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How to show Spotify or Apple Music in the MacBook notch

By Ege Mert Balçık · Last updated 22 October 2026 · Disclosure: I make Ledge, one of the apps compared

Short answer: install a notch app that reads macOS's Now Playing information. All of these show Spotify and Apple Music in the notch, with controls: boring.notch, Atoll and Ledge (free), Alcove, NotchNook, Droppy and MediaMate (paid). They differ in browser support, lyrics, the audio-output picker, and whether the dancing visualizer actually captures your audio.

Why this got harder in macOS 15.4

macOS keeps a system-wide record of what is playing (the MediaRemote framework, which feeds Control Center). In macOS 15.4 Apple stopped ordinary apps from reading it, and notch apps had to find another way in. Several open-source apps, including boring.notch, MewNotch and DynamicNotch, credit the open-source mediaremote-adapter, which asks from inside Apple's signed perl; Ledge does the same with a small library of its own. MediaMate restored Apple Music and Spotify through another API in 3.7.0. Because this is all unofficial, any macOS update can break it until the app is updated.

What each app shows

AppSourcesOutput pickerLyricsVisualizer
Ledge (free)Music, Spotify, browser tabs; scrub barYes, AirPlayNoAnimation seeded from the track; reads no audio
boring.notch (free)Now Playing apps; YouTube Music via a WebSocketIn 2.8 release candidatesBeta, since 2.7Yes; a real-time captured-audio option in 2.8 RCs
Atoll (free)Apple Music, Spotify, Cider and more; ±10 s seek gesturesYes, incl. AirPlayYesLive waveform; needs audio capture permission
AlcoveAll sources via the system player; extra Spotify and Apple Music featuresYes, output volume and AirPlayNot listedLive waveform from an audio tap, or simulated
NotchNookSpotify, Apple Music and any Now Playing app; choose the source; scrubberNot listedNot listedNot described
DroppyBrowser media (Chrome, Firefox, Safari), SpotifyYesYes, line by lineLive audio visualizer
MediaMate"Most apps, including Apple Music, Spotify, Chrome"; scrubbingOutput iconsNoNo

The visualizer question

A visualizer that moves to the actual sound has to capture the audio playing on your Mac, which means an audio-capture or Screen Recording permission. Alcove, Atoll, Droppy and the boring.notch release candidates do this; DynamicNotch's README asks for Screen Recording for its audio-reactive visualization. That is a reasonable design, but it is worth knowing what you are granting. Ledge deliberately does not: an early version sampled system audio, and it was removed. Its equalizer is an animation, so Ledge never needs to hear what you play.

Which to choose

FAQ

Can the MacBook notch show what Spotify is playing?

Not on its own. A notch app such as boring.notch, Atoll, Ledge, Alcove, NotchNook, Droppy or MediaMate shows Spotify and Apple Music in the notch, with playback controls.

Which notch app shows lyrics?

Atoll and Droppy show lyrics; boring.notch has lyrics in beta since 2.7. Ledge, NotchNook and MediaMate do not list lyrics.

Do notch app visualizers record my audio?

The ones that react to the real sound capture it: Alcove, Atoll, Droppy, DynamicNotch and the boring.notch 2.8 release candidates say so or ask for the permission. Ledge's equalizer is an animation and reads no audio.

Why did my notch app stop showing music after a macOS update?

macOS 15.4 restricted the private Now Playing framework these apps rely on. Apps use workarounds that a later macOS update can break, so update the app first.

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