13 Best Ways to Fix the Apple Music Not Downloading Songs Issue on iPhone and Android

After speaking to friends and analyzing online complaints, I discovered that song downloads in Apple Music are broken for some iPhone and Android users. Previously, I addressed playback issues with downloaded music tracks. However, additional problems persist. In this article, I will provide solutions to the problem of songs not downloading in Apple Music.

When you tap the Download icon, you expect Apple Music to start right away. However, both the iPhone and Android apps might show a spinning animation or nothing happens. If you’re experiencing this, try the following fixes. I have faced this issue before and found solutions that work. If your mobile internet and Wi-Fi connection are fine, try connecting to a different Wi-Fi hotspot and then come back to this post if that doesn’t work.

Apple Music — iPhone

I’ll begin with the iPhone version of Apple Music, as it’s a major source of complaints. Please follow the following fixes in order, and only use the final fix as a last resort. If you’re facing the same problem on Android, please proceed to the next section.

1. Force-Quit Music App/Restart iPhone

Bugs occur in any continuously running app, including the Music app. If you’ve been using it for a while, force-quitting can help resolve any anomalies. To do this, swipe up from the bottom of the iPhone screen to access the multitasking app cards. On newer iPhone models without a Home button, lift your finger to bring up the app switcher. Alternatively, double-click the Home button on iPhones with one. Once in the app switcher, select the Music app card and swipe it upwards to force-quit. After force-quitting, tap the Music icon on the Home screen to relaunch it. Download a song to experience the effectiveness of force-quitting.

If the app fails, force quit and restart your iPhone. This should fix any additional glitches. On iPhone X and newer models, hold down both Volume Up and Power buttons to prompt Slide to Power Off. On older devices, hold down the Power button.

After restarting your iPhone, open the Music app and attempt to download a few songs. If the problem persists, try the remaining fixes.

2. Enable Cellular Data

Are you trying to download songs in Apple Music using cellular data? Check if you’ve enabled cellular downloads for the Music app. Even if you can browse Apple Music on cellular data or stream tracks without issue, there’s a setting that can restrict downloads.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Scroll down and tap on Music. Step 2: Tap Cellular Data and turn on the switch next to Downloads. Make sure the toggle next to Cellular Data at the top of the screen is on, or else the toggle next to Downloads will appear greyed out.

If you’re experiencing issues with Apple Music not downloading songs on your iPhone or Android device, here are some effective solutions to fix this problem.

1. Check your internet connection. Make sure you’re connected to a stable and reliable Wi-Fi or cellular network before attempting to download songs from Apple Music.

2. Restart your device. Sometimes, a simple device restart can resolve temporary glitches and improve the download process.

3. Update your Apple Music app. Ensure that you’re running the latest version of the Apple Music app on your device. Updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements.

4. Clear cache and data (Android only). If you’re using an Android device, clearing the cache and data for the Apple Music app can help resolve download issues. Go to your device’s settings, find the Apps or Application Manager section, locate Apple Music, and then clear the cache and data.

5. Check your storage space. Insufficient storage space can prevent songs from downloading. Make sure you have enough free space on your device by deleting unnecessary files or apps.

6. Disable restrictions. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Music, Podcasts & News, and make sure there are no restrictions preventing downloads.

7. Sign out and sign back into your Apple Music account. Sometimes, signing out of your Apple Music account and then signing back in can resolve download issues. Open the Apple Music app, go to Settings, tap your profile, choose Sign Out, and then sign back in.

By following these steps, you should be able to fix the issue of Apple Music not downloading songs on your iPhone or Android device. If the problem persists, consider contacting Apple Support for further assistance.

3. Enable Automatic Downloads

Apple Music offers a feature that automatically downloads songs when added to your library. Enabling this setting can help resolve the issue if it persists with specific tracks or albums. You can disable this setting if automatic downloads are a concern. To enable Automatic Downloads, open the Settings app and tap on Music. Then, toggle the switch next to Automatic Downloads.

Head back to the Music app, remove the problematic album or track from your library, then search for it and re-add it. This will initiate an automatic download of the album or track.

To ensure the item is downloaded, switch to the Library tab in the Music app and tap Downloaded Music.

4. Update iOS Software

The Music app is integrated into iOS. If you haven’t updated iOS recently, install the updates immediately. Usually, the latest releases contain bug fixes that could resolve this issue.

To accomplish this, open the Settings app, tap General, and check for Software Update. Download and install any available updates.

5. Offload Apple Music

If the above fixes didn’t resolve the issue, reinstall the Music app. Instead of deleting the app entirely, iOS 11 or higher has a feature called ‘app offloading.’ With this feature, you can keep previously downloaded music tracks even after removing the app. The songs will reappear once you reinstall the app.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app, then tap General.

