Share Recently Played Music on iOS 10

This guide shows you how to share the music you’ve been listening to recently with friends directly from your iPhone or iPad running iOS 10. You can send a single song, an album, or your whole recent listening history through Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or social apps. Before you start, make sure your device is updated to iOS 10 or later and that you have an active Apple Music subscription or purchased music in your library.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 10 or newer
Apple Music app (the built-in Music app, not a third-party player)
An Apple Music subscription (for streaming songs) or purchased/downloaded music
An active internet connection for streaming links
Friends with iOS devices or access to Apple Music links

Step-by-Step

Open the Music app. Tap the Music icon on your Home screen. It’s the app with a musical note on a red, pink, and purple background.
Go to “For You” or “My Music.” At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see tabs like “Library,” “For You,” “Browse,” and “Radio.” Tap “For You” to see your personalized mixes and recent activity, or tap “Library” to browse your own collection. For recently played songs, “For You” is usually the fastest route.
Find the “Recently Played” section. Scroll down in the “For You” tab. You’ll see a horizontal row labeled “Recently Played.” This shows a grid of albums and playlists you’ve listened to recently. If you don’t see it, scroll further or pull down to refresh.
Tap a song or album to open it. Tap on any item in the Recently Played row. This opens the album or playlist view. If you want to share a specific song, tap the song title to go to its “Now Playing” screen.
Tap the “…” (ellipsis) button. This is the three-dot icon. It’s usually in the top-right corner of the album or playlist view, or in the bottom-right of the Now Playing screen. Tapping it opens a menu of options.
Select “Share Song” or “Share Album.” In the menu, look for a “Share” option. It might say “Share Song,” “Share Album,” or just “Share.” Tap it.
Choose how to share. A share sheet will slide up from the bottom. You’ll see a row of app icons like Messages, Mail, AirDrop, Facebook, Twitter, and “Copy Link.” Tap the one you want.
For Messages: Type your friend’s name or number, add a note if you like, and tap the send arrow. The song will appear as a link that your friend can tap to play it in Apple Music or iTunes.
For Mail: Fill in the recipient, subject, and any message. The link will be included in the email body. Hit send.
For AirDrop: Make sure the person you’re sharing with has AirDrop turned on (Control Center > AirDrop > Contacts Only or Everyone). Tap their name or device icon in the AirDrop row. They’ll get a prompt to accept the link.
To share your full recent history: There’s no direct “share all recent songs” button in iOS 10. Instead, create a new playlist with those songs. Go to Library > Playlists > New Playlist, name it “Recent,” then add songs from your Recently Played list. Then share the playlist using the same “…” button and “Share Playlist” option.
If the friend doesn’t have Apple Music: The link will still work. It opens in iTunes on a computer or in the Music app on iOS, and they can preview the song. They just won’t be able to stream the full track without a subscription.

Common Mistakes

Sharing from the wrong app: If you use Spotify or another music app, the share button won’t work the same way. This guide is for the built-in Apple Music app only.
Looking for a “Share” button that isn’t there: On some screens, the “…” button is hidden. You might need to tap a song first to open Now Playing, then look for the “…” at the bottom right.
Sharing a playlist instead of a song: If you tap the “…” on the album view, you might get “Share Album” instead of “Share Song.” Make sure you’re on the song’s Now Playing screen if you want just one track.
Forgetting to update iOS: Sharing options changed in later iOS versions. If you’re on iOS 9 or earlier, the steps are different. Check your iOS version in Settings > General > About.
Sending to someone without Apple Music: The link will open a preview page, not the full song. Let your friend know they’ll need a subscription or can buy the track.

Tips

Use “Copy Link” for non-iOS friends: If your friend is on Android or uses a computer, tap “Copy Link” instead of Messages. Then paste the link into WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or any chat app. The link opens in their browser.
Create a “Recent Favorites” playlist weekly: Instead of digging through Recently Played each time, make a playlist at the end of each week with your top songs. Then sharing takes just a few taps.
Use Siri for quick sharing: Say “Hey Siri, share [song name] with [contact name].” Siri will open the share sheet for that song. This works in iOS 10 if you have Siri enabled.
Preview the share before sending: On the share sheet, you’ll see a small preview of what the link looks like. Make sure it shows the right song title and artist.
AirDrop is fastest for nearby friends: If you’re sitting next to someone, AirDrop is instant and doesn’t use data. Just make sure both devices have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on.

Troubleshooting

No “Share” option appears: Make sure the song is actually playable. If it’s greyed out or shows a cloud icon with a slash, it might be unavailable. Try playing it first, then go back and share.
The link opens but shows “This song is not available”: This happens when the song was removed from Apple Music or is region-locked. Try sharing a different song or ask your friend to search for it manually.
AirDrop doesn’t find your friend: Both devices need to have AirDrop set to “Everyone” temporarily, or you both need to be in each other’s Contacts. Also check that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on for both.
Messages shows a blank preview: This is usually a temporary glitch. Wait a few seconds or tap send anyway — the link usually still works. If not, copy the link and paste it into a new message.
You can’t find “Recently Played” at all: If the section is missing, you might not have any listening history yet, or you’re looking in the wrong tab. Check “For You” first, then “Library” > “Recently Added” (which is different). Play a few songs, then check again.
The share sheet is missing apps like Facebook or Twitter: These apps need to be installed and set up in Settings > Facebook or Settings > Twitter. If they’re not there, use “Copy Link” and paste manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share a whole album from Recently Played?
Yes. Open the album from the Recently Played row, tap the “…” button, and choose “Share Album.” The recipient gets a link to the full album.

Does the person I’m sharing with need an Apple Music subscription?
No. They can preview the song for free. To listen to the full track, they’ll need a subscription or can buy it from iTunes.

Can I share my entire listening history at once?
Not directly in iOS 10. You can create a playlist with your recent songs and share that playlist instead.

Will the shared link work on an Android phone?
Yes, if you use “Copy Link” and paste it into any messaging app. The link opens in the browser and plays a preview. They can’t add it to Apple Music on Android, but they can listen to the preview.

Why does the share sheet look different from screenshots I see online?
Screenshots might be from a newer iOS version. In iOS 10, the share sheet is simpler — a row of app icons at the bottom. Newer versions have a more colorful grid layout.

Can I share a song from the “Now Playing” screen while listening?
Yes. While a song is playing, tap the “…” button in the bottom-right corner of the Now Playing screen, then tap “Share Song.”

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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