Every now and then, my media keys (F7, F8, and F9) keep randomly stop working with Spotify. I don't have any other media apps open, like iTunes or anything, just Spotify. A program restart doesn't solve the problem, forcing me to restart the entire computer for it to work. How do I fix this?
macOS – How to Fix Media Function Keys Disabled on MacBook Pro with Spotify
macbook promacosspotify
Related Solutions
The software Beardedspice provides a user-friendly approach to prioritizing Spotify for your media keys. It runs in the background and gives you a few simple settings in the Mac menu bar. It just works.
Download and installation
It can be downloaded and installed directly from the Beardedspice homepage, or by using e.g. Homebrew:
brew install --cask beardedspice
Notes
- It is compatible with macOS Big Sur.
- Ensure the application is given sufficient privileges in Security & Privacy in the System Preferences.
- Beardedspice supports controlling a vast amount of media players. Simply disable any unwanted players, while keeping Spotify enabled.
- I am not affiliated with the developer(s), I am just a satisfied user.
Update 2021-01-16 - Use Beardedspice as the alternative app Mac Media Key Forwarder is no longer being updated
As there are reports of Mac Media Key Forwarder not working for some users, and the developer no longer updating the app, it is recommended to use Beardedspice.
Nevertheless, Mac Media Key Forwarder will still work fine for most people running on e.g. MacOS High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, or Big Sur so it remains an alternative.
Download and installation
It can be downloaded and installed directly from GitHub, or by using e.g. Homebrew:
brew install --cask macmediakeyforwarder
The reason for this is that Microsoft Keyboard Helper is somehow not being added to the Login Items by the keyboard's driver installer. However, the helper is contained inside the Microsoft Keyboard Preference Pane, so it is being run when you open it, and thus restores the full functionality of the keyboard.
The simple solution is this:
- Open System Preferences;
- Go to Users & Groups > {your user} > Login Items;
- Click + icon under the Login Items list;
- When Finder window opens, press ⇧ + ⌘ + G;
- When a form appears, paste this into it:
/Library/PreferencePanes/Microsoft Keyboard.prefPane/Contents/Resources/; - Select the file MicrosoftKeyboardHelper, and press Add;
That's it. The keyboard should now retain its function keys' functionality after the restart.
Best Answer
Seems like we were able to find the problem through the comments. Chrome sometimes "hijacks" your media buttons for its own functions. A quick google search yielded the following result:
Source: OMGChrome