What to know

  • iOS 17 doesn’t have a feature to show lyrics on the lock screen yet.
  • Apple Music has received a number of new features, including Collaborative Playlists, Crossfade, Song Credits, and more, but not one to show lyrics on the lock screen. 
  • The ability to view song lyrics on the lock screen is absent on both iOS and Android devices. 

If you landed on this page, then you must be dreaming of waltzing through song lyrics without even deigning to unlock your phone. Well, same here, buddy! It’s a high-tech indulgence neither our Apple pals nor our Android buddies have managed to snag yet. Anyway, there’s been a buzz in the grapevine about this cool feature popping up on the spanking new iOS update. Be like, “Hey Siri, show me the lyrics on my lock screen,” and boom! But did the rumor mill hit the jackpot this time with iOS 17? Let’s dive in and see, shall we?

Does iOS 17 show lyrics on the lock screen?

The ability to view the lyrics to now-playing songs on Apple Music has been one of the most-requested features for music lovers. And even though rumors had had us expect otherwise, unfortunately, iOS 17 still doesn’t have the ability to show lyrics on the lock screen. You only have your basic media controls for the Apple Music player on the lock screen. 

Given how seriously Apple pushed its lock screen widgets, it’s a rather unfortunate turn of events to find that there’s still no place for live lyrics on the lock screen in the latest iOS 17 update. If you find any images or YouTube shorts showing otherwise, you can safely assume them to be concept designs, not the real thing.

Will iOS 17 get lyrics on the lock screen feature in future updates?

Lyrics on the Lock Screen was once a very simple feature that was available both on iPhone as well as Android devices. Over time, however, both platforms ditched the feature to put less strain on battery life. But with better battery optimization and the fact that neither Android nor iOS has implemented this feature yet, the ability to show lyrics on the lock screen now seems like a fairly low-hanging fruit that either platform could claim today. 

It’s not like iOS 17 doesn’t come with new Music App features. Apple has added a number of new features such as Crossfade, Collaborative Playlists, Music SharePlay for CarPlay, Song Credits, etc. But a feature to view song lyrics on the Lock Screen is not one of them. 

Given how eagerly many of us were expecting this to finally become a reality, as well as the rumors that hinted at it being delivered through the iOS 17 update, it’s quite possible that Apple may well include this feature in a future update. Until that time, however, users hoping to get a convenient show of lyrics on the lock screen will have to wait a while longer. 

FAQ

Let’s consider a few commonly asked questions about the ability to see lyrics on the iPhone’s lock screen.

How do I show lyrics on the iPhone lock screen?

The iPhone currently does not have the option to show lyrics on the lock screen. 

What are the latest Music App features on iOS 17?

Some of the latest Music App features on iOS 17 include Collaborative Playlists, Music SharePlay for CarPlay, Song Credits, Crossfade, an interface update for Apple Music, and Apple Music Sing on Apple TV.

Can I add a Spotify lyrics widget on the iPhone lock screen?

Spotify doesn’t have an iOS widget that lets you view song lyrics on the lock screen. The Spotify widget on the lock screen only lets you control media and open the app. 

The ability to show lyrics on the lock screen is one of the most requested and long-awaited features on both iOS and Android. However, none of them currently allow this on the lock screen which is a big miss for both platforms, especially Apple since it added a number of new features for Apple Music on iOS 17.

Whether or not this feature will see the light of day is an open question. But when and if it does, we’ll be sure to let you know. So stay tuned for that. 

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