How to Turn On/Off Crossfade on Apple Music

Part 1. What Is Crossfade on Apple Music and How Does It Work?

Crossfade on Apple Music is a feature that mixes the end of one song with the start of the next, so your music plays without any gaps or silence. Here's what to expect: instead of hearing a pause between songs, they overlap a little, making the transitions feel more natural and keeping the music going without stopping.

How Does Crossfade Work on Apple Music?

It works by slowly lowering the volume of the song that's ending while bringing up the next one—like a DJ making sure the music flows smoothly. The goal is simple: keep your listening experience steady and seamless without any effort on your part.

It's easy to get started because the settings are all there. But it's not always simple to find the best crossfade duration. Five seconds is usually a popular choice, but it really takes some experimenting to find the length that feels right for you. Since AutoMix came out, many users have been switching between these two transition styles to find their perfect balance.

Part 2. How to Get the Crossfade Feature on Apple Music

If you use an iPhone or iPad, getting Crossfade is simple—just make sure your device is running iOS 17 or later. The latest version, iOS 26, has moved Crossfade to a new section called Song Transitions, where it sits alongside other sound settings like Dolby Atmos, EQ, and Sound Check.

Inside Song Transitions, you'll find the classic Crossfade option plus a newer feature called AutoMix. AutoMix mixes songs like a DJ, creating an even smoother and more dynamic listening experience. It's a great choice if you want to try something beyond regular Crossfade.

One important thing to know: Crossfade doesn't work with Lossless Audio or Dolby Atmos tracks. When those are turned on, Crossfade is automatically disabled. So, to use Crossfade or AutoMix, you'll need to turn off Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio first.

To update your iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap General.
3. Select Software Update.
4. If an update like iOS 26 is available, tap Download and Install.

Part 3. How to Turn Crossfade On or Off on Apple Music

Crossfade has been available on Apple Music for different devices at different times. On iPhone and iPad, it works starting with iOS 17 and can be turned on in the Music settings under Song Transitions. For Mac, you need macOS Sonoma or later, where you'll find Crossfade in the Music app's Preferences under Playback.

Windows users can find Crossfade in the Apple Music app's Playback settings. Android has supported Crossfade for longer, and some users say it works more smoothly there than on iOS.

No matter your device, turning Crossfade on or off is easy. Here's how:

On Windows

1. Open the iTunes app on your Windows PC.
2. Click Edit at the top of the iTunes window.
3. Select Preferences from the menu.



4. In the Preferences window, go to the Playback tab.
5. Check the box next to Crossfade Songs.



6. Use the slider to set your preferred crossfade duration—from 1 to 12 seconds.
7. Switch back to iTunes and start playing music to hear the smooth fade between songs.
8. To turn Crossfade off later, just uncheck the Crossfade Songs box in the same Playback tab.

On Mac

1. Open the Music app on your Mac.
2. Click Music in the Apple menu at the top left of your screen.
3. Select Preferences from the dropdown.
4. Click the Playback tab inside Preferences.



5. Check the box for Crossfade Songs.



6. Adjust the crossfade length to your liking, anywhere between 1 and 12 seconds.
7. Close Preferences and play music to notice the seamless transitions between tracks.
8. To turn Crossfade off later, uncheck the Crossfade Songs box in the Playback tab.

On iPhone (or iPad)

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Music.
3. Tap Song Transitions.



4. Toggle Song Transitions on.
5. Select Crossfade.



6. Choose the crossfade duration you prefer—between 1 and 12 seconds.
   • Tip: Optionally, try AutoMix for a different style of seamless transitions.
7. Switch back to the Apple Music app and play some songs to hear how the fade works smoothly between tracks.
8. To turn Crossfade off later, toggle the Crossfade switch off in Song Transitions.

On Android

1. Open the Apple Music app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu icon at the top right corner.
3. Select Settings.



4. Scroll down to the Audio section, then tap Crossfade.
5. If Crossfade is off, switch it on by choosing either Automatic or Manual.

   

   • Automatic sets the crossfade length based on what's playing.
   • Manual lets you pick a duration between 1 and 12 seconds—the higher the number, the longer the crossfade.
6. Return to the app's home screen and start playing music to experience smooth fades between songs.
7. To turn Crossfade off later, switch the Crossfade setting to Off in the Audio section.

Part 4. Alternatives to Crossfade on Apple Music (AutoMix)

Before Apple added Crossfade to iPhone with iOS 17, many people used an app called Mixonset to get smooth music transitions. Mixonset works like a smart DJ. It finds the best parts of each song—usually a 1–2 minute highlight—and blends them together by matching the beat and rhythm. It works with Apple Music and other services, and for a long time, it was one of the best ways to listen to gapless music on iOS.

But things changed when Apple introduced AutoMix with iOS 26. AutoMix is now built into Apple Music, and it works a lot like a real DJ. It uses smart tech to match the tempo and structure of songs, so they flow naturally from one to the next—without any stops or rough transitions. There's no talking, just smooth music all the way through.

The best part? AutoMix is already included in Apple Music at no extra cost. You can find it in your iPhone's Music settings, under Song Transitions, right next to Crossfade. If you want something that feels more alive than regular fading, AutoMix is a fun and easy feature to try.

How to Turn On/Off AutoMix on Apple Music

Discover how Apple Music AutoMix blends your songs like a pro DJ. Learn what it is, how to turn it on and off, and simple fixes for common issues.

Part 5. Best Way to Fix Apple Music Crossfade Not Working

If Crossfade isn't working as expected, you're not alone. On Apple Music, the feature is automatically disabled for Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos tracks. Even when it's enabled, the fade timing can feel too fixed and doesn't always match the tempo, style, or mood of your music.

The Workaround: ViWizard Apple Music Converter

One of the best ways to work around this is by converting your Apple Music tracks into standard audio files like MP3. Once your songs are free from streaming restrictions, you can customize playback however you like—cut, edit, remix, or adjust transitions on your own terms.

ViWizard Apple Music Converter helps by removing DRM from Apple Music tracks and converting them into formats like MP3, M4A, WAV, or FLAC. It keeps the audio quality intact and also preserves track details like lyrics, titles, and album artwork. You can even have your music auto-organized by artist or album.

It's fast, easy to use, and gives you full control over your collection—so you can create your own seamless mixes or fix transition gaps that Crossfade just can't cover.

Key Features of ViWizard Apple Music Converter

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• Convert Apple Music songs, albums, playlists, and artists into MP3 for easy access
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• Save converted audio files while retaining full ID3 tag details

Conclusion

After reading this post, you may know how to crossfade on Apple Music. If you are an iPhone/Android/Windows/Mac user, you can find the crossfade under the playback setting in the app with the guides above. To play Apple Music on other devices you like, you can use ViWizard Audio Converter to convert Apple Music to MP3 or other open formats. Then you can transfer the converted Apple Music to other devices without restriction. Why not click the downloading button below to have a try now? You won't be disappointed.