noTunes

noTunes is a macOS application that will prevent iTunes or Apple Music from launching.

Simply launch the noTunes app and iTunes/Music will no longer be able to launch. For example, when bluetooth headphones reconnect.

You can toggle the apps functionality via the menu bar icon with a simple left click.

Installation

Direct Download

noTunes-3.5.zip

Homebrew

brew install --cask notunes

Usage

Set noTunes to launch at startup

Ventura and later:

1. Navigate to System Settings
2. Select General
3. Select Login Items
4. Click the + under Open at Login and select noTunes

Before Ventura:

Navigate to System Preferences -> Users & Groups. Under your user, select "Login Items", click the lock on the bottom left and enter your login password to make changes. Click the plus sign (+) in the main panel and search for noTunes. Select it and click "Add".

Toggle noTunes Functionality

Left click the menu bar icon to toggle between its active states.

Enabled (prevents iTunes/Music from opening)

Disabled (allows iTunes/Music to open)

Hide Menu Bar Icon

Right click or control-click the menu bar icon and click Hide Icon.

Restore Menu Bar Icon

Quit noTunes, run the following command in Terminal and re-open the app:

defaults delete digital.twisted.noTunes

Quit noTunes

To quit the app either:

With menu bar icon visible

Right click or control-click the menu bar icon and click quit.

With menu bar icon hidden

Quit the app via Activity Monitor or run the following command in Terminal:

osascript -e 'quit app "noTunes"'

Set replacement for iTunes / Apple Music

Replace YOUR_MUSIC_APP with the name of your music app in the following command.

defaults write digital.twisted.noTunes replacement /Applications/YOUR_MUSIC_APP.app

Then /Applications/YOUR_MUSIC_APP.app will launch when iTunes/Music attempts to launch.

This can be used to open a website too, for example, YouTube Music.

defaults write digital.twisted.noTunes replacement https://music.youtube.com/

The following command will disable the replacement.

defaults delete digital.twisted.noTunes replacement

Support

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License

The code is available under the MIT License.