You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

📰 Newsroom Update

Billie Eilish is Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2024. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

rryk Author

Level 1

10 points

iTunes starts up whenever I connect my bluetooth headset

I am using bluetooth headset to communicate on Skype. Whenever somebody's calling me, I turn my headset on and it will automatically connect to my MacBook. Every time, however, it will also automatically start iTunes and begins to play. I don't want this behavior, since instead of listening to music I would actually want to talk on Skype. How can I change this?

Possible explanation to this could be that headphones may send "Play" button message to the computer once connected, since this is same button that is used to turn them on/off. I am not sure however, if they actually do send this button. But in case they do, how can I disable iTunes startup on Play button? Is there are an official way to do it or should I really go with something like this: http://superuser.com/questions/31925/stop-play-pause-button-opening-itunes-in-sn ow-leopard/39390#39390.

MacBook Pro 6.2, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Sep 6, 2010 2:04 AM

Top-ranking reply

crapple9999

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Dec 4, 2017 2:08 PM

This question was first posted in 2010, it is now less than a month from 2018 and this remains an issue.

In nearly 8 years the only "solutions" are hacky workarounds, that is just sad.

We are talking about a simple ON/OFF switch for auto play here! I guess it takes courage to ignore such a simple fix for so long.

My bluetooth headphones have this great feature where when I take them off, it automatically pauses the media being played and when you put them back on it resumes. On my Windows PC and Android Phone this works exactly as you'd expect, no configuration needed.

BUT, on this awesome MacBook Pro, which I am forced to use for work, every time I decide to take my head phones off and then put them back on iTunes launches and starts playing music.

View in context

139 replies

JBZic

Level 1

4 points

Oct 20, 2014 4:51 PM in response to rryk

Also super annoyed by this problem. I suppose I'll try one of these workarounds but Apple, this is ridiculous.

beckpeck

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2014 9:12 AM in response to BillHahn

Thank you! this was super helpful and comprehensive. 🙂

Nov 2, 2014 1:04 AM in response to rryk

I have a somewhat similar problem. Whenever I turn off the Bose, or it times out and disconnects, Itunes automatically starts playing from the computer speakers, even if Itunes wasn't being used or even open.

I know the low-tech solution is to just mute it, but it's annoying that this happens.

JoeJofus

Level 1

4 points

Nov 5, 2014 3:21 AM in response to mritunjai

this seems to work for me! thanks

ederlezi

Level 1

0 points

Nov 12, 2014 1:18 PM in response to NatashaMuse

I have a very much similar problem - whenever the bluetooth speaker is disconnected, itunes launches automatically. except that tonight, it even started playing podcasts by itself. it's most annoying and even more irritating that nobody at apple seems to give ****.

benbrady

Level 1

0 points

Dec 1, 2014 2:12 PM in response to rryk

Apple, your lack of response in this thread is equivalent to spitting in your users' faces. Nobody wants to use iTunes anymore, and for bluetooth controls to be hard-coded to it is totally unacceptable.

Imp68

Level 4

2,672 points

Dec 1, 2014 6:40 PM in response to benbrady

benbrady wrote:

Apple, your lack of response in this thread is equivalent to spitting in your users' faces.

This is a user to user forum. This isn't a place to communicate with Apple.

Dec 4, 2014 3:45 PM in response to mritunjai

After reading all kinds of options - this seemed the most simple.

And it worked.

Thank you, Sir.

Jan 11, 2015 8:03 PM in response to rryk

I have the same problem on my MacBook Pro. I tried all the suggestions here and nothing worked. I called Apple Care and got a great support person who actually checked with the engineers or programmers, along with calling the manufacturer of my bluetooth speaker (Bose). He called me back a few days later and said this can't be fixed on my computer and I can't disable ITunes either. He suggested I go to www.Apple.com/feedback and report the problem.

I did so, with a link to this thread. But those of you who also have been unable to resolve this might want to go there, too.

rappi141

Level 1

0 points

Jan 26, 2015 2:36 PM in response to mritunjai

Perfect solution, thank you

Feb 22, 2015 9:45 AM in response to mritunjai

I was just about to repost this from another site: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/86315/prevent-itunes-from-opening-when- connecting-bluetooth-headset

I can confirm that it works on a MBP running iTunes 12.1.0.50 / Yosemite 10.10.2 and Bose SoundDock Mini.

The loss of the F7 8 and 9 keys is no big deal. The usual shortcuts (Space / Opt. + Arrows) work just fine should I need to navigate in iTunes.

Surprise blasting of random music will not be missed.

Feb 22, 2015 9:46 AM in response to Ellen10014

Try this. From http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/86315/prevent-itunes-from-opening-when- connecting-bluetooth-headset

On OSX, the "RCD" (remote control daemon) is responsible for the naughtiness. It has hard-coded list of actions to do when it detects certain "events" - one of them being connecting to a bluetooth headset.

To disable this behaviour (minimal loss of functionality, possibly your apple remote won't work), use the following two commands:

launchctl stop com.apple.rcd

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

This should stop rcd from being launched by OSX. No rcd - no auto-magic multimedia. Your volume keys should continue working, but things like play key (or bluetooth) auto-starting iTunes should stop.

PS: The following is the nuclear option. In Terminal, enter:

sudo chmod 000 /System/Library/CoreServices/rcd.app/Contents/MacOS/rcd

sudo pkill -9 rcd

To stop rcd from even being started by any app. To restore your rcd, use:

sudo chmod 755 /System/Library/CoreServices/rcd.app/Contents/MacOS/rcd

launchctl start com.apple.rcd

May 3, 2015 7:16 PM in response to Compguy42

I enjoy using Apple computers, I've been using them for decades, but it's this kind of behavior that caused me to diversify when it was time to get a smartphone. Anyway thanks for posting this procedure. It works, and it has survived an iTunes update without any modifications.

ibisiki

Level 1

15 points

Jun 17, 2015 3:48 AM in response to 1stmacPro

apparently they also found a way around this to annoy the fk out of us... this workaround doesn't work around anymore 😠

v1k0d3n

Level 1

4 points

Jul 10, 2015 9:29 AM in response to ibisiki

Sue Apple...that's about where I'm at with this issue. Apple has a stake in this music game, but I should be able to use whatever music provider I want...without them injecting their own music solution on me. This is back to the days of MS and IE...where IE was tightly integrated into the platform. I should not HAVE to be forced to use their applications for everything. I'm tired of it. Apple isn't about the ecosystem anymore. They're about making money...and these are tactics to force you to explore their options over others.

Every...single...time...I connect my BT BeoPlay 8 HP to listen to spotify or pandora....iturnes gets turned up and AUTOMATICALLY starts playing! what crap is that?!

iTunes starts up whenever I connect my bluetooth headset