Music listening isn't the only part of Apple Music. Radio Station matters too, offering live stations, genre-based stations, custom stations, and even popular options like BBC Radio 1 and iHeartRadio. Many users rely on it to discover music they might never hear otherwise.
But sometimes, stations seem broken. They can fail to load, stop playing music, or prevent you from creating your own. These issues can happen after an iOS update or appear suddenly, and it can be really frustrating if you rely on stations every day. Fortunately, there are quick and easy fixes. In this guide, we'll show you step by step how to get your stations back for daily music discovery.
Part 1. How to Fix Apple Music Stations Not Working
Apple Music's Radio Station feature relies on smooth app and system performance. When stations fail to load, skip tracks, or stop creating new ones, it's often caused by outdated software or minor app glitches.
Simple steps like restarting the app, checking your network connection, updating iOS, macOS, or iTunes, and signing out and back in usually fix the problem right away. If not, try advanced troubleshooting like clearing the cache or resetting network settings — though these should be done with caution.
Method 1. Check Your Network Connection
If your stations aren't loading, the first thing to do is check your internet connection. Apple Music needs a stable Wi-Fi or cellular network to stream music. Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or move closer to your router if the signal is weak. Then select the connection that's more stable to load Apple Music stations.
Method 2. Test Another Network, Station, or Device
Still having trouble? Try opening Apple Music on another device or connecting to a different network. This can help figure out whether the problem is with your device, your network, or the station itself. You might find that a station works perfectly elsewhere like the Apple Music Web Player, which means the issue is likely local.
Method 3. Verify Apple's System Status
Apple Music relies on Apple's servers to stream stations. Occasionally, services go down or experience delays. Visit Apple's System Status page to see if Apple Music or radio stations are affected. If servers are down, you'll need to wait a little while before your stations start working again.
Open Safari, Chrome, or any browser on your device.
Go to Apple's System Status page.
Look for Apple Music or Radio in the list.
If the dot next to it is yellow or red, the service is experiencing issues. You'll need to wait until Apple resolves them.
Method 4. Restart the Apple Music App
Apps can sometimes get stuck or glitch. Closing Apple Music and reopening it often clears minor issues.
iOS:
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-click the Home button on older devices) to open the App Switcher.
Swipe the Music app upward to close it completely.
Tap the Music app icon on your Home screen to reopen.
Method 5. Sign Out and Sign Back In
Sometimes the problem is tied to your Apple ID. Signing out of Apple Music and signing back in refreshes your account's connection to Apple's servers. It can resolve issues like missing stations or problems creating custom stations. Make sure you know your Apple ID password before doing this.
iOS:
Open Settings.
Tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen.
Scroll down to Media & Purchases.
Tap Sign Out, then confirm.
Wait a few minutes, then tap Sign In and enter your Apple ID email and password.
Mac / Windows:
Open the Music or iTunes app.
Click Account → Sign Out in the menu bar.
Click Account → Sign In and enter your Apple ID credentials.
Method 6. Restart Your Device
If restarting the app doesn't work, restart your device. A reboot clears temporary system glitches and frees up memory, which can help Apple Music run more smoothly.
iOS:
Press and hold the Side button + Volume Up (or just the power button on older devices) until Slide to Power Off appears.
Slide to turn off.
Wait 30 seconds, then press the Side / Power button to turn it back on.
Mac:
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
Select Restart…, then confirm.
Windows:
Click the Start menu → Power → Restart.
Wait for the PC to reboot and log back in.
Method 7. Clear App Cache
Over time, cached data can cause Apple Music to slow down or behave unpredictably. Clearing it helps the app run more smoothly.
Mac:
Open Finder, then click Go on the menu bar.
Select Go to Folder.
Type ~/Library/Caches/ and press Return.
Open the folder com.apple.Music.
Select all files inside and move them to the Trash.
Windows:
Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes.
