Why NotchStar is not showing the song that is playing

Troubleshooting Published 4 November 2026

All of help center Try NotchStar in the browser Buy for $4

If NotchStar shows nothing under Now Playing, start playback in an app that reports to the macOS Now Playing service, such as Music or Spotify. Then open the Home tab again. Players that do not report there will not appear.

Checks

Press play in Music or Spotify and see if the Control Center media tile shows it. If macOS does not show it either, NotchStar cannot.
Open the Home tab. The Now Playing card only runs while it is on screen, so nothing is read in the background.
If you use Spotify or Music and the controls do nothing, check Automation. See Automation permission.
Quit and reopen NotchStar. Since version 1.0.5 the helper that reads what is playing stops when the app quits.

Why it can be silent

Since macOS 15.4, third party apps cannot read the private media framework directly. NotchStar uses an open source adapter run through Apple’s /usr/bin/perl. If the stream is silent or exits, it falls back to AppleScript for Music and Spotify. Other players only appear if they report to macOS.

Normal behaviour

Some players give no progress bar. That is normal.
A browser tab may report differently from a desktop app.

More on the cause is in music controls not working. The Now Playing feature lists the limits. Other blank screens are in a tool is blank.

Quick answers.

Does it work with Apple Music and Spotify?

Yes. Both are supported, and other apps that report to macOS Now Playing may appear too.

Link to this answer

Keep reading.

Now playing, with real album art: 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.
Mac notch music controls not working: what to check first: Check the player, missing track information and Music or Spotify permissions before reinstalling a notch app. Learn which missing controls are expected.
Why NotchStar asks to control Music and 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.
Why a NotchStar tool is blank or empty: A blank NotchStar tool usually means a missing permission, nothing to show yet, a hidden tab or the trial prompt. Check each tool here.

Put your notch to work.

Buy it once for $4, activate it in a minute, and keep it. Not sure yet? Try every tool in the browser on the home page, or install the 7 day trial.

Buy NotchStar for $4 Try it in the browser