Apple Music Gets Music Pins in iOS 26: Here’s How They Work

If you’re tired of scrolling endlessly to find that one playlist you play every day or the album you keep on repeat, iOS 26 finally has something for you. Apple has added a simple but powerful feature to Apple Music called Music Pins. It lets you keep your favorites right at the top of your Library so you can jump into them instantly. No more digging, no more forgetting, your go-to music is always just a tap away.

Here’s everything you need to know about Music Pins in Apple Music and how to use them on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows.

What Are Music Pins in Apple Music?

Music Pins let you save up to six items—songs, albums, playlists, or artists—directly to the top of your Library tab in Apple Music. Think of it as a shortcut to your musical essentials.

Once pinned, they stay front and center across all your devices, whether you’re on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

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You can even set them to download automatically for offline listening. The first time you pin something, iOS 26 will ask if you want this turned on. You can always change it later in Settings.

How to Set Up and Manage Music Pins on iPhone and iPad

On iPhone and iPad, the process is the same. Once pinned, your items stay at the top of the Library for quick access.

Pin Playlists, Albums, Artists, or Songs

Pinning is simple—you just choose what you want and lock it to the top.

1. Open the Music app and head to Library.
2. Find the playlist, artist, album, song, or video you want.
3. Touch and hold it, or tap the three‑dot menu beside it, then select Pin.
4. Once pinned, it instantly shows up at the very top of your Library.

Remove or Reorder Pins

Cleaning up pins or reordering them only takes a moment.

1. In Library, touch and hold a pinned item and tap Unpin.
2. Or tap the three‑dot menu, choose Edit Pins, then remove or drag items into the order you like.

Customize Tap Actions (iPhone only)

On iPhone, you can decide what a pin does when you tap it.

1. Touch and hold a pinned item.
2. Tap Tap Action.
3. Pick whether you want it to Play, Shuffle, or Open its detail page.

This is handy if you prefer playlists to start shuffling right away.

How to Use Music Pins on Mac

On Mac, pins work just as smoothly. You can add them from playlists, albums, or even the Now Playing screen, and rearrange them in the sidebar.

Add Pins on Mac

Here’s how to quickly add pins on your Mac:

1. Open the Music app.
2. For playlists, Control‑click on one in the sidebar and choose Pin Playlist.
3. For artists, open the Artists section, select an artist, tap the three‑dot menu, and hit Pin Artist.
4. For albums, Control‑click an album and choose Pin Album.
5. For songs, use the three‑dot menu next to a track or from Now Playing, then select Pin Song.
6. For videos, go to Music Videos in the sidebar, click the three‑dot menu, and select Pin Music Video.

Remove Pins on Mac

If your sidebar gets cluttered, removing pins is just as quick.

1. In the sidebar, click Pins.
2. Control‑click on the item you want to remove and select Unpin.

Tip: You can also drag pins in the sidebar to put them in the order you prefer.

How to Use Music Pins on Windows

The Windows version mirrors the Mac layout, with pins accessible from the sidebar.

Add Pins on Windows

Here’s the flow for adding pins on Windows:

1. Open Apple Music on Windows.
2. For playlists, go to the sidebar, pick a playlist, tap the three‑dot menu, and choose Pin Playlist.
3. For artists, open Artists, select one, then tap the three‑dot menu → Pin Artist.
4. For albums, head to Albums or Recently Added, tap the three‑dot menu, and select Pin Album.
5. For songs, open Songs, tap the three‑dot menu next to a track (or from Now Playing) and hit Pin Song.
6. For videos, go to Music Videos, tap the three‑dot menu, and select Pin Music Video.

Remove Pins on Windows

Unpinning is equally simple.

1. In the sidebar, open Pins.
2. Click the three‑dot menu beside the item and choose Unpin.

And just like on Mac, you can drag and drop pins in the sidebar to rearrange them.

How Many Items Can You Pin in Apple Music?

Right now, you can pin up to six different items at a time. You can mix and match however you like—maybe one artist, two playlists, and a few albums. This setup keeps your everyday favorites handy while also leaving room for music you plan to check out later.

Apple Music Widgets for Quick Access to Pins

iOS 26 also brings new Home Screen widgets tied to your pinned music.

• Pins Widgets (medium and large): Jump into your pinned tracks directly.
• Live Radio Widget: Quick access to Apple Music’s six hosted radio stations.

How to Enable Auto-Download for Pinned Music

Pinned music can stay downloaded for offline playback.

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and select Apps.
3. Tap Music.
4. Choose Download Pins and toggle it on or off as you prefer.

Other New Apple Music Features in iOS 26

Music Pins aren’t arriving alone. iOS 26 is one of the biggest Apple Music updates in years, and here’s what else you’re getting:

• AutoMix: AI‑powered DJ transitions that blend songs seamlessly with beat matching and time stretching.
• Animated Lock Screen Album Art: Full‑screen, animated artwork right on your Lock Screen.
• Apple Music Replay: Now fully native in the app, showing your monthly and yearly listening stats without needing a web view.
• Playlist Folders: Create and manage folders for better playlist organization directly on iPhone.
• Lyrics Translation & Pronunciation: Live translations of lyrics with phonetic guidance so you can understand and sing along in other languages.

Why Music Pins Are Worth Using

It’s a small feature, but it solves a real frustration. With Music Pins, your everyday tracks are always within reach, and you won’t lose track of albums or playlists you’re meaning to explore.

With iOS 26, Apple Music feels more personal — your Library isn’t just a long list anymore, it’s tailored to your habits. And that little change might make the biggest difference in how you listen every day.