Play music on iPad

Play music you added or downloaded from Apple Music, music and videos you synced to iPad, and your iTunes Store purchases.

Siri: You can use Siri to search for and play music, add music to your library, and more. For example, ask Siri something like, “Play something I like.” See Play music and podcasts with Siri.

The Music app open on iPad showing the sidebar on the left and albums on the right. The MiniPlayer is at the bottom.

Play songs from your library

Go to the Music app on your iPad.
Tap , then tap a category under Library, such as Albums or Songs; tap Downloaded to view only music stored on iPad.
Tip: To play songs across an artist’s catalog—mixing hits and deep cuts—go to an artist page, then tap next to the artist’s name.
Scroll to browse—or type in the search field to filter your results—to find what you want to play.
Tap an item, then tap Play, or tap Shuffle to shuffle an album or playlist.
You can also touch and hold a playlist or album, then tap Play.

To change the list of Library categories, tap Edit, then select categories you’d like to add, such as Genres and Compilations. Tap any existing categories to remove them.

Stream recommended songs

Go to the Music app on your iPad.
Do any of the following to find music you want to play:
- View recommendations tailored for you: Tap Home in the sidebar, then tap a playlist or album.
- See what’s new in Apple Music: Tap New in the sidebar, then find music by mood, new releases, charts, and more.
- Search the Apple Music catalog: See Search for music.
Tap an item, then tap Play, or tap Shuffle to shuffle an album or playlist.
You can also touch and hold a playlist or album, then tap Play.

Play music from the Lock Screen or when using another app

Open Control Center, then tap the audio card.

Tip: You can also identify a song playing on or near your iPad by adding the Music Recognition control to Control Center. Open Control Center, tap at the top left, tap Add a Control at the bottom, then tap the Recognize Music control. With a song playing, open Control Center, then tap .

The iPad Control Center showing an arrow pointing to the audio card where you can control music from the Lock Screen or when using another app.

Play music shared on a nearby computer

If a computer on your network shares music through Home Sharing, you can stream its music to your iPad.

Go to the Settings app on your iPad.
Tap Apps, then tap Music.
Tap Sign In below Home Sharing, then sign in to your Apple Account.
Go to the Music app , tap Library > Home Sharing, then choose a shared library.

Set content restrictions

You can block explicit content, turn off music videos, restrict content by age-appropriate ratings, and more.

Go to the Settings app on your iPad.
Tap Screen Time, then tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games, then set any of the available restrictions.
Note: If you already have explicit tracks in your library, they’re dimmed and won’t play.

Sort your music

Go to the Music app on your iPad.
Tap , then tap a category under Library.
Tap , then choose a sorting method, such as Title, Artist, Date Added, or Release Date.

You can also shuffle and repeat songs, queue them up in a specific order, or transition them using Crossfade or AutoMix.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide