Play button (media buttons) behavior has changed for the worse.

I found a very simple fix:

1. Open keyboard settings
2. Check the "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" checkbox
3. Close Keyboard Settings
4. Re-open Keyboard Settings, and uncheck "Use F1, F2..."
5. Place my cursor in Spotify (for me, maybe Apple Music for you)
6. Now the media controls map to Spotify again, even when I move to a different screen or app.

For those that use homebrew:

brew cask install highsierramediakeyenabler

Just found this free single-purpose app that fixes it

http://milgra.com/high-sierra-media-key-enabler.html

Hello,

the most easiest way - download this app:

http://milgra.com/high-sierra-media-key-enabler.html

cheers!

This didn't work for me. Had to install a third party app (High Sierra Media Key Enabler) to fix it.

Maybe the problem is not from iTunes but a Safari ! I tried with updated iTunes and safari today. When I open some video on Youtube, media button controls the Youtube but in Chrome, try to open some video on youtube, media buttons works as usual and control the iTunes !

Try this: http://milgra.com/high-sierra-media-key-enabler.html

(Nevertheless I sent a feedback to Apple... So annoying that I need to install a program for such a basic feature in 2017.)

The solution is a program that has to be active. It lives as a little triangle in the menu bar. You can put it in the startup items. http://milgra.com/high-sierra-media-key-enabler.html

Here is a simple app that will fix it. Enjoy

http://www.nerdgrade.com/fix-media-keys-high-sierra-macos/

Solution

I have found that http://milgra.com/high-sierra-media-key-enabler.html does the job well

Keep calm and try the following:

1. Restart in Safe Mode (press the Shift-key when hearing the chime sound and keep it pressed until you see the grey Apple-logo and the progress bar).
2. Log in as usual.
3. Open iTunes and try the media keys - you won't hear any music playing as Safe Mode prevents that but you will see that the media keys now function again because Safe Mode cleared out some caches that were behaving in a naughty way).
4. Restart normally (don't hold any keys).
5. Open iTunes and enjoy the media keys again. 🙂

I agree, the new behavior is terrible and not very useful. Now when I'm on a web page and a video starts playing, I hit 'pause' to stop my music, so I can actually hear the video. But instead, the music keeps playing, and the VIDEO is paused. Completely backwards. And very often, the play/pause buttons will do nothing at all. Like they lose track of what app they are supposed to be working in and just do nothing.

The media buttons used to act like this in iPhoto/Photos I believe, but they'd control iTunes in any other app. Even back then, I used to want to change them so they ONLY ever worked to control iTunes. But now, they've gone in the exact wrong direction with this feature. If enough people complain, they absolutely will fix it....

Remember everyone, http://www.apple.com/feedback if you want to complain in a format that will actually count.

Sorry to tell but the @Deep Sky Diver solution doesn't work, or at least for me. I restarted in safe mode and started iTunes and also safari with a youtube video. The behavior is exactly the same –I also play music, I really don't know why he says you can't play music in safe mode...

Anyhow the only thing that has worked for me is this small app I found in Ask Different:

http://milgra.com/high-sierra-media-key-enabler.html

GitHub - milgra/highsierramediakeyenabler: MacOS High Sierra Media Key Enabler for iTunes

It's not a great solution –botched job, since you have to install an additional software– but works.

I recommend all of you to tell Apple thought feedback about how annoying is the change in behavior.

The keys are controlling your music player (iTunes/Spotify etc) until you have a video in a Safari window. Closing the window/tab or quitting Safari will make the buttons function again, but to me it makes no sense.

If I listened to music and came across a video on the internet I would just pause my music with the play/pause button. Not start/stop the video with the music playing a long on top.

This behaviour reminds me of being chained to a windows PC.

Apple come on!!! You can do better.

I have the solution! Just have tested it and it works!

The issue is that Safari take control for mediabuttons. And does not give it back to iTunes.

So we can use something like Firefox instead of Safari until Apple ...

until Apple 😉

The big problem is that not only Safari wants to grab mediabuttons. The Finder does too. When you previewing some media in Finder your iTunes is unreacheble with mediabuttons. But you have an extra way to control the media which is running right under your nose.

What to do? Hm.. we can look for something like ... windows explorer?

What else? Oh my God!!!

Maybe it is the time when we can control playback of our videos in PhotosApp with keybord?

Let us check... my hands shaking, really... opening Photos..

No...

It is restricted by Apple. You never would control playback of your videos in PhotosApp with buttons.

How they achieved that exact behavior? Magic..