Mac Media Key Forwarder

About

Mac Media Key Forwarder routes your keyboard's play/pause, next, and previous keys to Apple Music, Spotify, Cider, Spotifast, or Pear (YouTube Music). You can prioritize one player or use the default behavior, which controls whichever app is running. The app runs in the menu bar: the status-bar menu holds quick controls (pause and the prioritized player), and Settings (⌘,) holds options such as open at login, hiding the menu bar icon, automatic pause, and the Cider API token.

Apple Music and Spotify are controlled through AppleScript. Cider and Spotifast are reached through their local interfaces (Cider's REST API and Spotifast's loopback socket), and Pear through the API Server plugin on its local HTTP port. Cider and Pear may need a setting enabled or a token approved, and Spotifast needs no setup beyond running it. With the "Launch player hidden" option turned on, a press can start a prioritized Apple Music or Spotify hidden and send it the key. Cider, Spotifast, and Pear are never launched by the app.

The app requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later, and it asks for Accessibility access to listen for media keys and Automation access to control Music and Spotify. Older systems can use version 3.1.2. The compiled application is available from the project's Releases page. The site notes that the app's event tap can cause problems in rare cases, in which case pausing the app from its menu is recommended.