“This Song Is Not Available In Your Country or Region” (Fixed)

Apple Music is a subscription-based streaming service that offers access to a vast library of songs, albums, and playlists. It offers an array of services to provide a comprehensive music experience for users worldwide.

However, Apple Music’s stability can sometimes be unreliable. One common issue that disrupts the user experience is the frustrating notification: “This song is not currently available in your country or region.”

Licensing agreements govern the availability of songs on Apple Music. As a result, access is often restricted across different countries and regions, which is why song selections vary across countries. This licensing restriction is the primary reason behind the annoying greyed-out Apple Music problem.

However, other factors may be responsible for this dreadful notification. Some include downloaded songs not matching the Apple Music database, outdated versions of previously played songs, software bugs within specific iOS systems, and many more.

Regardless of the underlying factor, this guide offers distinct solutions for possible causes of the error “This song is not currently available in your country or region.”

Let’s dive into practical solutions to this frustrating issue that will help you get back to enjoying your favorite music on Apple Music.

1. Close and Reopen Apple Music

A simple yet effective fix for the issue “This song is not currently available in your country or region” is to close and restart Apple Music on your device. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Swipe up on your device from the bottom to the center of the screen to open the App Switcher screen. If you have an iPhone SE or iPhone 8 or earlier with a home button, you can double-tap it to open the App Switcher.

2. Within the App Switcher, find the Music app preview.

3. Swipe up on the Music app preview in the App Switcher to close it.

4. After a few seconds, relaunch the Music app.

5. Try to play the previously unavailable song or any other song.

By restarting Apple Music, you refresh the app and eliminate temporary glitches that may be causing the error.

2. Check Apple Music Server Status

If Apple Music isn’t functioning properly on your device, it could be due to server related issues.

To check if server issues are causing app malfunctions, visit Apple’s System Status webpage. The webpage provides real-time data on the status of all Apple services, including Apple Music.

On the webpage, find the Apple Music service indicator. A green indicator next to Apple Music means that the servers are functioning normally, suggesting the issue may be with your device.

An orange or yellow indicator next to the music service indicates a server outage or downtime. In that case, Apple Support will provide updates on when the service will be restored. In the meantime, you’ll need to wait until Apple resolves the issue.

3. Sync iOS Device with iTunes

Another way to restore unavailable songs to your device and fix the error is by resyncing music files from your iCloud music library with iTunes. Follow these steps:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB Lightning cord. A notification will appear requesting permission to access media files. Click on “Allow” or “Trust” to proceed.

2. Open the iTunes computer app and confirm it’s linked to your device’s Apple ID. If not, click “Account” and select “Sign In.” Enter your login details to complete the sign-in.

3. After ensuring you’re linked to your Apple ID, click “Edit.” In the top bar, select “Preferences” and click the “General” tab.

4. Then untick the “iCloud Music Library” option. This will remove your music library and songs from the iTunes store. Retick the “iCloud Music Library” box to restore songs to your iTunes library.

5. As an additional fix, you can reset warnings before you resync your iTunes library. Navigate to iTunes’s “Advanced” tab and click “Reset Warnings.” At the bottom of the window, click “OK” to save your changes.

6. Next, click on the “Device” tab.

7. To sync music and refresh your library, select the “Reset Sync History” button.

Finally, disconnect your iPhone from your computer. Then open the Apple Music app and check if you can play your songs again.

4. Enable Automatic Downloads of Purchases

iOS offers a useful feature that automatically downloads purchases made through your Apple ID to all linked devices. Enabling this option, particularly for Apple Music, can help fix the “This song is not currently available in your country or region” issue. If the previous solutions haven’t worked, try this method. Close the Apple Music app and proceed with the steps below.

1. Open the iPhone Settings menu.

2. Click on “Music.”

3. Find the “Automatic Downloads” section and toggle on the “Music” option. If the option is already enabled, toggle it off and then on again.

4. Wait a few moments before opening the Music app to see whether the error persists.

This simple patch may do the trick and allow you to access your favorite songs on Apple Music again.

5. Update your iPhone or iPad

Apple often releases updates for its devices. Updating your operating system may be a quick and easy way to resolve the error message. The error message may disappear after you upgrade to the latest iOS or iPadOS version. Follow these steps to update your iOS or iPadOS.

