Apple Music Not Working: Fix Playback, Missing and Grayed-Out Songs

When Apple Music will not play, check the sound output and volume first, then confirm that the same Apple Account is signed in on every device and that Sync Library is turned on. Grayed-out songs usually trace back to the wrong account, an explicit-content restriction, a hidden song or a track removed from the Apple Music catalog. The advice here comes from two Apple Support and Apple Support pages and covers the Music app on Mac, with notes for Windows, iPhone and iPad.

Apple notes that Apple Music is not a backup service, so back up your music library before changing settings.

Why is there no sound when the progress bar is moving?

The fix depends on where the audio is going. Apple’s Mac guide lists three cases:

• Built-in Mac speakers: make sure the volume control at the bottom of the Music window is up, and check the output volume in the Sound Output settings.
• Powered speakers wired to the computer: confirm they are plugged into the audio port and a power source, switched on, and not turned down.
• Wireless speakers over AirPlay: confirm the right speakers are selected in the AirPlay pop-up menu at the bottom of the Music window, and that the speakers’ own volume is up.

If an AirPlay device has a problem, open the AirPlay menu in the Music app and look at the icon beside the device. An icon can mean the speaker needs a password, or that you picked the device but have not entered one yet. A dash beside the device means you can click it to try reconnecting.

Why won’t one particular song play?

Apple lists several causes for a single song that refuses to play on a Mac:

• An iTunes Store purchase that is not an iTunes Plus version plays on up to five authorized computers. A sixth computer cannot play it until you deauthorize one of the five. Apple says an iTunes Plus version can be upgraded at the iTunes Store.
• In a shared library or playlist, Music skips purchases your computer is not authorized to play. Double-click the song to try it. If it still will not play, you need to sign in to the Apple Account of the person who bought it.
• An AAC file that was neither created in Music nor downloaded from the iTunes Store will not play in Music, even though songs encoded with the MPEG-4 AAC format through the app do.
• Discs burned in Music have playback limits. A CD-RW plays only on the computer and some newer CD players. An MP3 disc works on a computer and special MP3 CD players, but not on standard audio CD players.
• A playlist that contains a song preview stops after the preview. A button showing a price marks a preview. Double-click the next song to resume the playlist.

What if songs are missing after turning on Sync Library?

Work through these steps in order, and stop when the music returns:

1. Sign in to the Apple Account that holds your Apple Music subscription on all of your devices.
2. Turn on Sync Library on every device.
3. Make sure every device is connected to the internet.
4. Check the Cloud Status on the computer where your local music library originates.
5. Update Cloud Library on that local computer first, then on the synced computer. On a Mac, choose File, then Library, then Update Cloud Library. In the Windows app, click Sidebar Actions at the top of the sidebar, then Library, then Update Cloud Library.
6. If music is still missing, turn Sync Library off and on again on all devices. Turning it off removes all downloaded music, so use a good network connection. Larger libraries take longer.

Apple adds a warning for people who cancel: after canceling an Apple Music subscription, the library is removed from all devices except the original computer where it was downloaded. iTunes purchases stay. Music added or downloaded from the Apple Music catalog is removed, along with playlists built from that catalog or synced through Sync Library.

Sign-in and sync trouble that reaches beyond Music is covered in a separate guide to iCloud sign-in and sync problems.

Why is a song grayed out?

• For an iTunes Store purchase, confirm you are using the Apple Account that bought it, then authorize your computer to play iTunes Store purchases.
• If music restrictions are set to Clean, explicit songs appear grayed out. Setting restrictions to Explicit allows them.
• A song marked No Longer Available may have been removed from the Apple Music catalog. Search to see whether it is still offered.
• A hidden song can look grayed out. Unhide it to play and download it.

Purchased music that is missing altogether is handled by signing in to the correct Apple Account on all devices and downloading the purchases again. If a song downloaded to a Mac or PC but does not show up in the Apple Music app, search the computer for the file, drag it into the app if you find it, and update Cloud Library.

What do the cloud status icons mean?

With Sync Library on, the cloud status explains a grayed-out song. On a Mac or PC, open the app and select Songs in the sidebar. On a Mac, choose View, then Show View Options. In the Windows app, right-click the headings bar. Then select Cloud Status and Cloud Download. Apple names three statuses:

• Exclamation point: the song cannot play or sync until its original file is found. Click the icon next to the song, then click Locate. If it is found, you may be asked whether to use that location for other missing songs. Click Find Files. If the file cannot be found, import it again from the original source.
• Waiting: the song is waiting to sync and will not show on other devices yet. Make sure the computer holding the local track is online, update Cloud Library, and wait. If it still does not sync, delete it and import it again from the original source.
• No longer available: the song left the Apple Music catalog. Search for another version. If you find one, control-click the unavailable song, choose Delete from Library, and add the new version.

What if Apple Music says an item is not available in my country or region?

Search for the song to see whether it is available to others in your country or region. If it is, delete the grayed-out copy and add the song again. If several songs show the error, make sure you are signed in to the correct Apple Account on all devices, update your Apple devices to the latest operating system (or update the Apple Music app for Windows), and turn on Sync Library on every device. If music is still missing, turn Sync Library off and on again on all devices.

To see which account you are using: on a Mac, open Apple Music and choose Account in the menu bar, where your account appears at the top. On an iPhone or iPad, open the app, tap the account button at the top and scroll to Account Settings. In the Windows app, click your name at the bottom of the sidebar. Signed in to a different account, you cannot use your subscription, Sync Library or your purchased downloads, so sign out and back in with the right one.

Quick answers

Does Apple Music back up my library?

No. Apple says Apple Music is not a backup service and recommends backing up your library before you make changes.

Will turning Sync Library off delete my music?

It removes all downloaded music from that device. Apple advises a good network connection when you turn it back on, and larger libraries take more time.

Why does a purchased song stop at a sixth computer?

Songs from the iTunes Store that are not iTunes Plus versions can play on up to five authorized computers. Deauthorize one to use another.

Do other streaming apps share these fixes?

The steps above are specific to Apple Music. For video apps on a television, see the separate guide to Roku and Fire TV app fixes.

Checked against official sources in November 2026. Apps, menus and error codes change: check the official help page for the current steps.