How to View Apple Music Lyrics Alongside Album Artwork in iOS 27
Apple Music has made it easier to follow your favourite songs with a new lyrics layout in iOS 27.
For the first time, the iPhone’s redesigned landscape Now Playing screen can display song lyrics alongside album artwork, creating a more convenient experience for listeners who enjoy reading or singing along.
Whether you’re using your iPhone on a desk, following the words to a new release or learning the lyrics to a favourite song, here’s how to use the feature.
How to display Apple Music lyrics in landscape mode
The new landscape lyrics interface is available through the Apple Music app on compatible iPhones running iOS 27.
To display the lyrics:
- Open Apple Music on your iPhone.
- Choose a song from the Apple Music catalogue and start playback.
- Tap the current song at the bottom of the app to expand the Now Playing screen.
- Tap the Lyrics button near the playback controls.
- Make sure Portrait Orientation Lock is disabled in Control Centre.
- Rotate your iPhone horizontally.
When lyrics are available, the updated interface can show the words alongside the song’s artwork.
For tracks with time-synchronised lyrics, the highlighted words progress as the music plays.
How do Apple Music live lyrics work?
Apple Music supports time-synchronised lyrics for many songs in its catalogue.
Rather than displaying a static page of words, the feature follows the music and highlights lyrics as the track progresses.
This makes it easier to sing along, identify a particular line or understand the structure of a song.
The feature is particularly helpful for listeners exploring unfamiliar artists or listening to songs in another language.
However, the availability of synchronised lyrics varies between recordings. Some songs only provide full, non-synchronised lyrics, while others may not have lyrics available at all.
Can you translate lyrics in Apple Music?
Yes. Apple Music supports lyrics translation for selected songs and languages.
To check whether a song supports translation:
- Start playing the song and open its lyrics.
- Tap the Translation and Pronunciation button, if available.
- Select Show Translation to display translated lyrics.
- Alternatively, choose Show Pronunciation if you want help saying the original words.
These features are especially useful for music in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French and other languages.
With iOS 27, Apple has also expanded support for additional translation and pronunciation language combinations.
The exact options depend on the song, its language and your device’s preferred language settings.
How to make Apple Music lyrics easier to read
There are several ways to improve your lyrics experience.
Use landscape mode
Turning your iPhone sideways gives the lyrics more room and lets you keep the album artwork visible.
Adjust lyrics text preferences
Open Settings > Apps > Music > Larger Text to review the available lyrics and pronunciation display options.
Use a phone stand
A horizontal stand is useful when reading lyrics while working, cooking or practising a song.
Try lyrics translation
If you’re listening to music in another language, check whether Apple Music can display a translation or pronunciation guide.
Why are lyrics missing in Apple Music?
Sometimes the Lyrics button is unavailable or the lyrics screen appears empty.
Common reasons include:
- Lyrics haven’t been provided for the recording.
- The song isn’t part of the Apple Music catalogue.
- The device isn’t connected to the internet and the required lyrics data isn’t available offline.
- The track only supports static lyrics rather than synchronised lyrics.
- Translation isn’t supported for the song or selected language.
Try playing another well-known song from the Apple Music catalogue to determine whether the issue is limited to a particular recording.
You can also check for software updates and reopen the app.
Can artists add lyrics to Apple Music?
Artists and record labels can arrange for lyrics to appear on streaming platforms, although the process depends on the services and lyric providers involved.
Accurate lyrics are valuable because they improve the listener experience, help fans understand songs and make music more accessible across languages.
For independent musicians, this is particularly important when releasing songs internationally.
If you’re preparing a new release, make sure you have an accurate version of your lyrics and understand how your lyric provider handles submissions and synchronisation.
Distributing a recording to Apple Music doesn’t automatically guarantee that synchronised lyrics will appear.
Apple Music lyrics are becoming a bigger part of music discovery
Apple Music’s updated lyrics interface reflects the growing importance of visual and interactive listening experiences.
Music streaming is no longer simply about pressing play. Listeners want to understand lyrics, explore the meaning behind songs and engage more closely with the artists they enjoy.
With translated lyrics, pronunciation guidance and the new landscape interface, Apple Music is making it easier to connect with music from around the world.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see Apple Music lyrics on my iPhone?
Play a song, open the Now Playing screen and tap the Lyrics button.
How do I put Apple Music lyrics next to album artwork?
On iOS 27, open the lyrics view and rotate your iPhone into landscape mode with Portrait Orientation Lock switched off.
Does every song on Apple Music have lyrics?
No. Lyrics availability varies by recording, and not all songs have synchronised lyrics.
Can Apple Music translate song lyrics?
Yes, for supported songs and languages. Open the lyrics screen and look for the Translation and Pronunciation button.