It’s rare for Apple to add options to iOS that let you set the app you actually want to use to achieve something as the default, rather than forcing you to use the official Apple app. And while I doubt you’ll ever be able to use anything other than the App Store to get new software on your iPhone (without jailbreaking it), at least you’ll be able to quickly choose which app to use to play your iPhone. music standard.
This oft-talked about feature is expected to be part of iOS 14.5, but there was a bit of a tough patch in development: the option appeared in beta, lagged in a subsequent update, and is now back. That’s normal though – and now that it’s back I’m confident it will appear in the latest build of iOS 14.5 when that arrives.
To view this setting now, you will need to go through the usual process of installing the iOS 14.5 developer beta (version 3, at the time of writing). Her not difficult to do, but as always, I’ll remind you that installing a beta operating system runs the risk of your phone slowing down, getting some apps picky, or causing some other peculiar issues that won’t happen until later in the beta (or with the final release).
There is no setting you tap to change your default music player, which is a curious omission. I hope Apple adds something to the bundled version of iOS 14.5. Instead, you have to ask Siri to play music, such as asking a song from your favorite band. If you do, and if you have multiple music apps installed on your device, you will be prompted to choose one as your default app.
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From now you only get one chance at this. Whatever you choose is going to be the standard for your future “Hey Siri” commands, and it takes some hassle to prompt to load again if you to change your mind. (Again, it would be much easier have this as an option somewhere Settings> Musicbut what do I know?)
That said, if you still do want to play music from various services or apps installed on your device, just add the name of that service to your request and Siri will obeyFor example, you could say “Play Nine Inch Nails” to listen through the default service that you previously selectedOr you can say “Play Nine Inch Nails on Spotify” to launch the music in that app
This is one admittedly awkward way to get a default music player on iOS, but that’s the way things are (for now). We will update this article if or when the steps change in an upcoming beta.