Do you love to listen to music on your iPhone? Perhaps, you love the convenience of playing music when your phone is not handy. An Apple Watch provides a convenient way to listen to playlists and albums created on your iPhone. Just a note: You can not play music through your Apple Watch speaker. Only to a device or speaker connected.
Your iOS version determines how you listen to your favorite songs on your phone. If your Apple Watch runs on OS4.1 or higher, you can enjoy music on the go even if your phone is not nearby.
This article will help you learn practical ways to listen to music on your Apple Watch.
How to Play Music from An Apple Watch
You can’t play music through the built-in speaker because these watches aren’t great for audio. To listen to music from your Apple Watch, you must connect a Bluetooth speaker or compatible Bluetooth headphones. After pairing the watch to an external speaker, follow these steps to play music on the speaker.
- Open the “Music App” on your Apple Watch.
- To play music downloaded to your Apple Watch, tap on “Library” then select “Downloaded”.
- From your downloaded music you can navigate to a playlists, artists, albums or songs.
How to Play Spotify on Apple Watch
You can use Spotify on your Apple Watch to play music through your speaker or headset of choice.
Use the “Digital Crown” on the Apple Watch to scroll through the list of available speakers and select the one you want to use with Spotify.
How to Play Music from an Apple Watch Without a Phone
With a pair of Bluetooth headphones and your Apple Watch, you could leave your phone behind and go for a run or walk while listening to music. All you need is to download the music to your watch and listen to your favorite songs without your phone. Here is how to do it:
- Launch Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Select music among the options displayed.
- Press “Synced Music” or “Synced Playlist”.
An Apple Watch can’t stream music from the internet like the iPhone. So, you must download the music to your watch from the phone. However, two things must be ready for synchronization to take place.
- Your Apple Watch must be on its charger.
- You must turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone.
Also, you’ll need some patience. Even the shortest playlist may take several minutes to sync to the Apple Watch. But if you don’t have a playlist on your phone, you can use the music app on your phone to stream music directly. Here is how to do it:
- Switch your Bluetooth into pairing mode on the headphones.
- Open your Apple Watch.
- Go to “Settings” and then “Bluetooth.”
- Tap on your headphones listed under “Devices.”
- Play the music.
Most headphones with Apple’s W1 chip, like AirPods, will pair automatically with the Apple Watch if the headset had paired with your iPhone previously. Once you connect your headphones and sync your playlist, it’s time to play your music.
- Go to the “Music App” on your Apple Watch.
- Swipe up or down to scroll through your music or use the “Digital Crown.” Tap an album or playlist to listen to it.
- You will see an option to choose where you want to play your music. Choose the headphones you paired with previously.
The music will start playing immediately. Use the “Digital Crown” to adjust or edit the volume as needed.
How to Play Music from an Apple Watch without Headphones
Even though your Apple Watch has a built-in speaker, it is not a good alternative to headphones because the sound quality may not be up to par for most users. But there are other ways to listen to your favorite songs on your Apple Watch without headphones.
Bluetooth Speakers
Do you know you could easily listen to music from your watch using Bluetooth speakers?
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap the “Bluetooth” button.
- Select your speakers when they appear.
This will pair your speakers to your watch. After a successful pairing, you can go to the “Control Center” on your watch. Select your Bluetooth speakers as the desired audio output.
Pair Your Apple Watch With Your iPhone
If you have your iPhone handy, you won’t need a Bluetooth device or headphones to play music on your Apple Watch. Instead of finding a companion device, use the phone by streaming music from the phone’s music app directly.
Music App on Apple Watch
To use this method, you must download the music on your watch.
It’s similar to using an iPad, iPod, or iPhone.
How to Play Music from an Apple Watch With AirPods
Even if your iPhone is not nearby, you can play music on your Apple Watch with your AirPods. That’s because pairing your AirPods with your iPhone pairs them with your watch.
But you will need a Wi-Fi connection to stream music effortlessly. Your Apple Watch uses its multi-functional capability once connected to Wi-Fi, including pairing with AirPods.
How to Pair Your AirPods With Your Apple Watch
If you are pairing them for the first time, ensure you place them next to each other. Then:
- Put your Apple Watch in pairing mode and go to “Settings.”
- Tap on “Bluetooth” on your watch.
Your Apple Watch will automatically start searching for nearby Bluetooth devices. When it’s done, find your AirPods among the devices displayed.
It may require you to enter your PIN for authentication.
What to Do When the Pairing Is Unsuccessful
The watch and the AirPods may often not automatically pair as you expected. In this case, you have to attempt it manually with these steps.
- Search for the Airplane icon displayed on your watch’s face. If it’s visible, it means Airplane Mode is on.
- To turn it off, go to “Settings.”
- Tap on “Airplane Mode.”
If your AirPods are displayed on your watch’s Bluetooth section, but there is still no connection, try to unpair them.
- Select the blue icon inside a circle.
- Click on “Forget Device.”
- Attempt pairing them again either manually or automatically.
Additional FAQs
Can I play Spotify on my Apple Watch without a phone?
Yes, you can! Ensure you download your album or playlist first on your watch. Then, use Bluetooth headphones or AirPods to play music when your phone is not nearby.
Can I listen to loud music with my Apple Watch?
No, the audio system of the watch isn’t great for loud music. But you can connect to a pair of headphones or other supported devices.
What music apps work with the Apple Watch?
The Apple Watch Music app is a limited streaming app, but it will help you sync a playlist from other iOS devices. Most people probably prefer Spotify; however, other apps are also available, like the TuneIn Pro, Pandora, SoundHound, Deezer, VLC Mobile, and many more.
Making the Most of Your Apple Watch
Are you trying to play music on your Apple Watch using the various supported devices? This guide covered the different methods to make the most of your Apple Watch with or without your iPhone.
Apple Watch is a versatile device, and much like your iPhone, it will let you stream music in many ways without having to navigate through your phone’s apps and settings. Listening to your favorite tunes whenever you want was never easier.
How do you play music on your watch? Do you find it challenging to play music on your watch without a phone? Tell us in the comment section below.
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