2. Tap iPhone Storage.

Step 2: Select Music, and tap Offload App on the subsequent screen. Tap Offload App again to confirm.

Step 3: Restart your iPhone. Then, tap the Music app icon on the Home screen. This will prompt iOS to reinstall the app. Afterward, check if the issue still persists.

6. Reset Network Settings

Now that we have gone through several fixes, it is necessary to check if the network settings on your iPhone are properly configured. To do this, reset the network settings.

Keep in mind that this will erase all previously saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, Bluetooth devices, and VPN settings. The cellular settings will also be reset, but they will be automatically applied again after the reset.

To reset the network settings:

1. Open the Settings app and tap on General.

2. Scroll down and tap on Reset.

Step 2: Tap Reset Network Settings, and confirm.

Resetting network settings on your iPhone and reconnecting to hotspots or enabling cellular data should resolve issues with downloading albums or tracks on Apple Music.

7. Toggle iCloud Music Library

Turning off iCloud Music Library and then switching it back on is a viable fix for resolving issues with stuck Apple Music downloads. However, there is a downside to this. Any previously downloaded songs will be removed, requiring you to re-download everything from scratch. Only attempt this if the previous fixes have failed.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap on Music. Toggle off the option for iCloud Music Library (labeled as ‘Sync Library’ in iOS 13 and later). Confirm by tapping Turn Off.

Step 2: Restart your iPhone. Then, revisit the screen and re-enable iCloud Music Library. Confirm if downloads are working again.

Next, we’ll cover Apple Music on Android.

Apple Music — Android

Apple Music on Android is terrible. It’s slow, sluggish, and fails to load album artwork. To make things worse, it often fails to download songs for offline listening. The fixes for the Android version are mostly the same as on iOS, except for a few. Let’s get started.

1. Force-Quit Apple Music/Restart Phone

Force-quitting Apple Music on Android can resolve issues with stuck downloads. To do this, bring up the app switcher by tapping the Overview icon on the navigation bar. Swipe the app card to the left or right, or tap the ‘X’-shaped symbol to force-quit Apple Music. Then relaunch the app and try downloading a track.

You should also consider restarting your phone if it fails. On most Android devices, hold down the Power button for a few seconds to bring up the Power Off or Restart prompts.

2. Enable Cellular Data

If you use Apple Music app on cellular data, ensure that cellular downloads are enabled. Otherwise, you cannot download songs.

Step 1: Open Apple Music app and tap the vertical ellipsis icon (three dots) in the upper-right corner of the screen. Then tap Settings in the menu that appears.

Step 2: On the Settings screen, tap Mobile Data, and turn on the switch next to Downloads. If the Downloads option looks grayed out, enable Use Mobile Data at the top of the screen.

3. Clear Cache

Android allows you to directly clear an application’s cache. Clearing out the accumulated junk from using the Apple Music app can be beneficial. The process may vary slightly depending on the type of Android device you have, but you can follow the steps below:

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Android device. Tap Apps & Notifications, then tap Apps.

Step 2: Tap Apple Music, then tap Storage.

Step 3: Tap Clear Cache. That should do the trick.

Open Apple Music, and try downloading a song. It should work now.

4. Update Apple Music App

An outdated Apple Music app can cause problems. Update the app regularly by going to the Google Play Store, searching for Apple Music, visiting its page, and tapping Update if an update is available.

5. Reset Network Settings

If Apple Music fails to download your songs, reset your network settings. Android devices have this option in various locations, but you can usually find it by opening the Settings app and searching for ‘reset’. Keep in mind that resetting network settings will erase saved Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth connections, and VPNs. For more information on how to reset network settings on Android, refer to this explainer.

6. Reinstall app

If the previous fixes didn’t resolve the issue, reinstall Apple Music. Note that this process will remove all downloaded songs. Only do this if the previous fixes didn’t work.

To remove Apple Music, press and hold the Apple Music icon on your device’s Home screen. Then, drag it to the trash bin at the top of the screen and release.

To reinstall Apple Music, restart your phone and go to the Google Play Store. Sign in and download the app. It should work properly.

Time to Chill

Did you get Apple Music to download your songs? Congrats. Time to chill. Downloads are essential for a great user experience, and I hope Apple would fix the bugs that hamper song downloads. Perhaps with Apple’s recent focus on services, these issues may take priority. We’ll have to wait and see after iOS 13 rolls out. Next up: Don’t have anything worthwhile to listen to in Apple Music? Here are 5 tips to discover new music.