If you’re an avid fan of Apple and Amazon, you might wonder whether Alexa and Apple Music can play well with each other.
Luckily, you don’t have to be loyal to either of the two-kidding aside. You can still enjoy listening to your favorite songs without disconnecting from Alexa.
How is it possible?
Read on to learn:
- 3 ways you can connect Apple Music to Alexa in simple steps.
- How to improve Amazon Echo speaker’s audio quality using multi-room music.
- What is the difference between iTunes and Apple Music that you should know.
- And so much more…
Can you connect Apple Music to Alexa?
You can connect Apple Music to Alexa using the Amazon Alexa app. You can pair Bluetooth devices, enable Alexa’s Apple Music Skills, and use Amazon music. These methods are trouble-free and easy to follow.
3 ways to connect Apple Music to Alexa
#1: Set up Apple Music with Alexa using the Amazon App
Before you can connect your Apple device to Alexa, you need to have an Apple Music subscription. It makes the process even smoother if you have it beforehand.
“But I don’t have an Apple Music subscription.”
Don’t worry! Here’s what you need to do:
- Open your apple device.
- Go to Settings.
- Click the subscription button.
- Once you subscribe, you can enjoy a free trial and cancel whenever you want.
Warning: You can’t stream Apple Music songs once you end the subscription. You need to be 100% sure before canceling it.
Tip: You can get great discounts if you prove that you’re a student. You may refer to this article Get an Apple Music student subscription. Don’t wait any longer!
Now, you need to set up your Amazon speaker with the Amazon Alexa app on your Apple device. Since applications keep on updating, you need to have an updated version of iOs and the Amazon Alexa app.
After ticking all the boxes, you can now proceed to the following steps:
- Open your iOS device and go to the Amazon Alexa App.
- Click More in the lower right corner.
- Press Skills and Games.
- Tap the search field at the top right corner, then type Apple Music.
- Click Enable To Use.
- Press Settings.
- Select an icon that says “Link Account.”
- Sign in with your Apple ID.
Congratulations! You can now ask Alexa to play your go-to playlist from your iCloud Music Library or Apple Music’s editors.
Keep in mind that every time you ask Alexa to play songs from Apple Music, you need to say “on Apple Music.” For example, “Alexa, play Justine Bieber on Apple Music or “Alexa, play Rain on Me on Apple Music.”
“I find it inconvenient and annoying to do. Is there a way to fix this?”
You need to make Apple Music your default music service on Alexa:
- On your Apple device and go to the Amazon Alexa app.
- Click More.
- Press the Settings on your screen.
- Look for the Music and Podcasts. Then, click it.
- Scroll down until you find Default Services.
- Click Apple Music under Music.
If you want to use many Amazon Echo speakers at the same time you can make a Multi-Room Music Group in your Alexa App. This built-in feature allows you to play any song from your Apple Music in two or more rooms in your house.
Note: You need to connect all your Alexa speakers to the same WiFi network before you can make multi-room music.
Here’s how to connect all of your Alexa speakers to the same WiFi:
- Open your iOS device and go to the Amazon Alexa App.
- Go to the bottom right corner of your screen and press Devices.
- In the top right corner, tap the plus sign icon.
- Click the pop-up menu located at the bottom of your screen and select Combine Speakers.
- Tap Multi-room music. If you want to split your Amazon speakers into two audio channels, you need to select Stereo pair.
- Press all the devices you wish to group. You can double-check the selected speakers on the right corner of your screen. A checkbox will appear. Afterward, tap Next.
- Choose a suggested group name or make your own and press Next.
Note: You need to make sure that the group name is easy enough for you to remember. Every time you ask Alexa to play multi-room music, you need to mention it.
“How can I edit or remove a multi-room speaker group?”
Open the Alexa app and press Devices. At the bottom part of the screen, tap your speaker group. Then click Edit to add or remove speakers. If you wish to troubleshoot audio synchronization issues, tap Audio Sync Problems.
#2: Connect Apple Music to Alexa via Bluetooth
Using Bluetooth devices can be the most convenient way to connect Apple Music with Alexa. You can use your iOS device’s Bluetooth to play your mood booster songs on an Amazon speaker.
These are the steps you need to follow:
Step 1: Pair the Alexa device with your Bluetooth.
You will need to turn on your Bluetooth on your Apple device and make sure that you enable the pairing mode. Go to Settings and click Bluetooth.
Now, this is how you’re going to do this. Put your gadget near the Alexa device and say, “ Alexa, pair.” Then Alexa will begin to search and confirm whether your Echo device is in pairing mode.
Step 2: Accept the pairing request on your screen.
In this step, you will receive a notification to accept the pairing request on your Apple device. If you want to proceed, tap “Pair.”
Step 3: Wait for confirmation from Alexa.
Alexa will provide a voice message to confirm the pairing request. It will mention the name of your Apple device. You can just say “connect my phone/device” to reestablish the pairing. This is because the two devices are already connected,
“Can Alexa identify a song for me?”
Despite being an advanced smart speaker, Amazon Echo can’t help you identify a song on your playlist. It doesn’t have a “Shazam Style.”
#3: Enable Apple Music for Alexa
“I hate connecting and disconnecting my Apple device to Alexa. Bluetooth isn’t for me.”
