How to Listen to Apple Music on Airplane Mode on iPhone & Android

Part 1. Can You Listen to Apple Music on a Plane?

Yes. You can listen to Apple Music on a plane with Airplane Mode enabled, provided that your music has been downloaded to your device in advance.

There are two main ways to listen to Apple Music during a flight:

• Without Wi-Fi: Download your favorite songs, albums, and playlists from Apple Music to your device before takeoff. You can then play them in Airplane Mode without an internet connection.
• With in-flight Wi-Fi: If your airline offers Wi-Fi and permits passengers to use it, you may be able to stream Apple Music online. Availability depends on the airline's network and service restrictions.

If you want to enjoy uninterrupted music throughout your flight, downloading Apple Music songs for offline listening is the most reliable and cost-effective option for most people. With that in mind, this guide focuses on ways to listen to Apple Music offline in Airplane Mode.

Before getting into the specific steps, here's how different types of Apple Music behave on Airplane Mode for your reference.

However, it's important to understand the difference between songs downloaded through the Apple Music app and actual local audio files. Apple Music downloads are DRM-restricted and expire once your subscription ends. If you want permanent offline Apple Music access for long flights - or wish to archive your music locally - a dedicated audio tool may offer an alternative to bypass these restrictions. Interested? Skip to Part 5 to explore a convenient way to save Apple Music tracks in high-resolution audio formats for listening on a plane.

Part 2. How to Listen to Apple Music on Airplane Mode on iPhone

If you're using an iPhone, the process is straightforward: download the music you want, enable Airplane Mode on your iPhone, and play your downloaded tracks through the Apple Music app.

Step 1. Download Apple Music Songs Before Your Flight
First, make sure your iPhone has the music you want to listen to stored locally. Usually, you can find your downloaded tracks in the Library section of Apple Music.

• Turn on data or connect your iPhone to a stable Wi-Fi network, and then open the Apple Music app.
• Find the song, album, or playlist you want to listen to during your flight.
• Tap Add or Add to Library to add the music to your library.
• Open the album or playlist and tap the Download button. For an individual song, tap the three-dot menu next to the track and select Download.

Step 2. Enable Airplane Mode on Your iPhone
Once your music is ready, turn on Airplane Mode before or during boarding, following your airline's instructions.

• Open Control Center. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge.
• Tap the airplane icon to enable Airplane Mode.
• Check that the airplane icon appears in the status area or Control Center.
• Alternatively, you can turn it on by navigating to Settings > Airplane Mode.

Step 3. Play Downloaded Apple Music Songs in Airplane Mode
Now you can listen to your music without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Just open the Apple Music app, navigate to Library > Downloaded, and select any song, album, or playlist to start listening

If a downloaded song plays normally with both cellular data and Wi-Fi disabled, you're ready to enjoy music during your flight.

But if Apple Music asks you to connect to the internet or displays an unavailable message, don't immediately assume that Airplane Mode itself is the problem. The track may not have finished downloading, the app may need to refresh its authorization, or the music may no longer be available for playback. We'll cover these situations in Part 4.

Part 3. How to Listen to Apple Music on a Plane on Android

The whole process is similar on Android phones. As long as you're using the Apple Music app and have downloaded your music in advance, you can listen offline without relying on an internet connection during the flight.

Step 1. On the Apple Music app, long press on the track, playlists, or album you want to play on the airplane.

Step 2. Tap Add or the plus button to add the music to your library, if necessary.

Step 3. Open the album or playlist and tap the Download button.

Step 4. After downloading your music, enable Airplane Mode on your Android phone. Swipe down from the top of your screen to open Quick Settings (swipe down again if needed to expand), tap Airplane Mode or Flight Mode, and verify that the airplane icon appears in your status bar.

Step 5. Now, you are able to listening to Apple Music on Airplan Mode without an internet connection as long as the tracks are fully downloaded and remain authorized for playback.

Part 4. How to Fix Apple Music Not Working on Airplane Mode

If Apple Music won't play your downloaded songs in Airplane Mode, the issue may involve incomplete downloads, account authorization, app settings, or outdated music files. Try the following fixes before your next flight.

Fix 1. Check Whether Your Songs Are Fully Downloaded

The first thing to check is whether the songs are actually stored on your device. Adding a song to your Apple Music library doesn't automatically mean it's available offline.

Open Apple Music and navigate to your Library. Find the affected song, album, or playlist and check whether it has been downloaded. If the Download button is still visible, tap it while connected to Wi-Fi and wait for the download to finish.

