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Apple Music keeps opening automatically.

I'm on the point of going crazy. Apple Music keeps opening automatically. Sometimes repeatedly. I'm running Catalina 10.15.6 on a 2012 iMac. I've been using Macs for 30 years but if can't resolve this issue I'll just have to dump it and get a PC. Help! - Eugene

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 19, 2020 11:24 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 23, 2020 11:48 AM

A simple macOS application that will prevent iTunes or Apple Music from launching. Called "noTunes". I got it through github.


https://github.com/tombonez/noTunes


Saved my sanity. Also loads a button onto your dock and/or bar so you can turn it on and off at will.

Similar questions

30 replies

Dec 22, 2020 9:37 AM in response to eugene84

Boot into Safe Mode by booting with the Shift key held down and check there to see if the problem persists.  Reboot normally and test again.


NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files


Download and run Etrecheck. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC and recommended by Apple Support  to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.


Copy the report



and use the Additional Text button to include the report in your reply.






IMPORTANT:

Before running Etrecheck assign Full Disk Access to Etrecheck in the Etrecheck's Privacy preference pane so that it can get additional information from the Console and log files for the report:


Also click and read the About info to further permit full disk access.



Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine what might be causing the problem.


Aug 19, 2020 11:29 AM in response to eugene84

By doing the following you will save yourself and us a great of deal Q&A and save us all a great deal of time.


Please navigate to the Mac App Store and download the free version of EtreCheck OR please click www.EtreCheck.com where you will find the app. Once you have downloaded the free app and created the report please post it as your reply to this message. In order to post it, please use the following link for more detailed instructions on how to correctly include the results: 


https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250000211


We can then look for obvious issues that may be causing your problem.

Nov 25, 2020 9:54 AM in response to Ewan Lamont

If you want to setup Photos to never open unless you manually launch it do the following;


1 - connect an iPhone or camera to your Mac with its USB cable.

2 - launch Image Capture.

3 - in the bottom of the left hand pane select "No Application" in the Connecting this camera opens: menu



That will set it up for any iPhone, camera or memory card.


Aug 21, 2020 3:30 PM in response to rkaufmann87

I gather that my problem is not unique. I think I described my problem briefly and correctly. It's disappointing to find that nobody is willing to help me or even say if they can help me. I will never again buy an Apple computer or any other Apple product. By the way, I have found a complete solution to my problem and it's a total success. If you spend as much time as I have trying to get some help you just might succeed. Goodbye. - E

Oct 13, 2020 2:23 PM in response to eugene84

My problem, maybe clinically less severe in its effect on mental health, is that Photos pops open when it's not wanted. I do a lot with Photos and would at some point in a session open it but I am puzzled why Catalina opens it when I log in. I am wondering whether there is a setting in Preferences that invokes it or some sort of Artificial Intelligence app is wrongly guessing what I want.


As Artificial Intelligence takes over, I fear we are going to see a lot of wrong guessing by AI powered apps.

Oct 13, 2020 2:38 PM in response to Ewan Lamont

Hi Ewan, the "Overkill" app I mentioned above claims to handle the Photos problem as well. If you check out the link above it says you can "add photos to the list" meaning list of apps to shut down. It also says these actions can be easily suspended so your work-flow is not impeded. I haven't tried overkill myself but you might like to pursue it further. I hope it works out for you.


P.S. Did you know that Ewan is the Welsh for Eugene. (Eoghan is the Irish). A friend of mine called his two sons Ewan and Owen. He was highly amused to hear that they were basically the same name.


Best wishes, Eugene.

Jan 7, 2021 2:06 AM in response to eugene84

This pain happens to me all the time when I use other output devices than the default Internal Speakers. With other words, when I use my Bluetooth headphones or speakers, alternatively my Apple TV Hifi system - Apple Music kindly interrupts me in the manner you describe. Incredible bug by Apple. Mind-boggling that this problem still exists and needs 3rd party software (please see other posts) to be overcome. Thank you for your post

Feb 12, 2021 8:04 AM in response to Old Toad

This seems to be a very wide spread, reproducible issue from google and apple forums. This seems to have started happening when I started using a bluetooth headset on my Mac. Apple should be able to easily reproduce and do the debug. And comment on this. It would actually be ideal for me to remove apple music altogether. I don't use it. My phone (not apple) will sometimes start playing media when I connect to my cars bluetooth. So I wonder if this is something to do with A2DP or bluetooth device controlling music and apple music is just responding to the request?

Mar 19, 2021 10:34 AM in response to eugene84

I came across this thread because Apple Music started opening at random intervals for me today. It's been happening over the last 30 minutes every few minutes. I was reluctant to resort to installing 3rd party apps to solve the problem, but luckily for me I figured out what was happening. I have a Plantronics USB headset, the headset has inline controls in the wire with volume, answer and hang-up buttons. If you long press the answer button it launches Apple Music. It turns out I was sat on the controls XD.


It might not be as simple as this for everyone, but I thought I'd share.

Apple Music keeps opening automatically.

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