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14 Best Ways to Fix Apple Music Keeps Pausing Error

by Pankil Shah

Apple Music is the go-to music streaming service for iPhone users, thanks to its integration with the Apple ecosystem. However, like its counterparts, Apple Music is susceptible to issues. One such issue is when Apple Music keeps pausing while playing songs. If you’ve been irked by a similar issue, here are some fixes you can try to prevent Apple Music from pausing randomly.

1. Force Restart Your iPhone

This may seem basic, but force restarting your iPhone is often effective in fixing such issues. Doing so gives the operating system a fresh start and resolves any issues causing the Apple Music app to pause randomly.

Press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the Apple logo appears.

Wait for your iPhone to restart, and then try to use Apple Music again.

2. Disable and Re-Enable Dolby Atmos

Several users on an Apple Community post reported fixing issues with Apple Music by disabling and re-enabling the Dolby Atmos feature on their iPhones. You can also give this a try.

1. Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Music.

Apple Music on iPhone

2. Under Audio, tap on Dolby Atmos. Select Off, wait for a few seconds, and then select Automatic.

Enable or Disable Dolby Atmos for Apple Music on iPhone

3. Disable Automatic Ear Detection for AirPods

Another reason why Apple Music may keep pausing on your iPhone is if you are using your AirPods with the Automatic Ear Detection feature enabled. This can happen if your AirPods sensors misinterpret slight movements or adjustments as taking out the AirPods, leading to an unintended pause.

To turn off Automatic Ear Detection, go to Settings and tap on your AirPods at the top. Then, turn off the switch next to Automatic Ear Detection.

Automatic Ear Detection for Airpods on iPhone

4. Turn Off Bluetooth

Apple Music may pause music if your iPhone is attempting to connect to a nearby Bluetooth audio device. To avoid this, it’s best to turn off Bluetooth when you are using your iPhone’s speakers or wired headphones.

Open Settings, go to Bluetooth, and turn off the switch next to Bluetooth.

Turn Off Bluetooth on iPhone

5. Enable Autoplay in Apple Music

Does Apple Music pause by itself when a song or playlist ends? That could happen if you have turned off the Autoplay feature. To enable it, open the music player in Apple Music, tap the Play Next icon in the bottom right corner, and then tap the infinity icon.

Enable Autoplay in Apple Music for iPhone

6. Stop Apple Maps From Pausing Audio During Navigation

Apple Music may keep pausing if you are getting directions from Apple Maps on your iPhone. If you don’t want that, you can configure the Maps app to lower the music volume instead of pausing the Apple Music app completely. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Maps.

Apple Maps on iPhone

2. Tap on Spoken Directions and turn off the toggle next to Directions Pause Spoken Audio.

Spoken Directions Settings in Maps for iPhone

7. Disable Low Data Mode

Enabling Low Data Mode on your iPhone can limit Apple Music’s ability to efficiently use the internet, causing the app to pause repeatedly. Hence, it’s best to turn off Low Data Mode when you don’t need it.

To disable Low Data Mode on Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Wi-Fi. Tap the info icon next to your Wi-Fi network and turn off the switch next to Low Data Mode.

Disable Low Data Mode on Wi-Fi on iPhone

Similarly, if you’re using mobile data, go to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options. Tap on Data Mode and select Standard from the following menu.

Disable Low Data Mode on Cellular on iPhone

8. Disable Low Power Mode

Enabling Low Power Mode can also restrict an app’s ability to work at its full potential. So, if the problem persists, open Settings on your iPhone and go to Battery. Then, toggle off the Low Power Mode option.

Turn Off Low Power Mode on iPhone

9. Download Tracks or Albums

Another thing you can do to avoid random pauses in Apple Music is to download the songs or albums for offline usage. To do so, search for the song and tap Add. Then, head to the Library tab and tap the cloud icon next to your song to download it.

Download Songs in Apple Music for iPhone

10. Remove and Download Tracks Again

If Apple Music pauses only while listening to downloaded tracks, those songs may have become corrupted. You can try deleting and downloading those songs again to see if that helps.

In the Apple Music app, long press on the song that you want to delete and select Remove. Then, select Remove Downloads to confirm. Download your song again and check if the issue is still there.

Remove Downloads From Apple Music on iPhone

11. Check Apple Music System Status

At times, the Apple Music app could misbehave on your iPhone due to server-side issues. To check for this possibility, you can visit Apple’s System Status page and see if there’s a widespread outage with Apple Music.

Apple Music Server Status

12. Reinstall the Apple Music App

If the issue remains, you can consider uninstalling the Apple Music app, and installing it again. Tap and hold the Apple Music app icon and select Remove App. Tap on Delete App when prompted. 

Delete Apple Music App From iPhone

Once removed, download Apple Music again and check if it works fine.

13. Install iOS Updates

Software updates usually bring all kinds of new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. So, if those random pauses are only occurring due to a bug, updating your iPhone should help.

Open Settings and go to General > Software Update. Download and install any pending iOS updates and check if that solves the problem.

Check for Updates on iPhone

14. Reset Network Settings

Network-related issues on your iPhone can also cause Apple Music to pause randomly. Instead of going through each of your network settings individually, it’s easier to reset them and start over.

Note that this process will remove all your saved Wi-Fi networks, paired Bluetooth devices, and reset network preferences to their default values.

1. Launch the Settings app and navigate to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Transfer or Reset iPhone

2. Next, tap on Reset and choose Reset Network Settings from the resulting menu.

Reset All Settings on iPhone

No More Inturruptions

It can be frustrating when Apple Music keeps pausing on your iPhone and interrupts your music sessions. Hopefully, one of the above solutions has helped fix the issue for good, and you are at peace.

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