Are you tired of iHeartRadio playing in the background when your iPhone is locked, draining your battery and data? You’re not alone! Many iHeartRadio users have been searching for a solution to this frustrating issue. In this article, we’ll delve into the reasons behind this quirk and provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked.
Why Does iHeartRadio Keep Playing When My iPhone is Locked?
Before we dive into the solution, let’s understand why iHeartRadio behaves this way. There are a few reasons why iHeartRadio continues to play even when your iPhone is locked:
- Background App Refresh: iHeartRadio, like many other music streaming apps, uses background app refresh to keep playing music even when the app is not actively in use. This feature allows the app to continue streaming music while you’re doing other things on your iPhone.
- Audio Session: When you start playing music on iHeartRadio, the app establishes an audio session with your iPhone’s audio system. This audio session remains active even when your iPhone is locked, allowing the music to continue playing.
iOS Background App Refresh Settings
To understand how to stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked, it’s essential to know how iOS handles background app refresh. By default, iOS allows apps to refresh their content in the background, which includes streaming music. You can control background app refresh for individual apps, including iHeartRadio, by following these steps:
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- Find iHeartRadio in the list of apps and toggle the switch next to it to the Off position.
Disabling background app refresh for iHeartRadio will stop the app from continuing to play music when your iPhone is locked. However, this will also prevent the app from updating its content in the background, which might affect your listening experience.
Solution 1: Stop iHeartRadio from Playing When iPhone is Locked using the App’s Settings
Fortunately, iHeartRadio provides an option to stop the app from playing when your iPhone is locked within its settings. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the iHeartRadio app and tap on the Settings icon (represented by a gear icon) in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Scroll down to the Playback section.
- Toggle the switch next to Continue Playback When Locked to the Off position.
This setting will stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked. You can still start playing music again by unlocking your iPhone and interacting with the app.
Why This Solution Might Not Work for Everyone
While the above solution should work for most users, some might still experience issues. This could be due to various reasons, such as:
- iHeartRadio version: If you’re using an older version of iHeartRadio, you might not have the option to stop playback when locked.
- iOS version: The behavior of iHeartRadio might vary depending on the iOS version you’re using.
- Other app interactions: Other apps or system processes might be interfering with iHeartRadio’s ability to stop playing when locked.
Solution 2: Use iOS’s Music Controls to Stop iHeartRadio
If the first solution doesn’t work for you, you can use iOS’s music controls to stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked. Here’s how:
- Open the Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen (on iPhone 8 and earlier) or swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen (on iPhone X and later).
- Tap on the Music widget to open the music controls.
- Tap on the Pause button to stop iHeartRadio from playing.
This method will stop iHeartRadio from playing, but it requires you to manually open the Control Center and tap on the Pause button every time you want to stop the music.
Using Siri to Stop iHeartRadio
If you have Siri enabled on your iPhone, you can use voice commands to stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked. Here’s how:
- Press and hold the Side button (on iPhone X and later) or the Home button (on iPhone 8 and earlier) to activate Siri.
- Say “Hey Siri, stop music” or “Hey Siri, pause iHeartRadio”.
- Siri will stop iHeartRadio from playing.
This method is convenient if you have Siri enabled and prefer using voice commands to control your iPhone.
Solution 3: Use a Third-Party App to Stop iHeartRadio
If the above solutions don’t work for you, you can consider using a third-party app to stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked. There are several apps available on the App Store that can help you control music playback, including:
- Musixmatch: A music recognition app that allows you to control music playback and stop iHeartRadio from playing when locked.
- Music Controls: A music control app that provides additional features to manage music playback, including the ability to stop iHeartRadio when locked.
Keep in mind that these third-party apps might have varying degrees of success, and some might require additional setup and configuration.
Conclusion
Stopping iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked is a relatively simple process, but it might require some trial and error to find the solution that works best for you. By using the app’s settings, iOS’s music controls, or a third-party app, you can regain control over your music playback and prevent iHeartRadio from draining your battery and data.