If you listen to songs very often, playing Apple Music on an Amazon device with skill might be a perfect option for you.
Alexa can create a grocery list, find new recipes, keep track of your calories, find your phone, and a lot more.
Learn more here: Alexa Features.
You may opt to set up all Alexa’s skills but for now, you will focus on Apple Music. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Turn on Alexa’s Apple Music skill.
There are two ways how you can do it. First, you can go to the Amazon skill page. Second, you can open the Alexa app on your iOS device and go directly to the Skills section.
Following the latter, you need to select Alexa Preferences at the top left corner of your screen, tap Settings, and choose Music & Podcasts.
From here, press Link New Services and tap the Apple Music icon. Afterward, click Enable to Use, and don’t forget to type in your Apple account.
Step 2: Update Apple Music and Alexa app.
Since Apple Music skill isn’t something that people usually use, they fail to make the most out of its features. Additionally, users don’t understand the difference between iTunes and Apple Music.
“So, what’s the difference?”
Compared to iTunes, Apple Music has more limitations. It can’t serve as a media player. It functions mainly as a separate streaming service. Meanwhile, iTunes can be a media player, media library, online radio station, and many more.
However, it’s still beneficial to make sure that your Apple Music is updated. It’s also worth mentioning that the Alexa app may require an update.
Don’t fret! This guide will make your life a lot easier. Follow me:
- Sign in to your Amazon account once you download the Alexa app.
- You will see a notification on your screen when there are updates available.
- Click “Update” or “Run” to enjoy optimal usage from your device.
- Make sure that your Apple Music account still works properly.
Step 3: Play the music.
You may now start giving commands to Alexa. You can say “Alexa, play Souls Sisters on Apple Music,” or “Alexa, play Mariah Carey on Apple Music.” Interestingly, you can also create additional commands like “Happy songs” or “Romantic songs.”
Note: If you haven’t set Apple Music as your default play, don’t forget to mention “on Apple Music” every time you ask Alexa to play a song.
BONUS: Move songs from Apple Music to Amazon Music
“I’m from Korea. Is there any way that I can access Apple Music for Alexa?”
According to Apple Inc., there is a certain number of countries that have access to Apple Music for Alexa. It includes the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, Mexico, and Japan.
Italy, Ireland, India, Germany, France, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Austria are also included. If the list doesn’t mention your country. Don’t worry! We have a solution for you.
The best thing you can do is transfer Apple Music to Amazon Music. Apple Music has Digital Right Management (DRM) limitations. It means that you can’t download songs or Apple Music files for offline playing.
You are not also allowed to transfer them to other devices.
This guide will help you convert Apple Music files to Amazon Music. With this, you can play the songs to any media or audio player once you convert them.
Imagine that there are no longer DRM limitations. This is one of the most amazing parts of this method. How cool is that?
“How is it even possible?”
You can do this using an Apple Music DRM Remover called Macsome Apple Music Converter. Macsome iTunes Music Converter uses MP3 or AAC, WAV, and FLAC technology. It allows the Macsome to convert Apple Music files with high output audio quality.
Here’s how to convert Apple Music files to Amazon Music:
Step 1: Download your Apple Music files.
Select the Apple Music files you wish to download by clicking the cloud icon. Try to play these music files offline to ensure that the download was successful.
Step 2: Download Macsome Apple Music Converter.
Go to the official website of Macsome Apple Music Converter and download the application. It’s available for both Mac and Windows platforms.
Step 3: Add Apple Music files to Macsome Apple Music Converter.
Once you open the Macsome Apple Music Converter, click the “+” icon. Select all the musical files you want to convert. Select “OK” to add them to the list.
Step 4: Choose your preferred audio file format.
After adding all the selected Apple Music files, tap “Setting” to see the output format options. You can choose from WAV, AAC, FLAC, and MP3.
- Tap “Convert.”
You need to wait for a couple of minutes before uploading the files.
- Upload the converted music files to Amazon.
Open your Amazon Music app on your device and type in your log-in details. Select “My Music” and tap “Songs.” In the right navigation sidebar, press “Offline filter.” Tap “Upload,” and create a folder to upload in the right navigation sidebar.
- You can now ask Alexa to play the songs on your Amazon device without any hassle.
“How can I unlink or disconnect Apple Music to Alexa?”
For whatever reason that you wish to unlink your Apple Music to Alexa, look at the following steps:
- Open and run the Amazon Alexa app on your iOS device.
- Click “More” in the lower right corner.
- Select “Settings.”
- Tap “Music & Podcasts.”
- Select “Apple Music” under services.
- Press “Disable Skill.”
“Alexa won’t play music from my Apple Music after a year of no issues. Even though the app states it is linked. So I unlinked it and tried to relink it, but it says invalid now. What can I do”
Updating your iOS device connected to Alexa is beneficial. You also need to ensure that your device storage has enough space. This is to accommodate the Amazon Alexa app. It will help ensure that your device functions smoothly.
You may uninstall unused apps, erase unnecessary files, and clear app caches to free up space. Additionally, you can conduct a factory reset and install only the programs you need. If it doesn’t work again, you may contact Apple and Amazon fur complete instructions.