How to Stop Kids Ruining Your Apple Music Recommendations

[Arran]

Those, who need recommendations on what music to listen to, might just turn on the radio.

I rely on radio for discovery.

I love that it has no memory - leaving me free to experiment and hear as much random new music as I want. If I like a song on radio I’ll find it in Apple Music and add it to a playlist. OTOH, everything I don’t like is instantly forgotten. So much easier.

 

[Roadster Lewis]

My kids (4 and 7) aren't too bad - we have a family subscription for Apple Music, and each of the boys have got their own playlist that is shared with both parents. The deal is that as long as there is no "novelty" songs on them, they can listen to their playlist on long journeys. To be fair to them, the play lists are pretty decent.

However, I actually think this feature will be great to save me from myself - when I am working, I listen to lofi beats etc, just to avoid silence. However, I do not want lofi beats in my favourites/recomendations. I should be able to tie this in with my "Work" focus, and not pollute my listening history. Hurry up iOS 7.2!

 

[MattNMiami]

In iOS 17.2, you can turn off your Apple Music Listening History with a new Focus filter, so if you allow someone else to use your device to listen to music, you can quickly activate the Focus with a tap and prevent their song choices from affecting your recommendations.

Have you ever regretted letting a friend or family member use Apple Music on your iPhone after their poor song choices negatively influenced your personal music recommendations?

If you have very young kids, the chances are that at some point you've played their favorite preschooler ditty to avoid a meltdown, only to later cringe when Apple's algorithms slip "Baby Shark" or some other infuriatingly repetitive song into your recently played/replay mixes.

Thankfully, Apple has finally become aware of the regularity of such events, and in iOS 17.2, currently in beta, it has added a new Focus filter option that can help you automatically turn off your Apple Music listening history whenever you give up your device to those with, shall we say, more acquired listening tastes.

The following steps show you how it's done. Note that you'll need to download the iOS 17.2 beta for this to work, otherwise you won't see the Listening History filter option.

1. Go to Settings ➝ Focus on your iPhone.
2. Tap the + button in the top-right corner to create a new Focus, then tap Custom.
3. Give your new Focus an identifiable name, symbol, and color, then tap Next.
   
   
   Tap Customize Focus.
4. Scroll down to "Focus Filters," ten tap Add Filter.
5. Choose the Music filter.
   Make sure the button is off next to Use Listening History, then tap Add.
   

That's all there is to it. The next time music is going to be played for someone else on your iPhone, simply swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to bring up Control Center and long press on the Focus button to select the Focus you created. Rest assured that whatever they play after that, won't play havoc with your Apple Music algorithms.

Of course, if you don't feel like you benefit from Apple Music's personal recommendations, and you don't have an Apple Music profile where your listening history is shared, you can disable Listening History more permanently by going to Settings ➝ Music and toggling off the switch next to Use Listening History.

Article Link: How to Stop Kids Ruining Your Apple Music Recommendations

Nice but it doesn’t sound like it fixes my problem. I listen to chill music on my HomePods and sound scapes at night but I don’t want either to be suggested with my regular music. It makes all Apple Music suggestions worthless.

 

[Rob__Mac]

Nice but it doesn’t sound like it fixes my problem. I listen to chill music on my HomePods and sound scapes at night but I don’t want either to be suggested with my regular music. It makes all Apple Music suggestions worthless.

I have this exact problem + my sons HomePod mini plays lullabies when he sleeps and even though it’s signed into his iCloud account, I think if I set off the sleep scene in his room with my voice, the tunes hit my recommendations. Gah.

 

[jt.syrja]

I am confused. Apple has this support page

What is Family Sharing? - Apple Support

With Family Sharing, you and up to five other family members can share access to amazing Apple services like iCloud+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and Apple Arcade. Your group can also share iTunes, Apple Books, and App Store purchases. You can even help locate each...

support.apple.com

And it says: ”When you share iCloud+, family members can't see each others’ photos, files, or documents. And when you share other subscriptions like Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, or Apple TV+, each person sees their own preferences and recommendations — not the whole family’s.”

How is that supposed to work? My oldest son started using his own iPhone (and Apple ID) and has Apple Music as a part of our family sharing. And now my Apple music has gone all wild with music recommendations. WTF!

So how can I make sure that our different listening styles wont affect each others recommendations?

 

[macos9rules]

I am confused. Apple has this support page

What is Family Sharing? - Apple Support

With Family Sharing, you and up to five other family members can share access to amazing Apple services like iCloud+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and Apple Arcade. Your group can also share iTunes, Apple Books, and App Store purchases. You can even help locate each...

support.apple.com

And it says: ”When you share iCloud+, family members can't see each others’ photos, files, or documents. And when you share other subscriptions like Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, or Apple TV+, each person sees their own preferences and recommendations — not the whole family’s.”

How is that supposed to work? My oldest son started using his own iPhone (and Apple ID) and has Apple Music as a part of our family sharing. And now my Apple music has gone all wild with music recommendations. WTF!

So how can I make sure that our different listening styles wont affect each others recommendations?

Did you share your subscription, or did you simply log into your account on his phone? Make sure you do the following:

1. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name and go to Subscriptions
2. Make sure that Share with Family is turned on
3. Tap the Music subscription and share it with your son

Here it works very well. I can safely maintain my personalized playlists and recommendations (jazz, rock, classical, electronic, etc.), shielded from my son's penchant for rap music.

 

[jt.syrja]

Those settings were ok, but I realised that years ago when we did not have family sharing we all had my Apple ID for purchases. Now that is named ”media and purchases” and even though Apple music itself showed being logged in with sons ID it still was under my ID. I logged out from media and purchases and just logged in back again and now it logged in with my sons ID. And now Apple Music started fresh for him.

I did same for my other son.

But for some reason when I did the same for my wife she is offered 1 month free trial for Music. In her phones settings it says that she is part of the family and in family sharing pahe there is four shared subscriptions; iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade.

Still when she opens Music it offers her 1 month free trial.. tried logging out and in. Tried soft reset. Not working..