account. If you use a lot of Apple products, Apple Music is likely to be a big draw for you. It’s deeply built into the company’s software, and in some cases, it can do things on Apple platforms that competitors like Spotify can’t. Here’s how to play Apple Music on Amazon Alexa devices.
What is Apple Music?
After Apple bought Beats Electronics in 2014, which included the now-stopped Beats Music subscription service, Apple Music came out in 2015. The Apple Music service not only lets you stream any song from iTunes whenever you want, but it also lets you access all of your music in one place on all of your devices, whether you bought it from iTunes, copied it from a CD, or downloaded it from the web.
The streaming service also gives you recommendations based on your tastes, internet radio (like the Apple Music 1 (formerly Beats 1) radio station), the ability to save music to your device so you can listen to it when you don’t have internet, expert-made playlists, integration with Siri on iOS devices, and features like Apple Music Sing and Spatial Audio.
How to Add Apple Music Account to Alexa
- Open the app for Amazon Alexa.
- Tap More at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Games & Skills.
- Tap the Search icon in the upper right corner.
- In the search field, type “Apple Music” and then tap “Search.”
- Choose the Apple Music skill from the list that comes up.
- Click Allow to Use.
- Type in and confirm the Apple ID you use for your Apple Music account.
- You should see a request for access to your Apple Music account from Alexa. Tap Okay.
- Your accounts should now be linked correctly.
- Once the skill is turned on, you should be able to use your Echo to listen to Apple Music. Say, “Alexa, play my Favorites Mix on Apple Music.”
How to play Apple Music on Amazon Alexa devices
- If you have more than one song with the same name, you may need to say something like, “Play The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News on Apple Music.”
- If you say “Play Billie Eilish on Apple Music,” it will play that artist.
- For specific albums, use commands like “Play Songs in the Key of Life on Apple Music.”
- If more than one album has the same name, you might need to say something like “Play The Greatest Hits by Queen on Apple Music.”
- You can ask Siri to play a playlist on Apple Music by saying things like “Play The Jam Essentials on Apple Music.”
- You can also play personal playlists that you’ve saved to your Apple Music account by saying things like “Play my Summer Classics playlist on Apple Music.”
- To play a certain genre, say “Play Jazz on Apple Music.”
- Some commands that work with Amazon Music won’t work with Apple Music. Amazon Music is the only place where commands like “Play similar music” or “Play something I haven’t heard in a while” will work.
How to Set Apple Music as Default Music Service for Alexa
- Open the app for Amazon Alexa.
- At the bottom of the screen, tap More.
- Choose the settings.
- Under “Preferences,” scroll down and choose “Music & Podcasts.”
- Tap Services by Default.
- Tap Change under Music.
- Choosing Apple Music.
- Tap Change under Artist and Genre Stations.
- Choosing Apple Music.
- The default music service should now be Apple Music. You won’t have to add “on Apple Music” to the end of your song requests anymore.
How to Unlink Your Apple Music Account from Alexa
- Open the app for Amazon Alexa.
- At the bottom of the screen, tap More.
- Choose the settings.
- Choose Music & Podcasts by scrolling down.
- Tap Apple Music under Services.
- Tap Turn Off Skill.
- Tap Disable to confirm your choice.
- Your Apple Music account is no longer connected. Follow the steps in the first part of this article to add it again at any time.
Limitations and Restrictions of Apple Music on Alexa
Limitations/Restrictions | Description |
---|---|
Limited Functionality | Apple Music on Alexa may not support all features available on the Apple Music app, resulting in reduced functionality. |
Streaming Quality | The streaming quality of Apple Music on Alexa may be limited compared to the highest quality available on Apple devices. |
Playlist Management | Creating, editing, or managing playlists on Apple Music through Alexa might be restricted or less intuitive. |
Offline Listening | The ability to download and listen to Apple Music tracks offline may not be available through Alexa. |
Voice Commands | Some specific voice commands supported by Apple Music on Apple devices may not work on Alexa. |
Library Organization | The way your music library is organized on Alexa might differ from the structure on the Apple Music app. |
Compatibility | Not all Alexa devices may support Apple Music integration; compatibility varies based on the device model. |
Country Restrictions | Apple Music availability on Alexa might be limited to specific countries or regions. |
Conclusion
Amazon and Apple compete with each other when it comes to streaming TV shows, but they work together to let you listen to music across brands. There are ways to play music from both the Apple Music subscription app and songs on your Apple device. We’ll show you what you need to do to get there.
Questions and Answers
Make sure you have the latest version of iOS and check the App Store to see if the Amazon Alexa app has been updated. If you have an Android device, check the Google Play Store to see if the Apple Music or Amazon Alexa apps have been updated.
When there are problems with Wi-Fi connectivity, media and music may have to buffer or not play at all. Most streaming problems can be fixed by: Turn off any connected devices you’re not using to make Wi-Fi less crowded. Move your device away from walls, metal objects, and things like microwave ovens and baby monitors that could cause interference.
When pairing, make sure your Bluetooth device is fully charged and near your Echo device. If you have already paired your Bluetooth device with Alexa, remove it from Alexa. Then try again to pair it.
Set your phone, tablet, or other device to “pairing mode” for Bluetooth. Say “Alexa, pair” to put your Echo device into pairing mode. She will say, “Searching…” to confirm. Choose your Echo speaker under Bluetooth settings on your phone, tablet, or other device. Alexa will tell you that the connection worked.