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How to Get Free Music for the Rest of the Summer

Apple Music is finally here! You know what that means? That means it’s time to cancel your other premium streaming services and coast through the rest of the summer on Apple’s dime. Here’s how.

The process is simple, if you’re an iPhone user. (The same process will work for Android in a few months, when Apple Music comes out there.) All you have to do is activate your brand new Apple Music service, and turn off your existing premium service. This will give you three months of free listening and, most likely, a pretty comparable selection of things to listen to.

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Stupid simple right? Well, it will take a little more effort.

Step 1: Join Apple Music and Immediately Cancel

First things first, fire up your free subscription to Apple Music. Many colors and bubbles are involved. Just to be safe, you’ll also want to cancel the auto-renew feature on the subscription because you know you’re going to forget to cancel after the free trial. Apple makes this appropriately annoying. Just go to your profile page—click the little head icon in the upper lefthand corner of the app—then “View Apple ID.” Then hit “Manage” just under the Subscriptions header, select “Apple Music Membership,” and toggle the blue button “Off”. You’ll have to confirm a couple of things, but then you’re done.

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Step 2: Cancel Your Old Premium Streaming Service (Spotify or otherwise)

This part is also very easy! If you currently pay for a streaming music service like Spotify, Google Music, or Tidal (LOL) then you can now cancel it without fear of being musicless. Apple Music promises to have just as much if not more great content as its competitors. So why keep both services?

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I canceled my Spotify Premium music service immediately after activating my Apple Music service. Well, to be more specific, I canceled Spotify Premium immediately after canceling my Apple Music subscription because this is the summer of free trials. (Thanks Apple or whomever is paying the artists!) Because I was a Spotify user, I can walk you through the cancelation process. If you use another streaming music service, it should be equally as easy.

First things first, you can’t cancel your Spotify Premium subscription through the app—sneaky, sneaky—so go to Spotify’s website. Click in the upper right corner to sign in and go to Settings. Then go to “Account” and click “View Details” under the Spotify Premium header:

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Now you’ll see a page with your subscription and payment info and a teeny link under that to cancel your subscription. Click it.

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You’re almost done. Spotify will ask you to explain the divorce, and it doesn’t really matter what you say because they can’t stop you now. I chose to tell the truth: “I want to save money.” Because honestly, why would I pay $10 a month when I have a free trial that will last the rest of the summer? Click your choice and then “Continue”.

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That’s it! Spotify will you show you a sad goodbye screen that looks something like this:

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It was good while it lasted you Swedish geniuses. But I need some time to be free.

Step 3: Reinstate whichever service you prefer

Whenever you’re ready, you can decide to turn either subscription back on. You basically just reverse the above steps and you’re a responsible, paying music fan again. In the meantime, have fun on easy street!

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Top image via Shutterstock / Gizmodo


Contact the author at adam@gizmodo.com.
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