Find and delete the SubscriptionPlayCache, CloudPurchasesPlayCache, or any other cache files.
Restart iTunes or Apple Music for Windows to rebuild a clean cache.
iOS:
There's no built-in option to clear the cache directly, but you can offload the app to reset its cached data without deleting your music or preferences.
Go to Settings → General → iPhone Storage.
Scroll down and tap Music.
Tap Offload App, then confirm.
Once offloaded, tap Reinstall App to restore Apple Music.
Method 8. Check for App and System Updates
Running the latest version of Apple Music and iOS or macOS ensures app performance and bug fixes. Installing updates can solve problems caused by software conflicts.
iOS:
Open Settings → General → Software Update to check for iOS updates.
Tap Download and Install if an update is available.
Open the App Store → Profile icon (top right) → Scroll to Music → Tap Update if an Apple Music update is available.
Mac:
Open the App Store → Updates tab.
Install any available Music app updates.
Open System Preferences → Software Update to check for macOS updates.
Windows:
Open iTunes → Help → Check for Updates.
Follow the on-screen instructions to update, then restart the app if prompted.
Method 9. Review Music Restrictions and Permissions
Parental controls, screen time restrictions, or app permissions can interfere with stations. Make sure Apple Music has access to cellular data and that content restrictions aren't blocking radio stations.
iOS:
Open Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions. Disable restrictions or confirm that Apple Music is allowed.
Tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games.
Ensure Music, Podcasts, Fitness is allowed for Explicit content. You may also want to ensure other content like Music Videos is turned on.
Return to Settings → Apps → Music → Wireless Data and confirm that WLAN & Cellular Data is enabled.
Method 10. Reset the Apple Music Network Settings
When problems persist, resetting network settings can help. After a reset, stations often behave normally again.
iOS:
Open Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset → Reset Network Settings. Note that this will erase saved Wi-Fi passwords.
Return to Settings → WLAN.
Turn on WLAN and reconnect to your home Wi-Fi using the password.
Reopen the Music app and check your stations.
Method 11. Delete and Reinstall the Apple Music App
As a last resort, delete Apple Music and reinstall it. This removes any corrupted files that might be causing problems. After reinstalling, sign back in with your Apple ID.
iOS:
Tap and hold the Music app icon on your Home screen.
Tap Remove App → Delete App → Delete.
Open the App Store, search for Apple Music, and tap Get to reinstall.
Mac:
Drag the Music app to the Trash.
Open the App Store → Search Apple Music → Install.
Windows:
Open Settings → Apps → Apple Music / iTunes → Uninstall.
Download the latest version from Apple's website and reinstall.
Part 2. Best Alternative Way to Fix Apple Music Stations Not Working
If Apple Music's radio stations aren't working, you can still listen elsewhere. Services like TuneIn Radio, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and YouTube Music Radio offer a wide range of live and genre-based stations. They're great for discovering new music or staying entertained while Apple's servers recover.
If you prefer offline listening, tools like ViWizard Audio Capture or ViWizard Streaming Audio Recorder let you record radio streams and save them as MP3 files. This way, you can keep your favorite stations or shows even when you're offline.
For Apple Music users, ViWizard Apple Music Converter remains a must-have. It removes DRM protection and downloads any Apple Music track, album, playlist, or podcast as standard audio formats like MP3, WAV, or FLAC. While radio stations aren't supported, it's perfect for creating a safe, offline backup of your library. The converter also keeps 100% lossless audio quality and full ID3 tags, making your collection easy to manage and play anywhere without restrictions.
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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- Strip DRM from Apple Music for unrestricted offline listening
- Save converted audio files while retaining full ID3 tag details
Conclusion
By experimenting these solutions and exploring alternatives like ViWizard Apple Music Converter, the Radio should be back on track. To enhance your Apple Music experience, try this powerful ViWizard Apple Music Converter and listen to various Apple Music contents in MP3 format, including raido stations.
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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