How to Stop Kids Ruining Your Apple Music Recommendations

[MacRumors]

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

 

[Alexfromaz]

“macrumorsforkids.com”:

How to Stop Your Parents From Ruining Your Apple Music Recommendations​

 

[WiiDSmoker]

A filter, really? How about a basic setting

 

[Mr. Heckles]

Or just don’t let kids listen on your phone.

 

[StudioMacs]

I was hoping SharePlay in CarPlay would not affect my listening history; however, that’s not the case. When driving with my wife in the car, her music selections in SharePlay have been affecting my Apple Music listening history and recommendations.

This article made me realize I can just have Driving focus automatically enable when I connect to CarPlay, and turn off listening history so SharePlay won’t interfere with my recommendations.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

This is the most archaic way to do this, Apple. Really?

 

[headlessmike]

Or just don’t let kids listen on your phone.

Good luck explaining to a three-year-old on a roadtrip that they're not going to be able to listen to their favorite song for the billionth time because your listening history is precious.

My kids never play with my phone, but there are occasions when it is used to play their music.

 

[woolypants]

LOL. Tim is pushed too far by this kids playing around with his iPhone.

 

[Morod]

I was thinking along the lines of rupturing their eardrums.

 

[contacos]

The F. It just works my A. A "Private Mode" toggle would have been enough. It's not like there are other streaming services they could have taking the inspiration from.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

Good luck explaining to a three-year-old on a roadtrip that they're not going to be able to listen to their favorite song for the billionth time because your listening history is precious.

My kids never play with my phone, but there are occasions when it is used to play their music.

I’ve done it. My kids had their own devices when they were younger (portable CD players, MP3 players, and others).

 

[Nabby]

Best MacRumors article title I think I've ever read.

 

[icanhazmac]

Any iPhone functions to keep kids from ruining my lawn? 😆🤣😂

 

[jicon]

Well... fine, on my phone... but what about everything else? I have a Sonos speaker that I enabled Apple Music integration on, and my wife's often leaving the house, saying 'Alexa, play relaxing Jazz' for of all things, the dog in his crate. So, I'm inevitably recommended Jazz all the time, no matter how many times I tell it I'm not interested. Figure I'll have to add a new family member account to Alexa.

 

[doobydoooby]

The chances of my remembering this when I need it are close to zero.

But really, what I need is a way to stop "old me" from influencing apple music. My library is filled with music that's begun accumulating since itunes began all thoae years ago. I don't want to delete it from my mac, but I also don't want apple music recommending bl**dy Abba to me ever, ever again....

 

[McDLT]

and how do I erase 5+ years of history? too little too late, but thanks.

 

[Arran]

A weak half measure for the few who have time to read the manual and predict the future.

Life happens. The rest of us need a way to fix it AFTER it’s happened.

 

[4743913]

I canceled Apple Music. That solved everything. YouTube Premium + YTMusic for the win.

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

Just don’t use Apple Music?


Besides why are you sharing music with your kids?

If they are old enough to afford or need their own phone or tablet, they are old enough to have their own music apart from yours

Also this

 

[headlessmike]

I’ve done it. My kids had their own devices when they were younger (portable CD players, MP3 players, and others).

It works when they're older. My 7-year-old uses my old iPad for this, but I wouldn't trust a toddler with any such device. Longer trips are usually fine for us, but sometimes I need to play some kid tunes on the stereo using my iPhone to make the last 30 minutes of a drive bearable for my youngest.

 

[SpotOnT]

Get better family members.

Problem solved.

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

It works when they're older. My 7-year-old uses my old iPad for this, but I wouldn't trust a toddler with any such device. Longer trips are usually fine for us, but sometimes I need to play some kid tunes on the stereo using my iPhone to make the last 30 minutes of a drive bearable for my youngest.

Can the child not converse?

 

[headlessmike]

Any iPhone functions to keep kids from ruining my lawn? 😆🤣😂

View attachment 2306611

Download a tone generator app and play an excruciatingly loud tone at like 15 kHz. You can fine-tune the age group you want to target by varying the frequency you generate. It's also a fun way to show people how much their hearing has deteriorated.

 

[jafd]

What do you mean you don't like Baby Shark?!!

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

Download a tone generator app and play an excruciatingly loud tone at like 15 kHz. You can fine-tune the age group you want to target by varying the frequency you generate. It's also a fun way to show people how much their hearing has deteriorated.

Shoot them in the butt with a BB gun, just don’t pump it more than 7 times or so
Gotta go old school