How to fix Apple Music Lyrics Not working on iPhone in iOS 17

Key Takeaway: Apple Music's lyrics not displaying on iPhone can be resolved by checking for song-specific limitations, restarting the device, verifying the internet connection, updating the app, and implementing troubleshooting tips such as clearing the cache and playing tracks via the artist's page. If issues persist, contacting Apple Support may provide additional assistance and solutions.



When we fall in love with a new song on Spotify, our instinct is to learn the lyrics of our favorite music. But unfortunately, this basic aspect isn’t working on the app. Even worse, we need to become more familiar with why Song’s lyrics aren’t showing in Apple Music, leaving us in the dark about how to fix this problem. Eventually, all this inconsistency leads to confusion, especially on one of the most popular music streaming services you are paying for.

But worry not; considering all the possible reasons, we have curated a list of troubleshooting tips to fix Apple Music Lyrics not working or Apple Music Sing not working on iPhone. 

What to do if Apple Music Lyrics not working?

Here below are the troubleshooting tips and tricks to fix Apple Music lyrics not working or showing on iPhones running the latest iOS version. 

Solution #1. Not all songs have lyrics

Before moving to the high-end to “fix Apple Music lyrics not working” or showing, it’s important to remember that not every track in Apple Music includes lyrics. That’s because Apple Music doesn’t include any type of algorithm to generate lyrics automatically; instead, it’s uploaded by the artist or publisher of music. It eventually means that you won’t have access to music which are old or lesser-known songs. 

However, the missing lyrics are limited to specific songs, not the complete album. Try listening to different songs in the same album. Besides this, you might not be familiar with the procedure to access the lyrics of a song. If that’s what’s with you, read our article on how to see lyrics in Apple Music.

Solution#2. Restart iPhone 

The first and foremost solution that you must try to fix Apple Music Lyrics not working or showing is to restart your iPhone. However, this procedure varies on iPhones with Face ID and Home Button. Fuss not; we have covered them both in the below steps.

iPhone with Face ID: To do so, press either the Power Buttons & Side Key simultaneously until the Power-Off screen appears. From the Power-Off screen, drag the Power-Off Slider. Wait a while, press and hold the Side Key until the device turns on. 

iPhone with Home Button: Press the Side Key until the Power-Off screen appears. From the Power-Off screen, drag the Power-Off Slider. Wait a while, press and hold the Side Key until the device turns on.

Solution#3. Check Apple Music Server Status

Check Apple Music Server Status

The next solution is to check whether the Apple Music server isn’t facing an outage. If that’s shown, then it could be why Apple Music Lyric glitches on your iPhone. To cross-verify, all you need to do is navigate to Apple Server Status and check the server status of Apple Music. If you find an issue, then wait until the problem gets fixed on its own.

Solution#4. Force Quit Apple Music 

For instance, you have trouble activating lyrics for a specific music, or the issue persists with multiple songs. In this scenario, we suggest force quitting and relaunching the Apple Music app. Doing so will clear minor bugs that stop music from appearing. To do so, follow the steps below.

Force-quit Apple Music on iPhone with Face ID: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and just hold in the center to access App Switcher. Next, swipe through the App cards and swipe up the Apple Music Card to force-quit it. 

Force-quit Apple Music on iPhone with Home Button: Double-press the Home Button to access App Switcher. Next, swipe through the App cards and swipe up the Apple Music Card to force-quit it. 

Click on force quit in music app on iPhone

Solution#5. Turn on Explicit Content in Songs

Due to Apple’s content restriction feature, songs consuming explicit lyrics might be blocked by default. We suggest turning on explicit content in songs to rule out this possibility. To do so, follow the steps below.

  1. Go to the Settings App on your iPhone.
  2. Select Screen Time.
  3. Scroll down to the Restriction menu and tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Launch the settings app tap on screen time then select content & privacy restrictions on iPhone
  1. In the next screen, choose Content Restrictions and enter your iPhone lock screen passcode.
  2. In the Allowed Store Content menu, tap on Music, Podcasts, News, and Fitness, and check Explicit
Turn on content & privacy restrictions tap content restrictions click on Music, Podcasts. News, Fitness check Explicit on iPhone

Solution#6. Verify Internet Connection

To make Lyrics visible in Apple Music, your device requires an active internet connection, which means you won’t have to lyrics for offline songs. In this case, enable mobile data or connect to Wi-Fi and check for the issue.

