Issues with "Now Playing" on Apple Watch after WatchOS10

I use my iPhone and Apple Music for listening to music. I usually stream via Airplay to my stereo at home og Bluetooth to the stereo in my car.


Earlier when I start playing music on my iPhone, the "now playing" app on my watch would start by itself every time, and I can control the music from my watch.


After iOS17 and WatchOS10, this is not the case. Sometimes the "now playing" app on my watch does not start at all, sometimes it does. Sometimes it keeps on running on my watch all the time, sometimes the watch goes back to the standard watch face after a while.


I have not been able to find any logic in what happens when.


Is this intenional?

Is there a setting I can change somewhere?


My solution is that I have put that app in front of the widgets stack. This is OK, but I actually liked it better when the Now Playing app was always running when I am playing music on my iPhone.

Apple Watch Series 9, watchOS 10

Posted on Sep 26, 2023 4:52 AM

Reply
2 replies

Oct 3, 2023 11:39 AM in response to viking bear

Hi there viking bear,


There isn't necessarily a setting for this. The options for using your Apple Watch with a Bluetooth speaker are below:


After you connect Apple Watch to Bluetooth headphones or speakers, open the Music app  on your Apple Watch, then do any of the following:
* Play music on your Apple Watch: Turn the Digital Crown to scroll through the Listen Now screen, then tap an album, playlist, or category.
* Use the Apple Watch app on your iPhone to choose which songs to add to Apple Watch.
* Play music from your music library: From the Listen Now screen, tap the Back button, tap Library, tap a category such as Playlists, Albums, Downloaded, or a recently added item, then choose music.
* Request music from Apple Music (Apple Music or Apple Music Voice subscription required): Raise your wrist, then request an artist, album, song, genre, or portion of a song lyric.
* Search the Apple Music library: Tap Search, enter an album, artist, or song, then tap Search. Tap a result to play it.


You'll find this information here: Play music on Apple Watch - Apple Support


If you need more help, you'll want to reach out to Apple Support directly for further assistance. They're best-equipped to take a closer look at the issue and provide some additional guidance. This link will help you get started: Apple Support


Take care.

Oct 3, 2023 12:34 PM in response to Sparks0829

Thank you so much for the reply.


I see I can play music from my watch as you describe.


What I usually do is to play music on my iPhone and use airplay to send it to my stereo speakers or bluetooth to send it to my car audio speakers.


When I did this before watchOS10, the “now playing” app would automatically launch on my watch, and I can then control the volume, skip to the next song, put the song on pause etc from my watch.


After WatchOS10 the “now playing” app only sometimes starts on my watch. I often have to start the app on my watch manually.


I would like the “now playing” app on my watch to launch automatically when I start playing music on my iPhone, like it did before

Issues with "Now Playing" on Apple Watch after WatchOS10

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.