Lifehack: How to add Apple Music Radio Stations as Favorites (or Preset)

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You may have listened to the Apple Music Radio stations if you use Apple Music. In a world where we all curate playlists, I enjoy Apple Music Radio in the car (using Apple Car Play). But, in a stunning UX design flaw, Apple doesn’t give you a way to save Apple Music Radio stations as favorites or presets.

Well, the GOOD NEWS is there is a hack to fix this… well it’s more a workaround than a hack. Adding Apple Music Radio Stations as favorites or presets is easy and doesn’t require a 3rd party app. It uses the native Apple Shortcuts App and takes a few minutes of your time. Once done, you may even find you can no longer need that satellite radio subscription!

The instructions below will help you set shortcuts to your favorite Apple Music Radio station on your iPhone home screen.

How to add Apple Music Radio Stations as Favorites (or Preset)

These instructions were written based on iOS 16+. If Apple changes the Shortcuts app, I’ll try and remember to check, edit, and update this post.

Required

You need the free Apple Shortcuts app. If you deleted it from your phone, you can re-download Apple Shortcuts here (free!).

Part 1: Create an Apple Music Radio Preset Shortcut

In the top right-hand corner of the Apple Shortcuts App, tap the + button.
Tap the large “+ Add Action” button.
Tap the “Media” option (Bottom Row, Left Hand Side)
Scroll down until you see the “Music” heading and tap “Play Music.”
Tap on the highlighted word “Music.”
Tap “Radio,”
Find and tap the Apple Music Radio Station you want as a preset (with luck, this should be in your ‘Recently Played’ list).
Tape “Done.”

Part 2: Customizing the Name of your Apple Music Radio Preset

Now that you have created the shortcut, you can customize the name, icon, and color to make it more memorable and easier to find.

In the list of “All Shortcuts” tap and hold the shortcut you just created (it’s likely called “Play Music”) and select Edit in the menu that appears.
At the top of the screen will be an icon and the playlist name (again, likely to be called “Play Music”) with a down arrow.
Tap Rename.
Give your playlist a memorable name e.g., “My Awesome Preset”
On the iOS keyboard, tap done.
Tap what used to say “Play Music” but is now the name of your preset (yes, again!)
Tap Choose Icon.
In the “Search Symbols” dialog, type “Music” (you can have any icon you want, but assuming you want a music icon).
Pick and tap the icon you want.
Pick and tap the background color you want for the icon.
Tap Done.
Tap Done (again).

Part 3: Add the Apple Music Radio Preset to your Home Screen

In the Apple Shortcuts Screen, tap and hold the Apple Music Radio shortcut you created.
Tap the “Share” button.
Scroll up, and tap “Add to Home Screen +.”
You can now customize the icon and name that will be used on the home screen (including picking a photo or file as the icon).
Tap Add.
Minimize or close the Shortcuts App.

Tip: I do image searches for photos I want to use as the home screen icons and save them to my phone before I do Part 3.

Part 4: Enjoy your Apple Music Radio Shortcut!

You should now have a shortcut to the Apple Music Radio preset – position it wherever you like on your home screen.

I have a home screen page just for Apple Music Radio presets.

I hope this helps someone else!