If your iPhone is on the mobile data, ensure Apple Music has access to it. To verify it, follow the steps below.

  1. Go to Settings App on your iPhone.
  2. Navigate to Mobile Service.
  3. Scroll down to the Mobile Service menu and turn the switch to the right side next to Apple Music tab.
Launch the settings app tap mobile service turn on music on iPhone

Solution#7. Update the Apple Music App

Are lyrics not working in Apple Music? It could be due to a fault within Apple Music. Nonetheless, the only solution for this is to update Apple Music. Remember, Apple rolls out Music updates via iOS update; no separate update is available for Apple Music, just like other applications. To do so, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Head to the Settings App on your iPhone.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap on General.

Launch the settings app tap on general on iPhone

Step 3: Now, Select Software Update. Let your iPhone check for updates. If available, tap on Install Now. 

Click Software Update Tap on Update Now On iPhone

If the issue appears right after upgrading Apple Music to the latest version, wait until the next update arrives or downgrade the iOS version.

Solution#8. Delete Extra Language

Apple users across the forums say that deleting all languages except the primary language as it’s one of the most effective solutions to resolve the Music App’s inability to show lyrics on the iPhone screen. To do so, follow the steps below.

  1. Head to the Settings App.
  2. Scroll down and select General.
Launch the settings app tap on general on iPhone
  1. In the next screen, tap on Language & Region. Swipe left on the language.
Click Language & Region swipe from right to left on iPhone
  1. Now, you want to delete and then select Delete. Then Continue.
Tap delete select continue on iPhone

Solution#9. Play the track via the Artist’s Page

Apple Music not showing lyrics anymore when playing music from your library or a playlist; instead, try playing songs directly from the Apple Music page. To do so, follow the steps below.

  1. While playing the song in the Music App, tap on the artist’s name in the Now Playing view.
Launch the music app tap listen now on iPhone
  1. From the pop-up menu, select Go To Artist. Doing so will navigate you to the music library within the Apple Music artist’s page. Here, you’ll see all the songs sung by the artist.
  2. Play the desired song, and then tap on Lyrics Icon at the screen’s bottom left corner.
Select Lyrics Icon play the desired song, on iPhone

Solution#10. Clear Music App Cache

The corrupted Music app cache can be why Apple Music is not showing lyrics. The worst part is that there is no straightforward to clear the cache of the Music app on iPhone. But offloading and reinstalling the Music App can help you out. To do so, follow the steps below.

  1. Head to the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap General.
Launch the settings app tap on general on iPhone
  1. Tap on iPhone Storage.
  2. Locate and select Music.
Click iPhone storage tap on apple music app on iPhone
  1. On the next screen, hit Offload App. In the pop-up menu, Offloading “Music” will delete the app but keep its documents and data, tap on Offload App. 
  2. On the same screen, tap on Reinstall App.
Select offload app tap on offload app click on reinstall app on iPhone

Solution#11. Contact the Apple Support Team!

If none of the mentioned solutions work, and the lyrics are not working on Apple Music. Then, it’s time to contact the Apple Support Team. That’s because there is no possible solution available, and they’re a team of experts that can help you diagnose the reason behind the issue, and accordingly, they’ll offer you a solution. There are different ways to contact them; here’s our article on how to contact the Apple Support Team.

Final Verdict! 

That’s It! This is how you can resolve Apple Music Lyrics not working or showing on your iPhone. Further, don’t forget to read our article on All Apple Music features in premium subscription.  

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Karly Wood

Karly Wood is a journalist based in Ohio who specializes in covering Apple and technology trends. With a varied experience in reporting on public safety, government, and education, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, providing readers with a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at [email protected] or through (Facebook)

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