How to seamlessly switch Apple Music between devices?

I’ve been a Spotify premium family subscriber for many years but was seriously tempted to switch to Apple Music until I found that there is apparently no way to switch playback between devices on one account. Unbelievable so many years after Spotify started doing it.

As it works for most people, it's not really something "they" can fix. Unfortunately, this is probably going to require more troubleshooting on your part.

I would start by turning off everything on the list above, restarting your devices and turning everything on again.

We might be discussing two different issues. If I play a song or playlist on any of my devices (iphone 14, iPad mini and M2 iMac) I can’t continue the same playlist/song on another device without finding the playlist and then finding the song I was playing. I am not talking about using the HomePod speakers - just listening from either the device or using AirPods.

swandy wrote:

We might be discussing two different issues. If I play a song or playlist on any of my devices (iphone 14, iPad mini and M2 iMac) I can’t continue the same playlist/song on another device without finding the playlist and then finding the song I was playing. I am not talking about using the HomePod speakers - just listening from either the device or using AirPods.

Well, I wasn't responding to you but, it does appear we're talking about the same thing. A Homepod is just one more Apple device. Some suggestions have been given in this thread. But, we don't really know why this doesn't work for you or the OP.

Everything is enabled on mine but I'm not able to do it, I only have a MacBook and iPhone. I think the link for this all to work properly is the HomePods. Can you still do it if your HomePods are disconnected/turned off?

I agree, this should just work. Another issue for me is the lack of support for lossless audio over airplay 2 for hardware which isn't made by apple; Sonos comes to mind! I don't get apples logic sometimes, I'm paying for a service (Apple Music) and their hardware (iPhone 15 max, Ipad pro, Mac Pro etc) but can't play lossless. Absolutely crazy! This is why subscribers leave, its just lazy of ignorant?

I can hand off music to my HomePod, but cannot hand off music between my iPhone and Mac. Then when I try to play music on either device and forget to turn it off on the other, it wants me to upgrade. I too am signed in with the same Apple ID, bluetooth on everywhere, connected to the same wifi, handoff turned on each device, airplay turned on everywhere I can find it. I feel like handoff doesn't work between my iPhone and Mac by design, so the app can ask for an upgrade to family. I live alone so I refuse to upgrade to family on principle.

To be clear, can you can you have music playing on your iPhone, then without pausing, play it in any way shape or form on your mac?

Handoff between Mac and Iphone is absolutely necessary....and needs to be fixed.

It works with my car stereo, i listen on beats fit pro and when i enter car and phone connects via bluetooth to car it continues there and stops in the earbuds.

Is there a place to make such request?

It's unbelievable, after a years of Spotify I've switched to Apple music, and faced with this problem which I couldn’t even imagine with spotify. Black magic of apple)) Not only Apple music do not have continues play, but when I swich device it asks me about family subscription, because "another device tryes to use your account". ARE YOU CRAZY??? - IT IS STILL ME!!! Why can't AM work as spotify, just stop playing on one device and continue to play on other?

I just got a MacBook and this was something I was hoping to have and now I find I can't do it. I mean, it will work with AirPlay but I'd love to just open my MacBook and open Apple Music and pick up from where my phone was. I can do it with texting and Safari...Why not Apple Music? Apple, I hope you're reading this...

I'm very curious why it doesn't exist when it's a functionality I need on a daily basis as well, most notably:

• When I'm studying, I listen to music on my computer, and I would gladly be able to handoff to my phone when I leave for a pause.

Is it because of a technical challenge between the Handoff API and Apple Music? Or was it simply overseen up until now?

Trialing Apple Music as I like that the audio is clearly better than Spotify (and better royalties for artists) but this is a major feature that I think will stop me making the change.

Very used to having Spotify play over my stereo via an Alexa device, or via the Spotify app on the Tv, and then being able to control it from my laptop or my phone etc., and it's achingly simple. Please consider implementing this, Apple.

I agree this should be an out-of-the-box solution for Apple and I cannot understand why this has not been implemented. The advantages of using Apple devices and being part of an eco system that you should therefore be able to seamlessly continue to stream your music from any Apple device.

Come on Apple how difficult can this be?

Wow. Still no solution to this?

Being asked to upgrade I want to stop listening on my computer and start listening on my phone? It's the same account! Come on Apple you are so good at having one ecosystem, how can Spotify have had this feature for absolute ages, and you aren't able to do it?

Makes me feel like going back to Spotify. Their shuffle play is horrible, but at least I can continue to listen to music or podcasts from one device to the other.

For some time I have been using Spotify and wanted to switch to Apple Music but my daughters just wouldn't have it. So what I did was that I switched alone and started using the app. Today was the first time I wanted to use the handoff but there is not an option to do so. For some reason, Apple is refusing to apply some options that are almost second nature elsewhere. Perhaps they want to wait so they are not accused of copying someone.

One other option that would "blow out of the water" other music apps is to make music libraries from Spotify importable to Apple Music. Worth considering, unless it is a violation of copyrights or other proprietary software.