If your iPhone keeps playing the same song over and over, you’re not alone. Many users accidentally turn on the repeat feature in Apple Music without realizing it. The good news? Turning it off takes only a few seconds once you know where to find the controls. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to stop songs from repeating on an iPhone, along with extra tips to prevent it from happening again.
Why Songs Keep Repeating on Your iPhone
When songs repeat automatically, one of these options is usually turned on:
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Repeat One (plays the same song on loop)
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Repeat All (loops the entire playlist or album)
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Autoplay (keeps adding similar songs after your playlist ends)
Stopping repeat playback is simple once you access the right controls inside Apple Music.
How to Stop Songs From Repeating in Apple Music
1. Open the Music App
Tap the Music app on your iPhone. Play any song to reveal the Now Playing screen.
2. Open the “Now Playing” Window Fully
If the player is minimized, tap it at the bottom of the screen to expand it.
3. Tap the Three Dots or Swipe Up
Swipe up on the Now Playing screen (or tap the three-lines icon if shown) to reveal additional controls like shuffle and repeat.
4. Find the Repeat Button
Look for the repeat icon, which looks like two arrows forming a loop.
Its appearance tells you what’s active:
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Red with a small “1” = Repeat One
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Red without “1” = Repeat All
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White = Repeat Off
5. Tap the Repeat Icon Until It Turns White
This disables all repeat functions.
Tap sequence to turn off repeat:
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If showing 1 → tap once
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If showing red loop → tap once
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The icon should now appear white (repeat off)
How to Stop Songs From Repeating on Autoplay
Sometimes your iPhone seems to “repeat,” but it’s actually using Autoplay, which keeps playing similar music.
To turn off Autoplay:
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Go to the Now Playing screen.
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Swipe up to see extra controls.
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Look for the ∞ (infinity) icon.
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Tap it so it is no longer highlighted.
When the infinity symbol is off, Apple Music will not continue adding new songs after your playlist ends.
How to Keep Songs From Repeating in Playlists
If a specific playlist keeps looping:
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Open the playlist.
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Start playing it.
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Follow the same steps above to make sure repeat is off.
Repeat settings apply to whatever is currently playing, so it must be turned off while the playlist is active.
Bonus: If You’re Using Spotify on iPhone
If your music app is Spotify instead of Apple Music:
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Open Spotify and play a song.
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Tap the Now Playing bar to expand it.
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Find the repeat icon (two arrows looped).
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Tap until the icon is gray.
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Green = repeat on
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Green with “1” = repeat one
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Gray = repeat off
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Fix for When the Repeat Icon Doesn’t Appear
If you don’t see the repeat button:
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Update your iOS software.
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Update Apple Music or Spotify.
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Restart your iPhone.
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Make sure you’re playing an actual playlist or album (not a stream).
Final Thoughts
Stopping songs from repeating on your iPhone is quick once you understand where Apple Music hides the repeat controls. By adjusting both the repeat and autoplay settings, you can regain full control over your music and enjoy playlists the way they’re meant to be heard.