# Which apps show up in NotchStar Now Playing

> 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.

Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-sources/
Last updated: 2026-11-04

Published 2026-11-04.

NotchStar shows whatever app reports its playback to the macOS Now Playing service, the system service that tracks what is playing on the Mac. Music and Spotify are covered twice: through that service and, if it fails, through AppleScript. Other apps appear only if they report to the system.

## Apps that work

- **Apple Music and Spotify.** NotchStar reads them through the system service first and, if that fails, through AppleScript.
- **Other players that report to the system.** If the app reports its playback to macOS, NotchStar can read it. Whether a browser tab appears depends on the browser and on the site reporting to the system.

## Apps that may not

An app that does not report a bundle identifier to the system will not appear. The AppleScript fallback is built for Music and Spotify only, so it will not rescue anything else.

## A simple test

Start playing in the app and open the Home tab. If the track shows, the app reports to the system. If it does not, and the app is not Music or Spotify, NotchStar has no other way to read it.

## Related

If Spotify is the problem, read [Spotify not showing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-spotify-not-showing/). For Apple Music, read [Apple Music behaviour](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-apple-music-now-playing/). The mechanism is in [how notch apps read now playing](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/how-notch-apps-read-now-playing/). The tool is on the [Now Playing page](https://www.notchstar.com/features/now-playing/).

## Quick answers.

### Does it work with YouTube Music in a browser?

It can if the browser reports the track to macOS Now Playing. There is no fallback for browsers, so if it does not appear, nothing else will show it.

## 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.
- [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.
- [How notch apps read what is playing, after macOS 15.4](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/how-notch-apps-read-now-playing/): Why showing the current song got harder in macOS 15.4, how open source adapters work around it, and the tradeoffs. Tested, with real findings.

## More in Home and Now Playing.

- [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.
- [Why there is no progress bar in NotchStar Now Playing](https://www.notchstar.com/help/notchstar-now-playing-no-progress-bar/): 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.
- [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.