Why does iHeartRadio keep playing when my iPhone is locked?
iHeartRadio, like many other music streaming apps, is designed to continue playing music even when your iPhone is locked. This feature is intended to provide a seamless listening experience, allowing you to continue enjoying your favorite tunes while multitasking or taking a break from your device. However, it can be frustrating if you don’t want the music to keep playing when your iPhone is locked.
The reason iHeartRadio continues to play in the background is due to a feature called “background audio.” This allows the app to keep running and playing music even when you’re not actively using it. This feature is turned on by default, which is why you may not even realize it’s happening.
How do I stop iHeartRadio from playing when my iPhone is locked?
To stop iHeartRadio from playing when your iPhone is locked, you’ll need to disable the “background audio” feature. To do this, open the iHeartRadio app and go to the “Settings” section. Scroll down to the “Playback” or “Audio” section, depending on the version of the app you’re using. From there, toggle off the “Background Audio” or “Continue Playback” switch. This will prevent iHeartRadio from continuing to play music when your iPhone is locked.
It’s worth noting that disabling background audio may affect your overall listening experience. For example, if you’re listening to a podcast or live radio show, disabling background audio may cause the stream to pause or stop when you lock your iPhone. However, if you’re simply looking to stop the music from playing when your iPhone is locked, this is the solution you’re looking for.
Will disabling background audio affect my listening experience?
Disabling background audio may affect your listening experience, especially if you’re used to listening to music or podcasts in the background while doing other tasks. When you disable background audio, the music or podcast will pause or stop when you lock your iPhone. This means you’ll need to reopen the app and restart the stream in order to continue listening. However, if you’re primarily looking to stop the music from playing when your iPhone is locked, this should not have a significant impact on your overall listening experience.
That being said, if you’re someone who relies heavily on background audio, you may want to consider finding an alternative solution. For example, you could try using a different music streaming app that allows you to control background audio more granularly. Alternatively, you could try using a feature like Apple’s “Now Playing” to control the playback of your music from the lock screen.
Can I control iHeartRadio playback from the lock screen?
Yes, you can control iHeartRadio playback from the lock screen on your iPhone. When you’re listening to music or a podcast on iHeartRadio, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the “Now Playing” feature on the lock screen. From there, you can pause, play, skip forward, and skip backward through your music or podcast. You can also use the volume controls to adjust the volume of the playback.
Keep in mind that this feature is only available on devices running iOS 11 or later. If you’re using an older version of iOS, you may not have access to this feature. Additionally, the “Now Playing” feature may not be available if you’re using a different music streaming app or if you’ve disabled background audio.
How do I pause iHeartRadio playback from the lock screen?
To pause iHeartRadio playback from the lock screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the “Now Playing” feature. From there, tap the “Pause” button to pause the playback. You can also use the “Play” button to resume playback when you’re ready to continue listening.
Keep in mind that pausing playback from the lock screen will only pause the music or podcast temporarily. If you want to stop the music from playing entirely, you’ll need to disable background audio as described above.
Can I customize iHeartRadio playback settings?
Yes, you can customize iHeartRadio playback settings to suit your needs. In addition to disabling background audio, you can also adjust other playback settings, such as the audio quality, playback speed, and more. To access these settings, open the iHeartRadio app and go to the “Settings” section. From there, you can adjust the playback settings to your liking.
Keep in mind that the available playback settings may vary depending on the version of the app you’re using and the type of device you’re using. Additionally, some playback settings may only be available to premium subscribers or users who have signed up for a paid subscription.
Will disabling background audio affect my battery life?
Disabling background audio may actually help improve your battery life. When an app continues to play music or audio in the background, it can continue to drain your battery even when you’re not actively using the app. By disabling background audio, you can prevent this from happening and help extend your battery life.
However, it’s worth noting that the impact on battery life will likely be minimal unless you’re someone who listens to music or podcasts for extended periods of time. In general, disabling background audio is more about stopping the music from playing when your iPhone is locked rather than saving battery life.