How to Play Apple Music on Garmin Watch

Part 1. Can Garmin Watches Play Apple Music?

Unlike Apple Watch, Garmin doesn't support Apple Music streaming or downloads. Garmin watches are built mainly for fitness, not for full smart features like seamless Apple integration—and that hasn't changed, even in 2025.

That means no direct streaming or downloading from Apple Music, and no dedicated app on the watch. The reason? Apple's tight control over its music service. But if you're set on using Apple Music with your Garmin, there's still a way to make it work. By converting your songs into regular audio files like MP3s, you can transfer them to your watch and listen offline (We'll show you how to do that in Part 2).

If you're okay carrying your iPhone while you work out, there's also a basic option that lets you control music playback from your Garmin watch. It won't let you play songs from the watch itself, but you can pause, skip, or adjust the volume of what's playing on your phone.

Here's how to set that up:

Part 2. The Best Workaround to Add Apple Music to Your Garmin Watch

I use Apple Music almost every day, so it was a bit frustrating to find out it doesn't work directly on my Garmin watch. Truth be told, I had to look for another way.

Garmin watches support common audio formats like MP3, M4A, M4B, AAC, and WAV. But Apple Music tracks are DRM-protected, which means you can't transfer them directly to the watch. I tried, but the .m4p downloads weren't recognized by Garmin Express. Since Garmin Express is what I already use to update the watch or install apps, I expected syncing local files would be easy—but it always failed.

Tool Required: ViWizard Apple Music Converter

That's when I found ViWizard Apple Music Converter. It lets me turn Apple Music songs into regular MP3 files that my Garmin can play. As long as your Garmin model supports music and works with Garmin Express, this method should work fine.

What I like about ViWizard is that it keeps all the song info—like titles, artists, and album covers. It also works quickly. MP3 is the easiest format for Garmin, but ViWizard supports others like M4A, M4B, and WAV too. I usually convert a few playlists, open Garmin Express, and sync them straight to the watch.

It only takes a few minutes, and after that, I can listen to my music from the watch without needing my phone. It's perfect for running, walking, or any time I want to travel light.

ViWizard Apple Music Converter

Keep Apple Music songs forever by saving them in formats like MP3 to play anywhere.

Available on:

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Step 1 Install ViWizard and Sign In to Apple Music

Download ViWizard Apple Music Converter on your Windows or Mac computer. Once installed, open the app and log in to your Apple Music account using the built-in web player inside ViWizard. This gives you access to everything in your Apple Music library—playlists, albums, and saved songs.

Step 2 Set the Output Format for Garmin

Click the gear icon or menu in the corner to open the settings panel. For Garmin watches, choose MP3 as the output format. It's the most compatible and works without any issues. You can also leave the default quality settings as they are, or adjust things like bitrate and sample rate if needed.

Step 3 Add Songs or Playlists to Convert

Browse your Apple Music library and pick the songs or playlists you want on your watch. Click the "+" button to add them to the conversion list. You can add as many as you like—ViWizard supports batch conversion.

Step 4 Start the Conversion

When you're ready, click the Convert button. ViWizard will download each track and convert it to MP3. Once done, you'll find all your files in the output folder, which you can open right from the app using the History or folder icon.

Now your Apple Music songs are saved as regular audio files, and you're ready to upload them to iTunes and move them to your Garmin watch using Garmin Express (see Part 3 if you haven't done that yet).

Part 3. How to Transfer Apple Music Songs to Garmin Watch

Step 1: Add Converted Apple Music to iTunes

1. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed.
2. Open iTunes and go to File > Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library, depending on what you prefer.
3. Locate the folder where ViWizard saved the converted MP3 or M4A files.
4. Select the files or folder and click Open to import them into your iTunes library.
5. Organize the songs into playlists or keep them in the main library.
6. Review everything to make sure the songs are there and properly tagged (artist, album, etc.).

Step 2: Sync Converted Apple Music to Garmin

1. Go to garmin.com/express and install Garmin Express on your Windows or Mac computer.
2. Launch the app and click "Add a Device." Sign in to your Garmin account if needed.
3. Plug your watch into the computer using a USB cable. Make sure it has enough battery and is unlocked.
4. It should find your watch automatically. Click "Add Device" and follow the setup steps.



5. Once added, click on your device from the Garmin Express home screen.
6. Click the "Music" tab at the top of the screen.
7. Garmin Express will list available music folders—like iTunes or local folders where your converted Apple Music files are saved.
8. In iTunes, go to Preferences > Advanced and check "Share iTunes Library XML with other applications" so Garmin Express can read your library.



9. Select the playlists, folders, or songs you want. Check the boxes next to them and click "Send to Device."



10. Garmin Express will sync your selected music to the watch.

Part 4. How to Play Apple Music on Your Garmin Watch

1. Make sure they're in pairing mode.
2. From the watch face, press Down until you see the Music screen (music note icon). Press Start/Stop to open it.
3. Press and hold Up to open the menu.
4. Go to Headphones > Add New.
5. Select your headphones when they show up and press Start to pair.
6. Press Up to browse by Playlists, Songs, or Albums.
7. Scroll and pick what you want to play.
8. Press Start to begin playback.
9. Use the buttons to control your music:
   • Start = Play/Pause
   • Back = Next song
   • Up/Down = Volume
10. Press the Light button to return to the main screen.
11. Just sync new songs using Garmin Express and they'll show up next time you refresh.

Bonus: Apple Watch vs. Garmin Watch – Music and Features Compared

Summary

Now, you really can play Apple Music on Garmin Smartwatch and leave your phone behind when you head out for a run because the Apple Music that keeps you moving is right there on your wrist. If you like this tip, please share ViWizard Apple Music Converter with your friends for better enjoying Apple Music songs.