# Why there is no progress bar in NotchStar Now Playing

> NotchStar draws the progress bar only when the player gives a real duration and elapsed time. Radio style Apple Music items and some streams give neither.

Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-no-progress-bar/
Last updated: 2026-11-04

Published 2026-11-04.

NotchStar shows a progress bar only when the playing app gives it a duration and an elapsed time. If either is missing, the bar and the two timestamps are left out. NotchStar does not guess.

## When this happens

- **Radio style Apple Music items.** They run without a fixed length.
- **Some streaming items.** Not every stream publishes a duration.
- **The AppleScript fallback with streamed Apple Music tracks.** Music often returns no duration through scripting. NotchStar reads a duration of 0 as unknown.

The title, artist and buttons still work. Only the bar is missing.

## When a bar does appear

A normal album track in Music or Spotify publishes both numbers. The bar then moves in real time, with the elapsed time on the left and the total on the right.

## What to try

Play a normal album track instead of a radio station and see if the bar returns. If it does, the player was the reason. If a track you know has a length still shows no bar, close and reopen the notch on Home to reconnect.

See [Apple Music behaviour](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-apple-music-now-playing/), [which apps show up](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-sources/) and the [Now Playing page](https://www.notchstar.com/features/now-playing/).

## Quick answers.

### Will NotchStar estimate the time?

No. It shows a bar only when the player provides real numbers.

## Keep reading.

- [Now playing, with real album art](https://www.notchstar.com/features/now-playing/): See the song playing on your Mac with album artwork and controls in the notch. Live updates, and a progress bar when the player provides one.
- [How NotchStar Now Playing works with Apple Music](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-apple-music-now-playing/): Apple Music tracks show with artwork and controls through the system Now Playing service. Radio style items have no duration, so there is no progress bar.
- [Why album artwork is missing in NotchStar Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-album-artwork-missing/): NotchStar shows a music note instead of a cover when the player gives no artwork, a new track has not sent its art yet, or in the AppleScript fallback.
- [Which apps show up in NotchStar Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-sources/): NotchStar shows any app that reports to the macOS Now Playing service. Music and Spotify also work through an AppleScript fallback. Other apps may not appear.

## More in Home and Now Playing.

- [Which apps show up in NotchStar Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-sources/): NotchStar shows any app that reports to the macOS Now Playing service. Music and Spotify also work through an AppleScript fallback. Other apps may not appear.
- [Spotify is not showing in NotchStar Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-spotify-not-showing/): If Spotify does not appear in the NotchStar Home tab, start a track, reopen the notch, and allow Automation for Spotify if macOS asks. Steps and the fallback.
- [How NotchStar Now Playing works with Apple Music](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-apple-music-now-playing/): Apple Music tracks show with artwork and controls through the system Now Playing service. Radio style items have no duration, so there is no progress bar.
- [Why album artwork is missing in NotchStar Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-album-artwork-missing/): NotchStar shows a music note instead of a cover when the player gives no artwork, a new track has not sent its art yet, or in the AppleScript fallback.
- [The perl process NotchStar starts for Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-helper-process/): NotchStar starts one Apple signed perl process to read Now Playing while the Home card is open. It ends when you leave Home or quit.
- [Why NotchStar asks to control Music and Spotify](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-automation-permission-music-spotify/): macOS may ask if NotchStar may control Music or Spotify when the AppleScript fallback runs. Allow it for Now Playing; the main route needs no prompt.