Fix 2. Reconnect to the Internet to Refresh Apple Music

Some playback issues occur because Apple Music needs to verify your account or refresh the availability of downloaded content.

Subscription-based downloads remain subject to Apple's authorization requirements. Reconnecting to the internet may help resolve a temporary authorization issue, but it won't restore access to music that you are no longer entitled to play.

To fix it:

• Temporarily turn off Airplane Mode and connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network.
• Open Apple Music and confirm that you're signed in to the correct Apple Account.
• Check your subscription status and try playing the affected song online.
• If the track plays normally, check its download status and download it again if necessary.
• Re-enable Airplane Mode and test offline playback.

Fix 3. Update Apple Music App and Clear the Cache

Temporary app glitches can also interfere with offline playback. Update or restart the app as follows, and verify your Apple Music downloads again before your flight.

• On iPhone: Close Apple Music, reopen it, and restart your iPhone if the issue persists. Check for available iOS updates under Settings > General > Software Update.
• On Android: Force-stop Apple Music through your phone's app settings, reopen it, and check the Google Play Store for updates. If necessary, restart your phone.

On Android, you can also try clearing the app cache through Settings > Apps > Apple Music > Storage, although the exact menu names vary by device. Clear the cache rather than app data initially, since clearing app data may remove downloaded content or reset settings.

Fix 4. Use Apple Music Downloader for More Reliable Offline Playback

If you've tried the previous fixes but still have trouble playing Apple Music in Airplane Mode, another option is to prepare compatible local audio files on your computer instead of relying entirely on the Apple Music mobile app. This can be useful when you want to organize your music for offline playback on different devices. The full steps will be shown to you in the next section.

Part 5. How to Listen to Apple Music on Airplane Mode Without a Subscription

If you want to manage your personal music collection beyond the Apple Music app or you prefer to listen to Apple Music on supported music players or devices, a desktop audio conversion tool may be worth considering.

AudFree Apple Music Converter is one of the best tools to make it. It is designed to convert supported Apple Music content into common audio formats for local library management. It offers output options such as MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B, along with audio settings and metadata options.

With this method, even if you cancel your Apple Music subscription, you can also freely listen to your Apple Music library in airplane mode on any player or device.

How to Download Apple Music to Local Files for Using in Airplane Mode

By touching on the green button above, you can download this safe and reliable software on your Mac or PC. Then follow the user guide to convert Apple Music content.

Step 1. Load Apple Music files to AudFree Apple Music Converter

Install and launch the AudFree Apple Music Converter on your computer. Log in to your Apple ID and browse within the built-in web player. Add Apple Music songs, albums, or playlists you want to the converter by tapping the '+' button. After that, you can tap the 'Add to list' button in the pop-up window.

Step 2. Select Apple Music output settings for airplane mode

On Mac, click the 'AudFree Apple Music Converter' tab from the Mac's top menu bar. On Windows, tap the top-right 'menu' icon > Preferences to open the Preferences window. There, you can choose output format, like convert Apple Music tracks to MP3, or other unprotected files. Furthermore, you can reset the audio channels, sample rate, bit rate, and more if needed.

Step 3. Export Apple Music for playing on airplane mode

Hit the 'Convert' button located in the lower right corner on the Converting window. This one of the best Apple Music downloaders will export the added Apple Music songs or playlists at 17X faster speed and save them in the local drive on computers. Then access the conversions by pressing on the third 'Converted' icon with a red spot. Afterward, you can listen to Apple Music songs on any device and player using airplane mode without any issues.

Step 4. Transfer Apple Music files to your phone for offline playback

Once the conversion is complete, transfer the exported audio files from your computer to your iPhone or Android phone using a compatible file-transfer method. For example, you can use Finder or Apple Devices to transfer files to a compatible iPhone music player, or connect your Android phone to your computer via USB and copy the files to its music folder.

After the transfer, open a compatible local music player and confirm that the songs play correctly. Then enable Airplane Mode and test playback again. Since these are locally stored audio files, you can listen without an internet connection, provided the files are accessible to your music player.

Part 6. FAQs About Apple Music on Airplane Mode

Part 7. In Conclusion

Listening to Apple Music on Airplane Mode is simple with a little advance preparation. Whether on iOS or Android, make sure to download your favorite songs, albums, or playlists before departure - either directly through the Apple Music app or via AudFree Apple Music Converter. Once on board, enable Airplane Mode and enjoy your stored tracks seamlessly. You can also use Bluetooth headphones, subject to airline safety guidelines.

Whether you use the official Apple Music app or a separate local music player, check your files and test playback before boarding to avoid interruptions during your flight.