Turn Apple Music Shuffle On or Off on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Mac

Part 1. How to Turn Shuffle On or Off on iPhone, iPad and Android (Apple Music)

Using Shuffle on iPhone or iPad is simple once you know where to look. Thanks to a recent UI update on Android, Shuffle now works very similarly, and the Apple Music app layout is almost the same on both platforms.

Option 1: Using the Shuffle Button in Now Playing Screen

Start playing a song, playlist, or album, then open the Now Playing screen or the "Playing Next" queue. Tap the crossed-arrows icon to turn Shuffle on. It lights up green when active, and your songs will play in random order.

Step 1 Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device and go to the playlist, album, or library you want to play.

Step 2 Tap the first song to start playback. This ensures the Now Playing screen displays all available controls.

Step 3 On iPhone or iPad, tap the Now Playing bar at the bottom of the screen to expand it fully. On Android, swipe up on the Now Playing bar to reveal all playback controls.

Step 4 Find the Shuffle icon, which looks like two crossed arrows, near the play/pause buttons.

Step 5 Tap the Shuffle icon: if it is not highlighted, shuffle will start and songs play in random order. If it is highlighted, tapping it will turn shuffle off.

Step 6 For large playlists or albums, wait a few seconds for shuffle to fully randomize all tracks, especially if songs are streamed from iCloud or downloaded for offline playback.

Option 2: Using the Shuffle Button for Library, Playlist, or Album

You can also start shuffling directly from your library. Go to Library and select your entire library ("Songs"), a playlist ("Playlists"), or a single album ("Albums"). Tap the "Shuffle" button at the top to play in random order. The "Play" button next to it plays the tracks in their original order.

Step 1 Open a playlist or album in Apple Music on any device.

Step 2 Scroll to the top of the track list and look for the "Shuffle All" button.

Step 3 Tap Shuffle All to start random playback of all songs.

Step 4 To stop shuffle at any point, return to the Now Playing screen and tap the Shuffle icon again.

Step 5 Keep in mind that Apple Music's shuffle may respect recent playback history, so recently played songs may appear less frequently but can repeat occasionally.

Shuffle sometimes favors recently played tracks, so it might not feel fully random. If songs seem repetitive, check the "Repeat" button (loop symbol) next to Shuffle—it may be highlighted. A good trick is to try larger playlists instead of smaller ones. If the Shuffle icon does not respond, restarting Apple Music usually fixes the issue. Keep reading for more tips and tricks.

Pro Tip: Shuffle with Siri

Another easy way to shuffle your music without manually searching for the Shuffle button is to use Siri. Once you're playing a selection of songs or a playlist, tell Siri "Shuffle," and she will shuffle whatever you are currently listening to. This option works only on Apple devices.

Step 1 Activate Siri by holding the Side/Home button or saying "Hey Siri."

Step 2 Say commands like "Shuffle my [playlist name]" or "Shuffle all songs."

Step 3 Siri will start playback randomly. You can say "Next" or "Previous" to move through the shuffled queue.

Part 2. How to Turn Shuffle On or Off in Windows PC and Mac (iTunes)

In iTunes, Shuffle is controlled through the Now Playing window or playback controls at the top. Click the crossed-arrows icon to activate Shuffle, and your tracks will play out of their original order. Checking the icon and repeat settings usually ensures Shuffle works correctly.

Step 1 Open iTunes on your Windows PC or Mac.

Step 2 Navigate to the playlist, album, or song collection you want to play. To shuffle all songs, go to Library > Songs.

Step 3 Start playing any song. Playback controls appear at the top of the iTunes window. Alternatively, you can click Controls > Shuffle in the menu bar. On Mac, press Command + Shift + S to toggle shuffle.

Step 4 Click the Shuffle icon, which looks like two crossed arrows. A highlighted icon means shuffle is active. Click it again to turn shuffle off.

Step 5 Keep in mind that iTunes may play the first few songs in order before fully shuffling large playlists.

Part 3. How to Turn Shuffle On or Off in Windows PC and Mac (Apple Music)

The Apple Music app on Windows and Mac has similar Shuffle controls. Activate Shuffle in the top menu bar or in the "Up Next" queue to mix songs while still managing the upcoming order. This makes shuffling large libraries or playlists easier than on mobile.

Step 1 Open the Apple Music app on your computer.

Step 2 Navigate to the playlist, album, or library you want to play.

Step 3 Start playback of the first song. Playback controls appear at the top or bottom of the window depending on the window size.

Step 4 Click the Shuffle icon, two crossed arrows, to turn shuffle on or off.

Step 5 Alternatively, use Controls > Shuffle from the menu bar. This can be useful in full-screen mode when playback controls may be minimized.

Part 4. How to Enable Genuine Shuffle on Mac (Apple Music)

Mac users can use Genuine Shuffle, a free feature that automatically creates a playlist of songs from your library that go well together, based on the song you choose. This helps you discover new music without making playlists yourself. It mixes tracks evenly using anonymous data from your library, avoiding predictable patterns. You need a decent library size, an internet connection, and Genius turned on in the app's settings.

Step 1 Open Apple Music on your Mac and start playing a playlist or album.

Step 2 Hold the Option (⌥) key and click the Shuffle icon in the playback controls.

Step 3 Genuine Shuffle will start, playing tracks in a less predictable order than the standard shuffle.

Part 5. How to Improve Apple Music Shuffle Randomness

Even though the Shuffle button is easy to turn on, it does not always feel random. Many of us have stared at it, wondering how it works. If you want Shuffle to feel more random, here are some tips worth trying.

Tip 1: Rebuild the Shuffle Queue Regularly

Apple Music shuffle locks in a queue once it starts. Simply turning Shuffle off and back on, or starting playback from a different song in the playlist, forces Apple Music to generate a new order. This small habit noticeably reduces repetition.

