4 Proven Methods to Play Apple Music on Raspberry Pi

Part 1. Can You Use Apple Music on Raspberry Pi?

Yes, but not directly. Apple Music does not have an official app for Pi or Linux. Unlike Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Apple TV, Pi cannot install the Apple Music app. Instead, the Apple Music Web Player provides the closest experience.

However, the web player may not always work smoothly because Apple Music requires certain browser features and DRM support. Some users can sign in and browse their library but cannot play songs. Since Pi lacks an official Apple Music app, compatibility issues may occur. For a more reliable setup, AirPlay is usually a better choice.

Part 2. How to Play Apple Music on Raspberry Pi with the Web Player

The web player is the easiest way to play Apple Music on your Pi if you have a stable internet connection and just want to listen to music online. You don't need to install extra software. Just open a browser like Chromium, sign in with your Apple ID, and start streaming.

Step 1Use the Apple Music Web Player

01Connect your Raspberry Pi to a stable Wi-Fi network.

02Open the Chromium browser on your Pi.

03Go to: https://music.apple.com.

04Sign in using your Apple ID and password.

05Browse your library, playlists, or Apple Music catalog.

06Select a song or playlist.

07Click Play to start streaming.

Step 2Create an Apple Music Shortcut App

01Open Chromium and go to: https://music.apple.com.

02Sign in using your Apple ID and password.

03Click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner.

04Go to Save and share > Create shortcut.

05Enter Apple Music as the shortcut name.

06Check Open as window to launch it like a standalone app.

07Click Create.

08Find the Apple Music shortcut in your Raspberry Pi applications menu or desktop.

09Open the shortcut to launch Apple Music directly.

Part 3. How to Play Apple Music on Raspberry Pi via AirPlay (Shairport Sync)

AirPlay doesn't support Chromecast. However, tools like Shairport Sync or RPiPlay make your Raspberry Pi work like an AirPlay speaker. You can send music from your iPhone or iPad to the Pi over Wi-Fi. You don't need to install Apple Music on the Pi itself - just play music on your device, and it streams directly to your Pi.

Step 1Set Up Third-Party Options for AirPlay

Shairport Sync

01Ensure your Raspberry Pi is connected to your Wi-Fi network.

02Open a terminal and install Shairport-Sync:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install shairport-sync

03Start the AirPlay server:

sudo service shairport-sync start

RPiPlay

01Ensure your Raspberry Pi is connected to your Wi-Fi network.

02Open a terminal and install RPiPlay by running:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cmake git libavahi-compat-libdnssd-dev libplist-dev libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev libavutil-dev
git clone https://github.com/FD-/RPiPlay.git
cd RPiPlay
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install

03Start RPiPlay by running:

rplay

Step 2AirPlay Apple Music to Your Raspberry Pi

01On your iPhone or iPad, open the Apple Music app.

02Start playing a song or playlist.

03Make sure your Raspberry Pi and iOS device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

04Tap the AirPlay icon (a rectangle with an arrow pointing into it).

05Select your Raspberry Pi from the list of available devices.

Your Apple Music will now stream to your Raspberry Pi. You can control playback and volume directly from your iOS device.

Part 4. How to Play Apple Music on Raspberry Pi with Cider (Linux Client)

Cider lets you run iOS apps on your Pi, including Apple Music. It takes a little more setup, but once it's ready, you get the full Apple Music experience. You can browse your library, playlists, and even use the App Store - just like on an iPhone or iPad. This method is ideal if you want more features than the web player.

01Ensure your Raspberry Pi is connected to the internet.

02Open a terminal on your Raspberry Pi.

03Clone the Cider repository:

git clone https://github.com/HemantSachdeva/Cider.git

04Navigate to the Cider folder:

cd Cider

05Make the installation script executable:

chmod +x install.sh

06Run the installation script with superuser privileges:

sudo ./install.sh

07Reboot your Raspberry Pi after installation.

08Open Cider in the terminal by typing:

cider

09Access the Apple App Store within Cider.

10Download and install the Apple Music app.

11Open Apple Music, sign in with your Apple ID, and browse your library.

Part 5. How to Play Apple Music on Raspberry Pi with a Music Converter

Normally, you can't just open Apple Music on any device like Pi because its DRM protection keeps it locked to Apple platforms. Most of the time, users will need a DRM-removal tool like ViWizard Apple Music Converter to get Apple Music anywhere.

ViWizard is designed carefully for Apple Music. It converts DRM-protected tracks into common formats your Pi can actually read, like FLAC. The conversion process is surprisingly fast - up to 30 times faster than traditional methods - and it keeps all the ID3 tags intact. That means your music stays organized, with correct song titles, artists, and album info.

I set it up on my computer, picked a few playlists, and let ViWizard do its job. Soon, my songs were ready to transfer to the Pi. Everything played smoothly, no internet needed, and I could control playback just like normal music files. Here's how:

Key Features of ViWizard Apple Music Converter

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• Convert Apple Music songs, playlists, albums, and artists
• Export Apple Music in 6 formats for different devices and players
• Preserve metadata and lyrics when creating music collections
• Organize converted music by artist and album
• Batch download large Apple Music collections

Step 1Convert Apple Music to MP3

01Download and install ViWizard Apple Music Converter on your Windows PC or Mac, then open the app.

02Use the built-in Apple Music web player to sign in with your Apple ID.

03Browse your Apple Music library and select the songs, albums, or playlists you want to convert.

04Open the Preferences section and choose MP3 as the output format.

05Click the "+" or Add button to add the selected songs to the conversion list.

06Click Convert to start converting Apple Music songs into MP3 files.

07Open the History tab or go to the output folder to find your converted music files.

Step 2Transfer Apple Music Files to USB

01Find the converted MP3 files on your computer.

02Insert a USB drive into your computer.

03Copy the converted MP3 files and paste them into the USB drive.

04Safely eject the USB drive from your computer.

05Connect the USB drive to your Raspberry Pi.

06Copy the music files from the USB drive to a folder on your Raspberry Pi, such as /home/pi/Music.

Step 3Play Apple Music Files on Raspberry Pi

01Open your preferred audio player on the Raspberry Pi.

02Go to the folder that contains your converted Apple Music files.

03Select a song and start playing.

04Enjoy your Apple Music tracks offline on your Raspberry Pi.

Part 6. Final Thoughts

Apple Music can work on Raspberry Pi in different ways. The web player is the easiest option for online listening, while AirPlay lets you stream music from an iPhone or iPad without installing Apple Music on the Pi. A Linux client like Cider can provide more features, but it takes more setup.

If you want to play Apple Music on Raspberry Pi like local files, ViWizard Apple Music Converter is a more flexible option. It can convert Apple Music tracks to common formats that Raspberry Pi supports, so you can listen offline without browser limits or internet connection issues. Your songs keep their titles, artists, and album information, making them easier to manage in your music library.