The Music app on Mac is a great way to listen to all of your audio content: music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.
The last thing you have to do if you want to enjoy your music is fumbling around menus or figuring out how to pause, skip, or otherwise control your media.
That's why we've put together this ultimate cheat sheet. It has all the shortcuts you will ever need to control the Music app on Mac.
FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as PDF to download from our sales partner TradePub. You'll need to fill out a short form just to get access to it for the first time. Download Music for Mac: All the Keyboard Shortcuts You Need to Know.
Music for Mac keyboard shortcuts
| abbreviation | action |
|---|---|
| GENERAL | |
| Command + comma | Open the settings |
| Command + Q. | Quit the app |
| Command + E. | Eject |
| Command +? | Open help |
| Option + Command (when opening music) | Open another music library |
| Command + R. | Update |
| PLAY | |
| return | Play from the start |
| room | Break |
| Option + Command + Right / Left Arrow | Track forward or backward |
| Command + period | Stop |
| Right / Left Arrow | Play the next / previous song |
| Option + right / left arrow | Play the next / previous album |
| Command + L. | Advertisement is currently running |
| Option + Command + U. | Display the Playback Next list |
| Command + Up Arrow | Increase volume |
| Command + down arrow | Decrease volume |
| Option + Command + E. | Open the equalizer |
| Shift + Command + Right / Left Arrow | Go to the next or last chapter |
| Command + U. | Stream an audio file from a URL |
| PLAYLISTS | |
| Command + N. | Create a new playlist |
| Shift + Command + N. | Create a playlist from a selection of songs |
| Option + Command + N. | Create a new smart playlist |
| Option + space | Start Genius Shuffle |
| Command + delete | Delete the selected playlist |
| Option + delete | Delete the selected playlist and its songs from your library |
| Option + delete | Delete the selected song from your library and all playlists |
| MANAGE THE LIBRARY | |
| Command + O. | Import a file into your library |
| Shift + Command + R. | Show where a song file is located |
| Command + F. | Select the search field |
| Command + Z. | Undo your last entry while editing |
| Command + X. | Cut out information or graphics |
| Command + C. | Copy information or graphics |
| Command + V. | Insert information or graphics |
| Command + A. | Select all of the songs in the list |
| Command + B. | Show or hide the column browser |
| Shift + Command + A. | Deselect all of the songs in the list |
| Command + click the check box | Select or deselect all the songs in a list |
| LAYOUT | |
| Option + Command + M or Shift + Command + M. | Open the mini player |
| Shift + Command + F. | Open the full screen player |
| Ctrl + Command + F. | Enter or exit full screen view |
| Option + Click the green button in the top + left corner of the music window | Switch between custom and maximum window sizes |
| Ctrl + click on a column heading | Change the song information columns |
| Command + / | Show or hide the status bar |
| Command + I. | Open the information window for the selected song |
| Command + N / P. | See the information for the next or previous song in the list |
| Shift + Command + left / right bracket | Go to the previous or next area |
| Command + J. | Open the View Options window for the selected source |
| Command + T. | Turn the visualizer on or off |
| ? | Show more options when viewing a visual effect |
| Command + 0 | Open the music window |
| Command + W. | Close the music window |
| Command + M. | Place the music window in the dock |
| Command + H. | Hide the music window |
| Option + Command + H. | Hide all other applications |
| ITUNES STORE | |
| Enter the search box and press Option + Enter | Search the iTunes Store |
| Command + right / left bracket | Next or previous page |
| Command + R. | Reload |
The best alternative music players
Not convinced by the music app? You should check out the other free music apps you can download for macOS, like Vox Player and Musique.
