How to Play Apple Music on Alexa and Echo

To play Apple Music on Alexa, link your Apple Music account in the Alexa app, then ask Alexa to play a song, artist, album, or playlist on Apple Music. You need an Apple Music subscription, a supported country, and a compatible Echo device, Fire TV, or Alexa-enabled Sonos speaker.

Once your account is linked, you can make Apple Music your default service so requests no longer need the words on Apple Music. For an Echo that supports Bluetooth audio input, you can also play Apple Music on your phone and send its audio to the speaker.

Get your account and Alexa app ready

Have your Apple Account sign-in details ready, including access to complete two-factor authentication. Native Alexa playback requires an Apple Music subscription and supported regional availability. An Alexa logo alone does not establish that a speaker supports native Apple Music playback.

On your iPhone or Android phone, install the Amazon Alexa app from your mobile app store and sign in to your Amazon account. You can follow Amazon’s Alexa app download instructions to get the app. For Fire TV setup, sign in with the Amazon account associated with that Fire TV.

Link Apple Music in the Alexa app

Open the Alexa app and select More > Music & More. Under Link New Services, select Apple Music, then select Enable To Use > Settings > Link Account. Sign in to your Apple Account and complete two-factor authentication.

If your Alexa app layout uses preferences, select More > Settings > Preferences > Music & Podcasts > Link New Service. Select Apple Music and complete the account-linking instructions, including Apple’s two-factor authentication.

Ask Alexa to play your music

After linking, say Alexa, play Ariana Grande on Apple Music. You can request songs, artists, albums, genres, editorial playlists, or playlists in your iCloud Music Library. Include the service name when you want to request Apple Music without changing your default provider.

On Fire TV with an Alexa Voice Remote, press the voice button and request Apple Music playback after linking your account. Use the Apple Music connection configured through the Alexa app with the same Amazon account associated with your Fire TV.

You can also type a request in Alexa app versions that expose Type with Alexa. Open Home and select the keyboard icon, or select Talk to Alexa followed by the keyboard icon. Type your playback request, including Apple Music and the destination device when needed, then select Return or Go.

Make Apple Music your default service

Once your Apple Music account is linked, select More > Settings > Music & Podcasts > Default Services in the Alexa app. Under Music, select Apple Music. Subsequent music requests can leave out the service name.

For example, say Alexa, play Ariana Grande after changing the default. Setting a default is optional, so you can keep naming Apple Music in individual requests if you prefer.

Play on multiple Echo speakers

To play Apple Music across compatible Alexa devices, open Devices in the Alexa app and select Plus > Combine Speakers > Multi-Room Music. Complete device selection and group setup, then request Apple Music playback for that group. Choose from the devices available in the group editor.

Alexa also creates an Everywhere group automatically when more than one device is available. For a stereo setup instead, select Devices > Plus > Combine Speakers > Stereo Pair / subwoofer and follow the speaker-set instructions, then request Apple Music on that set. Stereo compatibility depends on the Echo models and generations, and the speakers must be in the same room.

Play from your phone through Bluetooth

Use Bluetooth when you want to choose music on your phone and hear it through an Echo that supports Bluetooth audio input. Make your phone discoverable, then open the Alexa app and select Devices, your Echo, Device Settings > Bluetooth Devices > Pair A New Device. Complete pairing, then start playback in Apple Music on your phone.

This route sends audio from your phone rather than using the Apple Music skill. After initial pairing, turn on Bluetooth on that source device and say Pair Bluetooth to reconnect, then start your music. Some devices reconnect automatically when they are in range.

Set up Apple Music on Sonos

For an Alexa-capable Sonos speaker in a supported region running current Sonos software, open the Sonos app and select Settings > General Settings > Voice Assistants > Add a voice assistant. Select Amazon Alexa and the speaker, then select Sign in to Amazon and complete setup. Select Go to Alexa app and link Apple Music in Alexa.

Apple Music also needs to be added to Sonos. In the current Sonos app for iOS or Android, open Account > Content Services, then under Connected Services, select Add Content Service > Apple Music > Add to Sonos and complete authentication. Return to the Sonos Alexa setup and select I’ve set up my music in Alexa.

A separate Echo or other Alexa device can control a Sonos system running current software, including speakers without built-in Alexa microphones. In the Alexa app, open Skills & Games, search for Sonos, enable the Sonos skill, sign in to your Sonos account, and complete device discovery. Link Apple Music in Alexa, add it to Sonos, and direct playback requests to the Sonos room.

Fix playback and account connection problems

If Alexa starts a different music service, repeat your request with on Apple Music included, then check your default service setting. Confirm that you completed Apple Account authentication and that your subscription, country, and playback device meet the requirements for native Apple Music playback. For Sonos voice playback, confirm that Apple Music is connected in both Alexa and Sonos.

When a music service will not launch, Amazon recommends trying playback with the explicit-content filter off. Open More > Settings > Music & Podcasts > Explicit Language Filter and turn off Explicit Language Filter to check playback. Choose the filtering setting appropriate for your household afterward, since child-profile restrictions and service-specific filtering can differ.

To retry account setup or connect a different Apple Music account, open More > Settings > Music & Podcasts. Under Services, select Apple Music > Disable Skill to unlink your account. Repeat the account-linking steps and authenticate with the Apple Account you want Alexa to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Apple Music work with Alexa+?

Yes, Amazon lists Apple Music among Alexa+ music providers. You need a compatible device and an account with Alexa+ available and activated, subject to service and regional availability.

Can Alexa use a different Apple Music account for each person?

Amazon supports linking individual music accounts to Alexa Profiles with Voice ID, but notes that not all media services allow account linking directly to an Alexa Profile. Create an Alexa Profile, then select More > Settings > Account Management, select Your Profile, and select Voice ID to complete enrollment. If the service offers profile linking, link the appropriate music account to that profile through Music & Podcasts, and Alexa plays from your profile-linked account when it recognizes your voice. A profile without an individually linked service uses the family’s default music service.

Can Apple Music keep playing similar songs after the queue ends?

Yes, Apple Music Autoplay is supported for U.S. Alexa customers. In the Alexa app, select More > Settings > Music & Podcasts > Autoplay and turn it on. You can also say Turn on autoplay.

Can a child’s Alexa profile use the linked Apple Music account?

Amazon lets parents turn on supported music providers for Amazon Kids profiles through the Parent Dashboard, but its instructions do not list which providers are available. After linking Apple Music to Alexa, open the Parent Dashboard and select the settings icon beside your child’s profile, then under Alexa Settings, select Manage Music and turn on Apple Music if it appears as a provider. Playback uses the main account holder’s linked music account rather than a separate child account at the music provider.

Can you AirPlay Apple Music to an Alexa-enabled Sonos speaker?

Yes, if your Sonos product supports AirPlay. In Apple Music on iPhone or iPad, select the AirPlay icon and choose your Sonos speaker. AirPlay is unavailable when the Sonos product is configured as a surround speaker.