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whsbuss

macrumors 601
Original poster
May 4, 2010
4,305
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SE Penna.
Since updating to iOS 17 and watch os 10 trying to play music directly from the watch is very difficult. I have to restart the watch to disconnnect the link for music via the iPhone. Must be the handoff because once it starts playing music via the iPhone I can’t get it back to just the watch for streaming.
 
I have same issue and very frustrating. I have to turn phone off try this
Try this:

- place your AirPods on you ears
- open control center on your watch
- click the Airplay icon (looks like a target with up arrow)
- select the AirPods and be sure Apple Watch is also selected
- open your music app on your watch and play

It’s been working for me.
 
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Try this:

- place your AirPods on you ears
- open control center on your watch
- click the Airplay icon (looks like a target with up arrow)
- select the AirPods and be sure Apple Watch is also selected
- open your music app on your watch and play

It’s been working for me.
Thank you. Will try in a few and LYK how it went!🤞
 
Thank you. Will try in a few and LYK how it went!🤞
So it worked. However I mostly use when I cut my grass and leave phone in garage and it was cutting out (Bluetooth coverage). It appears to still be connected to phone a so somehow. I tried shuttign off Bluetooth and it still doesn’t work.
 
So it worked. However I mostly use when I cut my grass and leave phone in garage and it was cutting out (Bluetooth coverage). It appears to still be connected to phone a so somehow. I tried shuttign off Bluetooth and it still doesn’t work.
I found that it will only stream via WiFi and not Bluetooth. Still wants to airplay to the iPhone. I put pandora on the watch and not the iPhone it streams just fine.
 
Since updating to iOS 17 and watch os 10 trying to play music directly from the watch is very difficult.
Open music app on your watch. Press play and it will ask you to tap on AirPods. Once you do that it’s done. Simple enough.
Have never had issue music coming from iPhone.
 
Open music app on your watch. Press play and it will ask you to tap on AirPods. Once you do that it’s done. Simple enough.
Have never had issue music coming from iPhone.
Ya that works no problem. However, as mentioned, it is still playing from phone. If I leave my phone and walk away far enough it starts skipping, then stops due to BT connectivity. I use to be able to just turn off bluetooth on phone and I'd be fine. Now I have to turn phone off completely.
 
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Actually that’s not true. Next time you connect as you mention and play music, see if the Lock Screen shows the app playing music.
YEP. This is what mine does....Even thought Apple Watch is selected and music playing into my buds, the iPhone shows it is actually playing the music.
 
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One way I got the watch to play via AirPods was to download Pandora to the watch. Without the app on the iPhone only the watch streams.

There are lots of strange things going on in the background between the watch and the iPhone. For instance, on my eero pro 6 mesh my watch drops the WiFi connection at times. Yet AirPlay works just fine. Strange.
 
Actually that’s not true. Next time you connect as you mention and play music, see if the Lock Screen on your iPhone shows the app playing music.
Can't be from my phone when I'm a few kilometers away walking. (I play music from my watch only when I'm out for a walk).
Like I said "Always play from the watch."
 
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Can't be from my phone when I'm a few kilometers away walking. (I play music from my watch only when I'm out for a walk).
Like I said "Always play from the watch."
Well of course if you have cellular on your watch and you’re away from your iPhone it will stream. Not what I meant.
 
Well of course if you have cellular on your watch and you’re away from your iPhone it will stream. Not what I meant.
Not at all. I listened to music downloaded to my watch.
I’d recommend connecting AirPods to your watch when you’re out of your iPhone range to have them know to connect to each others first. The next time should be automatic.
 
Not at all. I listened to music downloaded to my watch.
I’d recommend connecting AirPods to your watch when you’re out of your iPhone range to have them know to connect to each others first. The next time should be automatic.
Downloading music to the watch is different than streaming music from the internet. That's what I am talking about...
 
Downloading music to the watch is different than streaming music from the internet. That's what I am talking about...
Sigh.. just grabbed my AirPods while sitting close to iPhone. Play music that’s not downloaded to the watch. Clearly its play from the watch since there’s nothing on my iPhone.
You should do what I said above. incoming-FF37998F-47F7-4D80-98ED-D05D44186A1E.pngIMG_3773.jpeg
 
Is the music app on the iPhone as well? If so, open that app and see if it’s playing. Sometimes Lock Screen doesn’t show.
 
Is the music app on the iPhone as well? If so, open that app and see if it’s playing. Sometimes Lock Screen doesn’t show.
It wasn’t playing. I know iOS very well. When I told you it’s from the watch, it’s definitely from the watch.
If you know watchOS you would see from screenshot the watch is streaming.
And you’re also wrong about “Sometimes Lock Screen doesn’t show”. It will show every time AirPod connect to iPhone even if music isn’t played. When music play there’s no chance it wouldn’t show.
 
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It wasn’t playing. I know iOS very well. When I told you it’s from the watch, it’s definitely from the watch.
If you know watchOS you would see from screenshot the watch is streaming.
And you’re also wrong about “Sometimes Lock Screen doesn’t show”. It will show every time AirPod connect to iPhone even if music isn’t played. When music play there’s no chance it wouldn’t show.
good for you
 
good for you
I'm not using Airpods but I'm having the exact same issue as you. Apple Music defaults to the iphone even when my earbuds are turned on and I start music directly from my watch. In bluetooth setting on the watch it says the earbuds are connected. But when I click on now playing on the watch I don't see the earbuds option. It only shows as playing on iphone. If I turn off the phone then the music will come through my earbuds from the watch as intended. So, this is my only solution to the problem. It's not the a big issue to turn it off but it's annoying.

I turned off siri suggestions thinking that might have been the issue but that didn't help.

I'm using a Series 9 and iphone 12. Both updated.

Did you, or anyone else here ever find a fix? Thanks for any help.

Edit: I figured it out. I thought the problem had come back but it was only switching because Apple music was open on my phone in the background.

I'm an idiot 🤣
 
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Edit: I figured it out. I thought the problem had come back but it was only switching because Apple music was open on my phone in the background.

I'm an idiot 🤣
no-one is a idiot when using a :apple:watch and an iPhone.
what I do know is wait until im out of range from the iPhone then play music
which is not feasible for those who bring their :apple: phone with then at all times.

this "airplay from aniphone instead of what a human told the :apple: watch to do"
is a new annoying 17.? feature I assume.
 
no-one is a idiot when using a :apple:watch and an iPhone.
what I do know is wait until im out of range from the iPhone then play music
which is not feasible for those who bring their :apple: phone with then at all times.

this "airplay from aniphone instead of what a human told the :apple: watch to do"
is a new annoying 17.? feature I assume.
FWIW, turning off Siri suggestions on phone and watch is what seems to have fixed it for me. Having that on played music on my phones lock screen.
 
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