To search by lyrics in Apple Music on iPhone, open the Music app, tap Search, tap the search field, then tap Apple Music and enter a few words you remember from the lyrics. This lets you find a song when you know the words but not the title or artist.
How to search by lyrics in Apple Music on iPhone
- Open the Music app on your iPhone and tap Search.
- Tap the search field.
- Tap Apple Music so the search is scoped to the Apple Music catalog, not your Library.
- Enter a few words you remember from the lyrics.
- Tap a result to play it.
Apple’s iPhone help page explicitly says, “You can search for a song in Apple Music based on its lyrics” and instructs users to “enter a few of the words you remember to find a song.” The search field can also show items you recently searched for, and you can switch between searching Apple Music or your Library.
Using Siri to find a song by its lyrics
Siri offers a hands-free way to search by lyrics. Apple documents the voice command: “Siri: Ask Siri something like, ‘Play the song with the lyrics’ and then say a key phrase from the lyrics.” Activate Siri by holding the side button or saying “Hey Siri,” then speak the command and the phrase you remember. Siri will display matching results from Apple Music.
Which devices support lyric search?
Apple documents the lyric-search feature on iPhone only. On the web, you can view and scroll through full lyrics by clicking the Lyrics button, then clicking View Credits and then View Full Lyrics, and you can jump to a certain verse by selecting a line when lyrics appear in time with the music, but the web player does not have a documented lyric-search feature. On iPad and Mac, lyric display is available, but the dedicated search-by-lyrics instructions from Apple are limited to iPhone.
Tips for better lyric search results
Use a few distinctive words rather than common ones like “love” or “you.” If your first attempt doesn’t find the song, try a different phrase from the chorus or a memorable line. Apple has not published exact matching rules, character limits, or minimum lyric length for the search, so experimentation can help. Because the search relies on an internet connection to query Apple Music’s catalog, make sure you are online. Apple did not document model-specific limits, subscription-plan differences, or regional availability for lyric search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you search Apple Music by typing partial lyrics?
Yes. You do not need the exact or complete lyrics, entering a few words you remember is enough to find matching songs. The more specific the words, the more accurate the results tend to be.
Does lyric search work for non-English songs?
Yes. Apple Music’s lyric search supports multiple languages. Enter the lyrics as you remember them, and the search will look for matches across the catalog regardless of language.
Do you need an internet connection to search by lyrics?
Yes. Searching by lyrics requires an active internet connection because the query is sent to Apple Music’s online catalog. Offline, you can only search your downloaded Library by song, artist, or album.
Does Apple Music on Android offer the same lyric-search feature as iPhone?
No. The search-by-lyrics instructions Apple provides are for iPhone only.
Can you search by lyrics using Spotify mobile features?
Apple Music’s lyric search is accessed through its own Search field on iPhone.
