Enable iTunes Notification Center Widget on Mac

This guide shows you how to add the iTunes (now Music) widget to your Mac’s Notification Center, giving you quick access to play/pause, skip, and volume controls without opening the app. You’ll need a Mac running macOS 10.10 or later, and the Music app (or iTunes on older systems) installed.

What You’ll Need

A Mac with macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) or newer
The Music app (on macOS Catalina and later) or iTunes (on macOS Mojave and earlier)
An active Apple ID (for downloading music, though not required for the widget itself)

Step-by-Step

Open Notification Center: Click the date and time in the top-right corner of your screen, or swipe left with two fingers from the right edge of your trackpad. On older Macs, you can also click the Notification Center icon in the menu bar.
Scroll to the bottom: In the Today view, scroll down until you see the “Edit Widgets” button at the very bottom. Click it.
Find the Music widget: In the widget gallery, you’ll see a list of available widgets. Look for “Music” (or “iTunes” on older macOS versions). It’s usually in the “Music” category or under “More Widgets.”
Add the widget: Click the green plus (+) button next to the Music widget. The widget will be added to your Today view. You can also drag it to a preferred position in the list.
Click “Done”: After adding, click the “Done” button in the bottom-right corner of the gallery to save your changes.
Use the widget: You’ll now see the Music widget in your Notification Center. It shows the currently playing song and provides playback controls (play/pause, next, previous) and a volume slider. Clicking the song title opens the Music app.

Common Mistakes

Looking for “iTunes” when you have macOS Catalina or later: The app is now called “Music,” so the widget is labeled “Music” as well. Searching for “iTunes” in the widget list will turn up nothing.
Not scrolling down in the Today view: The “Edit Widgets” button is at the very bottom. If you don’t scroll all the way down, you won’t see it.
Clicking the widget but nothing happens: The widget only controls the Music app. If you’re playing audio from another app (like Spotify or a web browser), the widget won’t affect it.
Widget is grayed out or unresponsive: This usually means the Music app isn’t running or hasn’t been opened at least once since login. Open the Music app, then try the widget again.

Tips

Reorder widgets: While in Edit mode, you can drag the Music widget up or down to place it where you want. Keep it near the top for quicker access.
Remove the widget: To remove it, click “Edit Widgets,” find the Music widget in your Today view, and click the red minus (−) button.
Keyboard shortcut: You can open Notification Center with a keyboard shortcut: Control + Command + N (on macOS Ventura and later, it’s Control + Command + N or swipe left with two fingers). This saves a click.
Use the widget for quick volume: The volume slider in the widget is handy for adjusting volume without opening the Music app or using the keyboard keys.
Check for macOS updates: Widget behavior can change slightly with new macOS versions. Keeping your system updated ensures the widget works as expected.

Troubleshooting

Widget not appearing in the gallery: If you don’t see the Music widget at all, try restarting Notification Center. You can do this by logging out and back in, or restarting your Mac. Also, make sure the Music app is installed (it comes with macOS, but if you deleted it, you can reinstall it from the App Store).

Widget shows “No Music Playing”: This is normal when nothing is playing. Open the Music app and play a song. The widget will update immediately.

Widget is not responding to clicks: Try clicking the song title to open the Music app. If that doesn’t work, restart the Music app. If the issue persists, restart your Mac.

Widget disappeared after macOS update: Sometimes updates reset widget settings. Simply follow the steps above to re-add it.

Volume slider not working: The volume slider controls the Music app’s output volume, not the system volume. If you have your system volume muted, the slider won’t produce sound. Check your system volume in the menu bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the widget to control other music apps like Spotify?

No, the widget only controls the Music (iTunes) app. Third-party apps have their own widgets or use the system media controls (which appear in the Control Center on newer macOS versions).

Why is the widget called “Music” and not “iTunes”?

Starting with macOS Catalina (10.15), Apple replaced iTunes with separate apps: Music, Podcasts, and TV. So the widget was renamed accordingly.

Can I change the size of the widget?

No, the Music widget has a fixed size. You can only reorder it or remove it.

Does the widget work when my Mac is locked?

No, Notification Center is not accessible from the lock screen. You’ll need to unlock your Mac to use the widget.

Why does the widget sometimes show a song I was listening to hours ago?

The widget remembers the last played song. If the Music app is closed, it will still show the last track. It only updates when you play something new.

Can I add multiple Music widgets?

No, you can only add one instance of the Music widget to Notification Center.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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