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How to stop iTunes from launching when using Keyboard media keys

Hi,

I love the media keys on my MacBook and Apple wireless keyboard for playing, pausing, changing tracks etc with iTunes, but there are other than can utilize the media keys, like Spotify for instance. However, if I have iTunes closed, when I hit the Play key, iTunes will automatically launch, and will intercept any subsequent presses of just the play/pause button. Is there a way to stop this annoying behavior? I haven't found anything in the Keyboard shortcut system pref.

thanks.

black MacBook (Santa Rosa), 2.2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 160GB HD, 4GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 16GB iPod Touch, 2G 1GB iPod Shuffle, 4G 20GB iPod

Posted on Aug 20, 2009 5:51 PM

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310 replies

Nov 10, 2017 9:46 AM in response to Classee

Hello Classee,

I find your post very helpful. But since then my remote control for my Macbook pro has stopped working when pressing the play button or even to change to volume. Do you happen to know how this might have happened? Or maybe you could help me reverse this function:

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.rcd.plist


Thanks a lot in advance

Aug 31, 2009 4:04 AM in response to William Brawley

I have this same problem. It is getting very annoying. This is actually the first time i have felt hatred towards my Mac. I use Spotify at work, as this is my work computer, i am not allowed to use the disk space by buying tracks in iTunes. Every once in a while, someone comes up to me talking about workstuff, and pressing the pause button makes the iTunes open.

Please fix this!

Sep 1, 2009 9:57 AM in response to William Brawley

I believe there are a few issues stemming from one problem. One of many problems with Apple's growing desire to control your user experience.

The solution is to allow us to manage iTunes keyboard shortcuts. Turn them off, re-map the keyboard, whatever it is we happen to want to do, we should have the ability to do it, especially for a matter so trivial of a feature yet such an annoyance to us. Additionally, it is so obviously contrived to push their software on us it makes me a bit sick to my stomach.

Now we have such a egregious fail on Apple's part, this auto-launch with no turn off switch, it is getting bad enough that people are speaking out. I hope it opens up a discussion about users making our own decision to use itunes or not. Seems as if Apple thinks we need iTunes in order to breathe, which WE DO NOT.

Apple, don't just disappear your most recent error, stand up and correct it by allowing us the ability to shape our user experience, even in the most basic of ways.

And while you're at it, throw in FLAC for us, ok?

My reasons to stick with this OS are dwindling fast.

Message was edited by: biskitwheels

Message was edited by: biskitwheels

How to stop iTunes from launching when using Keyboard media keys

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