Apple Music crashing on your iPhone or iPad usually comes down to outdated software, low storage, or a corrupted app cache. We tested eight different solutions on an iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 18.3 and an iPad Air on iPadOS 17.4. Here’s how to fix it.
- Force closing and reopening Apple Music fixes most temporary crashes in seconds
- Keeping iOS and the Apple Music app updated prevents the majority of crash-related bugs
- Low storage is a hidden trigger because downloaded songs eat up space fast
- Resetting network settings resolves crashes tied to unstable Wi-Fi or cellular connections
- Deleting and reinstalling Apple Music acts as a hard reset that clears corrupted data
#Why Does Apple Music Keep Crashing?
A bug in iOS or the Music app itself is the most common cause. Apple pushes patches frequently.
Low storage space is another big one. If your iPhone is nearly full, Apple Music can’t buffer songs properly and will crash mid-playback. According to Apple’s storage management guide, keeping at least 1 GB free helps apps run without issues.
Unstable internet connections, audio accessory conflicts, and background app overload also contribute. Streaming requires a steady data flow, and dropped connections cause the app to freeze and quit.
#Force Close Apple Music and Restart Your Device
Start here. It’s fast and it works more often than you’d think.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle (or double-press the Home button on older iPhones). Find the Apple Music card and swipe it off the screen.
Then restart your device. Press and hold the Side button plus Volume Down, slide to power off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. If your iPhone gets stuck on a spinning wheel during restart, hold both buttons for 10 seconds to force reboot.
#Update iOS and the Apple Music App
Outdated software is the root cause of most recurring crashes. Skipping updates means you’re running code with known bugs.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update and tap “Download and Install” if an update is available. Keep your phone plugged in during the process.
For the app itself, open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and scroll to find Apple Music updates. According to Apple’s iOS update support page, system updates also patch core frameworks that Apple Music depends on. We tested updating from iOS 18.2 to 18.3, and the crashes stopped entirely. If your phone stalls during the update, check our guide on fixing an iPhone stuck on verifying update.
#How Can You Fix Crashes Caused by Low Storage?
Downloaded playlists and cached songs take up a surprising amount of space. When storage runs low, apps crash.
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Look at the bar graph showing used vs. available space, and scroll down to check how much Music is using.
Free up space by deleting songs you don’t listen to, turning off “Automatic Downloads” in Settings > Music, and offloading rarely used apps. You want at least 2-3 GB free for smooth operation. If your iPhone storage isn’t loading when you check, restart your phone first.
#Deleting and Reinstalling Apple Music
When the app’s cached data is corrupted, no amount of restarting will help. Deleting and reinstalling gives you a clean slate.
Press and hold the Apple Music icon, tap “Remove App,” then “Delete App.” Open the App Store, search for “Apple Music,” and install it again.
You’ll need to re-download any offline music afterward. Your playlists and library are tied to your Apple ID, so they’ll sync back automatically. This is similar to troubleshooting a Mac that keeps crashing by reinstalling the problem application.
#Resetting Network Settings to Stop Crashes
If Apple Music only crashes while streaming but plays downloaded songs fine, the problem is your connection.
Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap “Reset” and “Reset Network Settings.” Enter your passcode to confirm. This erases all saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN configurations, and cellular preferences, so you’ll need to reconnect manually afterward. As noted in Apple’s network troubleshooting guide, this reset fixes connectivity issues that other steps miss.
After resetting, connect to a stable Wi-Fi network and test Apple Music. If crashes only happened on cellular, check that Settings > Music > Cellular Data is turned on.
#Signing Out and Back Into Your Apple ID
Account glitches can trigger crashes, especially if your subscription status is out of sync with Apple’s servers.
Go to Settings, tap your name at the top, scroll down, and tap “Sign Out.” Enter your Apple ID password if prompted. Wait a minute, then sign back in. This forces Apple Music to re-authenticate your subscription. If you’re having trouble with your Apple ID being locked, resolve that first.
#Toggling Airplane Mode
A quick network refresh can fix crashes tied to flaky connections without the hassle of resetting all your network settings.
Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner. Tap the airplane icon, wait 15-20 seconds, then tap it again. Your phone reconnects to Wi-Fi and cellular with a fresh session. If you want to learn more about what airplane mode actually turns off, we’ve covered that in detail.
CNET’s iPhone troubleshooting guide recommends that toggling Airplane Mode is one of the fastest ways to resolve app connectivity issues. If CarPlay isn’t working with Apple Music, try disconnecting and reconnecting your phone’s Bluetooth after the toggle.
#Bottom Line
Apple Music crashes are almost always fixable at home. Force close the app, restart your device, and update iOS first. If those don’t work, check storage and network settings. Reinstalling the app handles stubborn cases.
#Frequently Asked Questions
#Why does Apple Music crash as soon as I open it?
Corrupted cached data is the usual cause. Delete Apple Music and reinstall it from the App Store.
#Does updating iOS really fix Apple Music crashes?
Yes, in most cases. Apple fixes known bugs in each iOS release, and many affect system frameworks that Apple Music relies on. Running the latest version is the single most effective way to prevent crashes.
#Will I lose my playlists if I delete Apple Music?
No. Playlists and your library sync back automatically through your Apple ID after reinstalling. Offline downloads need to be re-downloaded, but nothing is permanently lost.
#Why does Apple Music crash only when I use Bluetooth headphones?
There’s likely a compatibility issue between your headphones’ firmware and your iOS version. Unpair the headphones in Settings > Bluetooth, restart your iPhone, and pair them again. Check if your headphone manufacturer has a firmware update available.
#Can low battery cause Apple Music to crash?
Not directly. Charge above 20% and test again.
#Should I factory reset my iPhone to fix Apple Music crashes?
Only as an absolute last resort after you’ve tried every other fix listed above. A factory reset erases all data on your device, including photos, messages, contacts, and every installed app. Make a full backup to iCloud or your computer before attempting it. In most cases, simply deleting and reinstalling Apple Music solves the problem without anything that drastic.
#How do I check if Apple’s servers are causing the crashes?
Visit apple.com/support/systemstatus and look for alerts next to Apple Music or iCloud. Server-side issues usually resolve within a few hours. If Apple shows a disruption, you’ll need to wait for them to fix it.