Apple Music’s live lyrics feature has always been one of its best. Tap a song, follow the words in real time, and sing along.
iOS 26 makes that experience better, especially when you’re listening in a language you don’t speak.
Apple now shows real-time translations for supported songs. If you’re playing a track in Korean, Spanish, or Japanese, the translated lyrics appear just below the original.
You don’t have to leave the app or look anything up. It’s built in and available inside the lyrics view.
The update doesn’t stop there. You also get phonetic guidance. Tap on a line and Apple Music shows you how to pronounce it.
That’s helpful if you’re trying to follow along or learn a few words from the song. It utilizes the same translation technology behind the new system-wide Live Translate, but here it’s tuned specifically for music.
You don’t need to toggle anything on in the Settings app. If the song has supported lyrics and a translation available, it just works.
Not every track will have it, but early support already includes a wide range of popular artists and genres.
This will be particularly useful for language learners, as it helps them comprehend spoken words. It also makes global music far more accessible, even if you don’t understand the lyrics.
You should note that Apple hasn’t yet added full language settings for lyrics. So you can’t request translations into languages other than your system default.
However, even in its initial version, this represents a significant step forward for music discovery.
Apple Music is also getting AutoMix, which adds smooth transitions between songs. You’ll also be able to pin your favorite albums, playlists, or artists exactly where you want them.
To learn more, check out the full list of what’s coming to Apple Music in iOS 26.
Are you excited for this feature, or do you think it’s one of those things you’ll forget about in a week?
