new functionalities were introduced to Apple Music with the release of iOS 26. From the new Liquid Glass interface, the enhancements of Lyrics Translation and Lyrics Pronunciation, the capability to auto-pin songs, albums, artists, and playlists, refreshed widgets, and even animated album artwork on the Lock Screen, users are likely still exploring all that the service has in store post-update.
In addition to these new functionalities, Apple incorporated AutoMix, which was expected to be an upgrade over Crossfade. The latter has been a feature on the Mac for years, but it only appeared for iPhone and iPad users with iOS 18. With AutoMix, Apple Music introduced a DJ-style feature intended to blend one track into another smoothly, similar to Crossfade, but with more fluid transitions.
After a six-month trial switching between AutoMix and Crossfade, while neglecting to disable it each time I configured a new device, I determined that this is the least favorable feature of Apple Music, particularly if you, like me, aren’t a fan of house, techno, and pop genres. Here’s my take on the feature — what it does well, what it fails at, and how to permanently disable it.
