The all-new Apple Music app, which comes (like it or not) in the just-released iOS 8.4 update for iPhone and iPad, is many things, but customizable is not one of them.
Sure, you can still create your own playlists and spin up streaming “radio” stations based on any artists or songs you choose. However, you can no longer pick which buttons you want to see at the bottom of the screen—you know, buttons for Artists, Songs, Genres, and the like.
Instead, here are the tabs you get: My Music, Playlists, Radio (for Apple’s free streaming radio stations), and Connect. These let music fans “connect with their favorite artists” through a new, Twitter-like social network. The buttons are slightly different for those who sign up for the new, all-you-can-stream Apple Music subscription service, which starts at $10 a month.
There is, in fact, a way to get rid of the Connect button, but it’s hidden in the Restrictions section of the iOS Settings menu.
Now, I can settle for My Music, Playlists, and Radio, but Connect? Hmm. When I tap the Connect button on my iPhone, all I get is a photo of a bare-chested Flea with his arm in a sling. Uh, no thanks. (Apologies to any Red Hot Chili Peppers fans out there.)
So, guess I’ll just hide the Connect button, right? Not so fast. Tap and hold the Connect button, and nothing happens, and there’s no obvious way to hide the button on swap in a replacement.
Good news, though: there is, in fact, a way to get rid of the Connect button, but it’s well hidden.
Here’s what you do:
- Tap Settings, General, Restrictions (think parental controls), then tap Enable Restrictions.
- If you didn’t have Restrictions enabled already, you’ll be prompted to create a four-digit passcode. Go ahead and do so, but don’t forget your new PIN.
- Scroll down to the Apple Music Connect setting and flip off its switch.
Head back to the Apple Music app, and whoosh! Buh-buy, Connect button.
Bonus tip
When you tap the My Music button in the new Apple Music app, you’ll see a big alphabetical list of all artists in your collection. Fine, but what if you want to see a list of albums, songs, genres, or something else?
Just tap the Artists heading; doing so will open a drop-down menu, with options ranging from albums to composers and music compilations.
It seems obvious once you know the trick, but it took me a good five minutes of frustrated tapping to figure it out. (Oh, how I miss the easy-as-pie interface on the original iPod.)