Shazam is built into every modern iPhone, but most people still reach for the standalone app — and miss the three faster ways to recognise a song that Apple has quietly buried in iOS settings. Here’s how to use Shazam on iPhone in seconds, including the Action Button trick on iPhone 15 Pro and later, the Control Centre shortcut that works on every iPhone, and Auto-Shazam for keeping a running list of every song that plays around you.

Method 1: The Action Button (iPhone 15 Pro / 16 Pro and later)

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max, this is by far the fastest method — single hold, song identified, no screens to unlock.

1. Open Settings > Action Button.
2. Swipe through the carousel until you see Shortcut.
3. Tap Choose a Shortcut, then search for Shazam (you may need to install it once from Shortcuts to make it appear).
4. Pick Identify with Shazam. Done.

Now, in any app, on any screen, even with the phone locked, hold the Action Button for half a second. Shazam listens, identifies, and saves the result to your library — no unlocking, no app launch, no screen-staring.

If your Action Button is no longer responding cleanly — common after drops or water exposure — we cover Action Button repair on every Pro model at our Golders Green iPhone repair workshop, same-day, while you wait.

Method 2: Control Centre Shazam (works on every iPhone)

This is the method most iPhone users don’t know about — Shazam has been built into Control Centre since iOS 14.6, and it works on every iPhone Apple still sells, no Pro required.

1. Open Settings > Control Centre.
2. Scroll down to More Controls.
3. Tap the green + next to Music Recognition.
4. Done — pull down Control Centre any time and tap the Shazam icon.

The recognition runs in the background, so you can swipe Control Centre away and Shazam will keep listening, then send you a notification when it has the answer. Useful when the song is fading and you’re worried about losing it.

Method 3: The Shazam App Itself

Still useful if you want the full song page, lyrics in real time, and playback through Apple Music. The app is a free download from the App Store and works on every iPhone running iOS 15 or later. Open it, tap the big Shazam button, listen for two to four seconds. Same engine, more interface.

The one feature only the standalone app gives you: Shazam history — every song you’ve ever identified, sortable by date and location, exportable to Apple Music or Spotify.

Method 4: Auto-Shazam (the hidden one)

Auto-Shazam is the feature most people don’t know exists. Open the Shazam app, tap and hold the big Shazam button (don’t tap — hold). The icon pulses. Now Shazam will continuously listen and identify every song it hears, in the background, while you do whatever else you were doing. Walk through a shop, a bar, a friend’s flat — when you check back, you’ll have a complete list of everything that played.

To stop, open Shazam again and tap the pulsing icon. Battery cost is small but real — don’t leave it on all day.

Shazam from Siri (no setup needed)

“Hey Siri, what song is this?” works on every iPhone running iOS 14.2 or later, with no configuration at all. Slightly slower than the methods above but useful when your hands are full or the phone is in another room.

Quick Reference: Which Method, When?

• Phone in your hand, want it identified now → Action Button (Pro) or Control Centre (any iPhone)
• Hands full or phone across the room → “Hey Siri, what song is this?”
• Want to keep a running log → Auto-Shazam (hold the icon in the app)
• Want lyrics, full song info, history → Shazam app

iPhone Not Co-operating?

If Shazam keeps failing, the problem is almost always the iPhone microphone — clogged, water-damaged, or failing after a drop. We diagnose mic issues for free at While You Wait Repairs at 91 Golders Green Road, NW11. Most microphone replacements are done same-day, while you wait. See full pricing on the iPhone repair page.