Tip 2: Avoid Modifying the "Playing Next" After Shuffling

Once shuffle is on, adding songs with "Play Next" or "Play Later" limits randomness. From user reports, shuffle works best when you let the queue play without manual inserts. If you need to add tracks, it's better to reshuffle afterward.

Tip 3: Reduce Algorithm Bias from Listening History

Many users noticed shuffle favors recently played or frequently listened songs. Turning off listening history or clearing it occasionally helps surface tracks that rarely appeared before. This doesn't create true randomness, but it increases variety.

Tip 4: Use Smaller or Smarter Playlists

Large playlists often feel repetitive even on shuffle. Splitting them into smaller playlists, or using smart playlists that exclude recently played songs, makes shuffle feel fresher. Over time, this approach delivers a more balanced listening experience.

Part 6. How to Fix Common Apple Music Shuffle Problems

Shuffle can sometimes stop responding, repeat songs, or play tracks randomly even when it is off. Most issues can be fixed by following the steps below.

Common Issue #1: Apple Music is not shuffling at all

Users may find that enabling Shuffle has no effect and songs continue to play in order. It is recommended to first turn Shuffle off, clear the current queue, and then start playback from a different song before turning Shuffle back on. This helps Apple Music generate a new playback order.

Common Issue #2: Shuffle does not feel random

Some users report that Apple Music repeatedly plays the same songs, even when shuffling large playlists. This behavior is often linked to listening history and frequently played tracks. Disabling listening history in settings or refreshing the shuffle order can help bring more variety into playback.

Common Issue #3: Shuffle starts working, then stops

Shuffle may appear to work at first but then return to playlist order after a few songs. This usually happens if tracks were added to the queue after shuffle was enabled. Clearing the queue and re-enabling shuffle before playback begins often resolves this issue.

Common Issue #4: Some playlists will not shuffle

Certain playlists may refuse to shuffle while others work normally. This can occur due to playlist data issues or incomplete downloads. Users can try removing the playlist from their library and adding it again, or recreating the playlist entirely.

Common Issue #5: Songs repeat or playback behaves unexpectedly

In some cases, the same song may repeat or playback may skip while shuffle is active. These problems are commonly reported after app or system updates. Restarting the Apple Music app, updating the operating system, or reinstalling the app may correct the behavior.

Common Issue #6: Shuffle works differently across devices

Shuffle behavior may vary between iPhone, Mac, Windows, and the web player. Platform-specific bugs or syncing issues can affect playback order. Keeping all devices updated and avoiding switching playback between devices during a session can help reduce inconsistencies.

Part 7. How to Get Better Control of Apple Music Shuffle

Beyond turning Shuffle on or off, you can choose between a fully random mode or a more controlled shuffle by playing Apple Music songs on other media players like VLC Media Player or Windows Media Player instead of iTunes or the Apple Music app.

Apple Music songs are protected by DRM, so you need an audio converter to play them outside Apple's ecosystem. ViWizard Apple Music Converter can convert Apple Music to MP3, M4A (AAC), M4B, WAV, AIFF, or FLAC at 20 times faster speed. It also removes DRM, preserves lyrics, and supports lossless audio conversion. This lets you use your Apple Music songs on any device or media player while making a perfect backup.

Key Features of ViWizard Apple Music Converter

Free Trial Free Trial

* Security verified. 5, 481,347 people have downloaded it.

• Convert Apple Music songs, albums, playlists, and artists into MP3 for easy access
• Preserve lossless audio, high-resolution lossless, and Dolby Atmos quality
• Strip DRM from Apple Music for unrestricted offline listening
• Save converted audio files while retaining full ID3 tag details

Part 8. Understanding Apple Music Shuffle Features

Shuffle works differently from Repeat, Play Next or Play Later. Knowing these differences helps you choose the right mode for exactly what you need on Apple Music.

• 

  Shuffle vs. Repeat

  Shuffle and Repeat control playback in different ways. Shuffle changes the order of songs within what you are playing, such as a playlist, album, or your library. Repeat controls looping instead. You can repeat one song, repeat everything, or turn repeat off. A common issue is having Repeat enabled without noticing, which causes the same song or short list to loop and makes shuffle feel like it is not working.

• 

  Shuffle vs. Genuine Shuffle

  Many users describe "genuine shuffle" as a mode that plays every song once before repeating, without favoring familiar tracks. Apple Music shuffle creates a random order when playback starts, which is technically random but does not guarantee even rotation. This is why some songs can appear more often than others. For listeners with large libraries, this can feel repetitive even when shuffle is working as intended.

• 

  Shuffle vs. Play Next vs. Play Later

  Shuffle automatically rearranges songs, while Play Next and Play Later give you manual control. Play Next places a song right after the current track. Play Later sends it to the end of the queue. In real use, both options can behave the same when there is no existing queue, which leads to confusion. They work more predictably when several songs are already lined up.

• 

  Album Shuffle vs. Playlist Shuffle

  Album shuffle mixes songs only within a single album. Playlist shuffle mixes all songs inside a playlist. The behavior depends on where playback starts. If you shuffle from an album view, only that album is affected. If you shuffle from a playlist, the entire list is included. The shuffle logic is the same, but the scope is different.

Conclusion:

Shuffle is an easy way to play your playlists, albums, or entire library in random order. On iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, or Mac, you can control shuffle using the icons in Now Playing, menu options, or Siri. Mac users can try Genuine Shuffle for a more unpredictable order that avoids recently played songs. For even more control, ViWizard Apple Music Converter lets you shuffle your music in other media players. Following the steps above, you can turn shuffle on or off anytime.

What are your thoughts? Share them with us!