Apple Music skips about 2 seconds into track on macOS and tvOS

Just chiming in to say I too have had this issue on all platforms ever since Lossless is released. It's enough of a turn off that I have to use another music service, but sync playlists over to and from Apple still as I like the discovery. I just wish Music would be made into a respectable product instead of a half-baked solution

I'm having the same problem, only happens when streaming Lossless. Hopefully it will be solved within this decade, since Apple usually don't give a pickle about this kind of "small" problems.

I am here to sadly confirm that this issue is still present for me in iOS 18.0.

This has been an issue on music on all platforms for years and so disappointing that there is still no fix.

Not a solution but seems to change where the skipping occurs when you repeat the same song multiple times. And if it is the song you recently listened, after a couple of repeats, the issue disappears temporarily. I'm convinced that it is related to how the song is processed/cached.

This seems to be one aspect of the problem, but I also notice that you have "lossless audio" unchecked. With lossless streaming and Dolby Atmos turned off, I have the problem. It's only when streaming AAC stereo files only that the problem goes away for me.

I started messing around with a Samsung Galaxy tablet to play with a much more advanced/configurable equalizer than iOS gives you (another iOS gripe of mine). I found that the issue in this thread isn’t a problem when using the Apple Music app on Android, high-res lossless. Go figure…

Still happening in 2024. I'm using a 2021 M1 MacBook Air. I have lossless turned on at highest quality. I've noticed that it does not happen on every album, but does on some, and it depends on the album exactly when it skips and how much it skips.

Fortunately it is resolved for me on iOS 18 on iPad.

As a reference I'm using the track "Broke my heart" by Caribou. It used to skip a beat every time on a lossless playback at around 0:03.

Now it doesn't skip anymore on iOS 18. It still skips on my iPhone (iOS 17) as well as on the Mac (Sonoma).

Hello philfnyc1,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. 

We’d like you to try some isolation troubleshooting steps to isolate the cause. Please try the steps here: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support We also recommend trying the steps in the section titled “Add a user” here: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac - Apple Support

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.

Thanks for testing that and getting back to us, philfnyc1. We appreciate you clarifying that it does also occur with your Apple TV from your first message. The goal is the narrow down the underlying cause to determine why this is occurring.

Are both your Mac and Apple TV devices using the same Wi-Fi network? Have you restarted your router to see if that helps?

We also noticed you mention your OS versions. Your macOS is fully updated, but there is a tvOS 15.4.1 update out now. We'd recommend making sure your Apple TV is fully updated, let it restart, then see how those streamed tracks do again. We look forward to hearing back from you.

About Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD software updates

Best regards.

I think this is only a forum to help each other, I don't think Apple reads this...

They clearly state at the bottom of this page:

"Welcome to Apple Support Community

• A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products."

"Their products".... instead of 'Our products' or 'Apple products', almost meaning "their problems, not ours" hehe..

Hey philfnyc1,

It sounds like you're having a specific issue with Apple Music on both macOS and tvOS where tracks skip about 2 seconds into playback, but only with streamed tracks, not with downloaded ones. This problem started occurring approximately a week ago and doesn't happen on iOS devices. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially fix this issue:

1. Check Network Connection: Since the issue only occurs with streamed tracks, it's worth ensuring that your network connection is stable and not experiencing any interruptions. Try restarting your router or switching to a different network to see if the problem persists.
2. Restart Devices: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Try restarting your Mac and Apple TV to see if that helps.
3. Update Software: Make sure that both your macOS and tvOS are updated to the latest versions available. Apple often releases software updates that include bug fixes and performance improvements.
4. Reset Apple Music: On your macOS device, try signing out of Apple Music and then signing back in. This can sometimes resolve issues related to your Apple Music account.
5. Check for Known Issues: Visit Apple's support website or community forums to see if other users are experiencing similar issues with Apple Music on macOS and tvOS. There may be ongoing issues or solutions provided by Apple or other users.
6. Contact Apple Support: If the problem persists after trying the above steps, consider reaching out to Apple Support for further assistance. They may be able to provide additional troubleshooting steps or escalate the issue if it's a known bug.

By following these steps, you should hopefully be able to resolve the issue with Apple Music skipping tracks on macOS and tvOS. If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to ask!

Best regards, Anas Amr Galal