I wish I could delete Music

Marcus · January 18, 2021, 3:47pm

I am really fed up of randomly seeing Music open in my Dock on my Mac. I really wish I could delete it.

Why is it randomly showing up? Anyone got any idea?

anon54919170 · January 18, 2021, 4:02pm

Is it set to automatically open on startup?

Marcus · January 18, 2021, 8:13pm

I don’t think so. I did check (I think) and I can’t see it.

MacGuyMI · January 18, 2021, 9:10pm

2 tips for anyone having this issue.

System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items. If you see iTunes there, click it and select the “- button.” This doesn’t apply to iTunes Helper however. Leave it there…

Restart the computer… when the little window comes up asking about Restart, make sure the check box that asks about reopening all Apps is unchecked. Then restart and see if iTunes opens.

tjluoma · January 18, 2021, 11:35pm

Guesses:

If you press (even accidentally) any of the ‘media keys’ (play/pause FF, Rewind) it might start
If you plug in an iOS device, it might start
If you open a media file that is set to “Open with” iTunes, it will start

If none of those are true, when I don’t know why it is happening.

Alderete · January 20, 2021, 6:41am

Heh. You could upgrade to Catalina or Big Sur, they will take care of deleting iTunes for you…

Marcus · January 20, 2021, 3:18pm

I’m using Bug Sur. I guess that joke may have gone over my head.

Benjamin_D · January 20, 2021, 3:35pm

There is no iTunes in Big Sur… I guess you are talking about the music app.

Marcus · January 20, 2021, 3:44pm

YES… Sorry. You are quite right. I am!

Now wondering if that changes anything in this advice.

Rob_Polding · January 20, 2021, 4:32pm

It is because you have audio files set to open with the Music app? I noticed that by default this is the association in MacOS. You can change it to Quicktime which is not such a beefy program.

macsorcery · January 20, 2021, 5:54pm

I have felt this way since the 90s…

Larry_Wilson · January 20, 2021, 11:23pm

I too wish I could delete music. Disco and Rap come to mind.

Marcus · January 21, 2021, 1:07pm

Where do I go to change that? I’d almost prefer to use VLC than Quicktime too.

Marcus · January 21, 2021, 1:12pm

What? Why VLC or why change it from Music?

Why VLC, because it’s my default for when watching media. And the Music app is redundant for me. I listen to Spotify as standard and rarely listen to music on the MacBook. I’d have no issue seeing that happen in VLC if I had a choice.

Rob_Polding · January 21, 2021, 1:33pm

You need to right click on an audio file, and select Get Info. Then in open with choose the application you want to associate, and click the Change All button.

tjluoma · January 21, 2021, 1:47pm

Just to illustrate, in case anyone isn’t familiar.

Once you have selected an .mp3 or other audio file in Finder, open “Get Info” (either by ⌘I or File » Get Info)

Then go to Open With
Select the app you want to use (VLC, in this case)
Select “Change All…”

as shown here: