Guide · May 2026
MacBook Notch Music Controls — Control Spotify & Apple Music from the Notch
Your MacBook notch can show album art, track info, and playback controls for any music app — no window switching required. Here's how to set it up.
The Problem: Music Controls Are Buried
When you're working in a full-screen app and want to skip a track, you have three options: use keyboard media keys (if your keyboard has them), swipe to expose the Control Center, or Cmd+Tab to the music app. None of these are ideal when you're in flow.
The MacBook notch sits right at the top of your screen — always visible, always within mouse reach. Apps like Notchly use this space to show a persistent, hover-activated music control panel. One hover and you can see what's playing, skip tracks, adjust volume, and see album art — then move your cursor away and it collapses back to nothing.
Supported Music Apps
Notchly's music controls work with any app that exposes Now Playing data to macOS. This includes:
- Spotify — Full track info, album art, and playback controls
- Apple Music — Native integration with album art and lyrics indicator
- YouTube Music (in browser) — Track info and play/pause
- Tidal — Full support including Hi-Res indicator
- Amazon Music — Track info and controls
- Deezer — Full playback support
- SoundCloud (in browser) — Basic now playing info
- Podcast apps — Works with Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and others
If your music app shows in the macOS Now Playing widget, it works with Notchly. No configuration needed.
What the Notch Music Panel Shows
When music is playing and you hover over the notch, the panel expands to show:
- Album Art — Full-color album artwork displayed in the notch panel
- Track Title & Artist — Currently playing song name and artist
- Play / Pause — Toggle playback with one click
- Previous / Next — Skip forward or back
- Progress Bar — Visual indicator of track progress
- Volume Control — Adjust system volume without reaching for keyboard
The panel collapses back when you move your cursor away, so it never interrupts your workflow. When no music is playing, the notch area shows your other enabled modules (calendar, clipboard, etc.) or stays minimal.
How to Set Up Music Controls in the Notch
Setting this up takes about 60 seconds:
- Install Notchly: Open Terminal and run
curl -fsSL https://notchly.app/install | sh - Launch Notchly from Applications
- Play music in Spotify, Apple Music, or any player
- Hover over the notch — the music panel appears automatically
Music controls are included in the free tier — no Pro upgrade required.
Notchly vs Other Options for Music Controls
| Feature | Notchly | NotchNook | Boring Notch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album Art | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Track Info | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Playback Controls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Volume Control | Yes | No | No |
| Progress Bar | Yes | Yes | No |
| All Music Apps | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Free Tier | Yes | No | Yes (OSS) |
| Price | $15 | $25 | Free |
FAQ
Does it work with Spotify Free or only Premium?
Both. Notchly reads Now Playing data from macOS, which is available regardless of your Spotify plan.
Will it drain my battery?
No. Notchly uses less than 1% CPU when idle and about 30-50 MB of RAM. Battery impact is negligible.
Can I use music controls alongside other notch features?
Yes. Music controls are one module — you can enable clipboard, calendar, timer, and more alongside it.
Control Your Music From the Notch
Music controls are free in Notchly. No upgrade needed.
Download Notchly