Handoff for Apple Music

Question

Level 1

4 points

Handoff for Apple Music

Does anyone know if iOS 26 will finally introduce the option to continue the current listening session on another device with the same Apple ID and plan the way Spotify does? I tried Apple Music a few months ago and was relatively content with it, but this was a real big issue for me that lead to me switching back to Spotify - specifically, not being able to continue the session while on a personal plan, but having to switch to a family one, which is baffling considering all my Apple devices use the same Apple ID, if it's still the same account and the same personal plan, why do I need a family one to be able to continue the listening session accross these devices?

With recent news about Spotify, AI music and fake bot accounts that listen to and boost said AI music, I'm thinking about switching back to AM, but this remains a huge point of contention for me. I haven't been able to find official information about this anywhere, so I wonder if I've just missed it and someone else can clear it up for me (I did do another search before this just in case, looked through a few sources, and I can't find anything on this matter). Thanks in advance for any info.

Posted on Aug 6, 2025 10:16 AM

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Answer 1

Phil0124

Level 10

214,291 points

Aug 7, 2025 06:55 AM in response to sasserry

I have an Individual Apple Music subscription and can start a song on my iPhone and it will appear in the Recently played section of the Apple Music app on my Mac, if that's what you mean.

The Family version of Apple Music does not add any features beyond supporting multiple people. So not sure why you think it's necessary for "handoff".

click here ➜ How to seamlessly switch Apple Music between different devices - Apple Community

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Answer 2

sasserry Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 7, 2025 07:14 AM in response to Phil0124

I mean literally being able to continue the same listening session on another device that's connected to the same Apple ID and plan. I don't want to be able to find the song in "Recently played" and start a new session from it when I'm switching to another one of my devices, I want to be able to continue the same session. Spotify and other similar services have had this feature for ages, and last time I was looking into this, this feature was available only through family plans with Apple Music. This is why I'm asking if anyone know about plans to change that, because it is what made me switch back to Spotify; and now that I want to stop using Spotify for good, I want to know if Apple is going to be adding this feature so I won't have to look for another service and can instead go back to Apple Music.

I have previously tried the steps from a similar post to the one you've linked (maybe it was even the same one, I can't say for sure) and it didn't work for me, it prompted me to look further into it, which is how I came accross multiple users talking about and then external sources verifying how this type of handoff works only for family plans (hence me having that impression). This was at the start of the year too, before they announced iOS 26, hence relating it to the new upgrade.

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Answer 3

sasserry Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 7, 2025 07:53 AM in response to Phil0124

Actually, I got to thinking, and it wasn't just from other users and external sources - anytime I open the app on another device with the same Apple ID/personal plan, I'd get an in app notification that there are more than one devices trying to play music and that I need a family plan for that - when I just want to continue the same listening session on another device, not start a new session and have the two playing separately. I have seen other users link this with the handoff feature, which is why I framed it like that. I hope you understand where I'm coming from with this better now.

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Answer 4

Phil0124

Level 10

214,291 points

Aug 7, 2025 11:25 AM in response to sasserry

The error message is not related to handoff.

It refers to playing tracks from the Apple Music service on more than one device at a time. That is not allowed on the individual subscription or in the Family subscription if the devices are signed in to the same Apple ID, so if you start playing a song on a different device it will stop playback on the original device and issue that error message on the original device.

Simultaneous playback on more than one device is not allowed.

Beyond that, there is no handoff option. As said, you can start music playback on the Mac but not does not link your currently playing song from the iPhone, you need to find it in the Recently played section.

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Answer 5

sasserry Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 8, 2025 03:35 AM in response to Phil0124

Okay, but I'm asking if anyone's aware of plans to change that - to allow users to continue the listening session on another device, because 1) a lot of people have been asking for it (and a lot of them have been referencing handoff along with it, which is why I conflated it too) and for a long time too, and 2) it's the reason a lot of people aren't sticking with AM and are returning to Spotify or choosing other services all together.

I would actually like to use AM again, but it's important for me (like for a lot of other people as well) to be able to continue the listening session on my other devices if I want to. If there are no plans on Apple's side to change that, that's fine, I just want to know if anyone is aware of such, hence why I made this post. If you don't know, that's fine, say so instead of reiterating the same information...

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