1. Open your “Settings” app and click “General.”

2. Select “Software Update.” Your iPhone or iPad will scan for available updates.

3. If there’s an update, start the download and installation process. Accept the terms and conditions, then click “Download.”

4. Restart your device after the update is completed, then check to see if the problem persists.

6. Re-Add Songs to Library

Deleting and re-adding songs to your music library is another effective troubleshooting method. While it is a tedious approach, many iPhone users have successfully resolved the issue this way. This approach is particularly useful if the problem affects a specific song in your Apple Music library. Here’s how you can delete and re-add songs to your library:

1. Open the Apple Music app and search for the songs you want to delete from your Music library.

2. Tap and hold the affected song until a menu bar pops up.

3. Tap “Delete from Library.”

4. Search for the song(s) on Apple Music to re-add them to your Music library.

7. Activate a VPN

Another way to eliminate the annoying “This song is not currently available in your country or region” message is to use a virtual private network (VPN).

No matter where you are, you can access the music you want on Apple Music or iTunes by switching your device’s IP address and location through a VPN. It’s a straightforward process that can spare you some hassle.

However, not all VPNs offer decent services or provide the same security features. I’ve confirmed that certain VPNs help in fixing Apple Music’s regional problem. The top VPNs for Apple Music are ExpressVPN, PIA, and CyberGhost VPN.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best VPN available today. Although it’s notably more expensive than comparable VPNs and its simultaneous device limit is lower, its service is definitively superior. If you’re a small-scale user, choose ExpressVPN.

Get ExpressVPN

2. Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA offers more servers than any other VPN. So, it is a great option if you’re looking for a wide variety of locations. While its speed is slower than ExpressVPN’s, it offers more simultaneous device connections. Due to the availability of a large number of servers, it may be a better choice if you want to connect to a highly populated city, as its servers shouldn’t be overcrowded.

Get PIA

3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is an excellent choice if you engage in various online activities. It has specialty servers for streaming, torrenting, and gaming, among other options. Another option is NoSpy servers, which prevent third parties from knowing you’re using a VPN.

Get CyberGhost

8. Change Your Apple ID Region

Want to listen to Apple Music while visiting another country? Changing your country settings may help you solve the dreaded “This song is not currently available in your country or region” issue.

Here is how to go about it:

1. Open iPhone “Settings.”

2. Select “Your Name > Media & Purchases.”

3. Tap “View Account” and input your Apple ID password when prompted.

4. Select “Country/Region.”

5. When prompted, click “Change Country or Region.”

6. Decide the region you want to use and accept the terms and conditions.

Click “Done” to accept the modifications. These steps could fix Apple Music, letting you listen to your favorite Apple Music songs.

Other Common Apple Music Problems

There have been several other issues reported by Apple Music users apart from the “This song is not currently available in your country or region” error when you want to play songs. Some of the common issues include:

1. Songs not syncing: If you’re having trouble syncing your music library across your devices, try signing out of your Apple ID and logging back in. You can also check your Apple Music settings to see if the “Sync Library” option is enabled.

2. Playlists not syncing: Check if the “iCloud Music Library” option is enabled on both devices. If you’ve built playlists on one device, but they don’t appear on the other, you should do this. You might also try switching this option off and then back on.

3. App crashing: If Apple Music keeps crashing, the problem is with the app. The most common reason is that the app needs an update to the recent version.  However, if this does not work, try force-closing the app and then relaunching it. If that doesn’t work as well, try restarting your iPhone or iPad.

4. Slow performance: If the app is slow, try emptying the cache or uninstalling and reinstalling Apple Music.

Conclusion

This guide has outlined various solutions to fix the “This song is not currently available in your country or region.” Many of these fixes are simple to implement and can immediately fix the issue.

However, if the song is unavailable in your region, most of these solutions won’t work. In that case, you’ll need to change your Apple ID location or use a VPN to change your location to somewhere the music is available. Using a VPN offers additional benefits, such as unlocking geo-restricted content and preventing  ISP throttling, making it a recommended solution. If you have any more questions, please reach out to me using the below comment box.

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Topic: How To Guides, Streaming Services