With the PyGObject girepository-2.0 fix in place, the linux-smoke step
ran its server-boot assertion for the first time and failed: on a fresh
runner the first-run bootstrap writes a default config and calls
sys.exit(0) ("First run: generated default config ... then restart")
instead of serving, so /api/health never came up and the 15s wait
timed out.
That exit-on-first-run is deliberate product behavior (never silently
start in insecure no-auth mode), so adjust the test rather than the app:
invoke the server once to seed the config (it exits 0 before binding the
port), then launch it for real. /api/health requires no auth, so the
auto-generated token is irrelevant to the check.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Media Server
A REST API server for controlling system media playback on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android.
Features
- Built-in Web UI for real-time media control and monitoring
- Installable PWA - Add to home screen on mobile for a native app experience
- Audio Visualizer - Real-time spectrum analyzer with beat-reactive album art effects
- Dynamic WebGL Background - Audio-reactive animated background with album art color extraction
- Media Browser - Browse and play media files from configured folders
- Display Control - Monitor brightness and power management
- Quick Actions & Scripts - Execute custom scripts with one click
- Callbacks - Trigger commands on media events (play, pause, volume, etc.)
- Header Links - Configurable quick-access links in the UI header
- Control any media player via system-wide media transport controls
- Play/Pause/Stop/Next/Previous track
- Volume control and mute
- Seek within tracks
- Get current track info (title, artist, album, artwork)
- WebSocket support for real-time updates
- Token-based authentication with multi-token support
- Dark/light theme with customizable accent colors
- Multi-language support (English, Russian)
- Cross-platform support (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android)
Web UI
The media server includes a built-in web interface for controlling and monitoring media playback.
Web UI Highlights
- Real-time status updates via WebSocket connection
- Album artwork display with glow effect and automatic updates
- Vinyl record mode - Album art displayed as a spinning vinyl disc with grooves and center spindle
- Playback controls - Play, pause, next, previous
- Volume control with mute toggle
- Seekable progress bar - Click to jump to any position
- Mini player - Sticky compact player that appears when scrolling away from the main player
- Connection status indicator - Know when you're connected
- Token authentication - Saved in browser localStorage
- Audio spectrum visualizer - Real-time frequency bars with beat-reactive album art scaling and glow (on-demand WASAPI loopback capture)
- Dynamic WebGL background - Fragment shader-based animated background that reacts to audio beats and extracts colors from album art (toggle on/off in header)
- Display control - Monitor brightness adjustment and power on/off
- Header quick links - Configurable external URLs with icons shown in the header bar
- Installable PWA - Add to home screen on mobile/desktop for standalone app experience with safe area support for notched phones
- Responsive design - Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
- Dark and light themes - Toggle between dark and light modes with dynamic status bar theming
- Accent color picker - Choose from 9 preset accent colors or pick a custom color
- Tab-based navigation - Player, Display, Browser, Quick Actions, and Settings tabs
- Multi-language support - English and Russian locales with automatic detection
Accessing the Web UI
-
Start the media server:
python -m media_server.main -
Open your browser and navigate to:
http://localhost:8765/ -
Enter your API token when prompted (get it with
media-server --show-token) -
Start playing media in any supported player and watch the UI update in real-time!
Installing as a PWA
The Web UI can be installed as a Progressive Web App for a native app-like experience:
- Open the Web UI in Chrome/Edge on your phone or desktop
- Tap the Install icon in the address bar (or "Add to Home Screen" on mobile)
- The app launches in standalone mode — no browser chrome, with proper safe area handling for notched phones
Audio Visualizer
The Web UI includes a real-time audio spectrum visualizer that captures system audio output:
- On-demand capture - Audio capture starts only when a client enables the visualizer, and stops when the last client disconnects
- Beat-reactive effects - Album art pulses and glows in response to bass frequencies
- Dynamic WebGL background - Animated shader background that reacts to bass frequencies and adapts colors from current album art
- Configurable device - Select which audio output device to capture in Settings
Requires soundcard and numpy Python packages. Enable in config.yaml:
visualizer_enabled: true
visualizer_fps: 30 # Frame rate (10-60)
visualizer_bins: 32 # Frequency bins (8-128)
# visualizer_device: "Speakers" # optional: specific device name
Remote Access
To access the Web UI from other devices on your network:
- Find your computer's IP address (e.g.,
192.168.1.100) - Navigate to
http://192.168.1.100:8765/from any device on the same network - Enter your API token
Security Note: For remote access over the internet, use a reverse proxy with HTTPS (nginx, Caddy) to encrypt traffic.
Localization
The Web UI supports multiple languages with automatic browser locale detection:
Available Languages:
- English (en) - Default
- Русский (ru) - Russian
The interface automatically detects your browser language on first visit. You can manually switch languages using the dropdown in the top-right corner of the Web UI.
Contributing New Locales:
We welcome translations for additional languages! To contribute a new locale:
-
Copy
media_server/static/locales/en.jsonto a new file named with your language code (e.g.,de.jsonfor German) -
Translate all strings to your language, keeping the same JSON structure
-
Add your language to the
supportedLocalesobject inmedia_server/static/index.html:const supportedLocales = { 'en': 'English', 'ru': 'Русский', 'de': 'Deutsch' // Add your language here }; -
Test the translation by switching to your language in the Web UI
-
Submit a pull request with your changes
See CLAUDE.md for detailed translation guidelines.
Media Browser
The Media Browser feature allows you to browse and play media files from configured folders directly through the Web UI.
Browser Highlights
- Folder Configuration - Mount multiple media folders (music/video directories)
- Recursive Navigation - Browse through folder hierarchies with breadcrumb navigation
- Multiple View Modes - Grid, compact grid, and list views with toggle buttons
- Thumbnail Display - Automatically generated thumbnails from album art (lazy-loaded)
- Metadata Extraction - View title, artist, album, duration, bitrate, file size, and more
- Remote Playback - Play files on the PC running the media server (not in the browser)
- Play All - Play all media files in the current folder (generates M3U playlist)
- File Download - Download individual media files directly from the browser
- Search & Filter - Real-time search across files in the current folder
- Pagination - Navigate large folders with configurable page sizes (25, 50, 100, 200, 500)
- Last Path Memory - Automatically returns to your last browsed location
- Folder Management - Create, edit, and delete media folders from the UI
Browser Setup
Add media folders in your config.yaml:
# Media folders for browser
media_folders:
music:
path: "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Music"
label: "My Music"
enabled: true
videos:
path: "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Videos"
label: "My Videos"
enabled: true
# Thumbnail size: "small" (150x150), "medium" (300x300), or "both"
thumbnail_size: "medium"
How Playback Works
When you play a file from the Media Browser:
- The file is opened using the default system media player on the PC running the media server
- This is designed for remote control scenarios where you browse media from one device (e.g., Home Assistant dashboard, phone) but want audio to play on the PC
- The media player must support the Windows Media Session API for playback tracking
Media Player Compatibility
Important Limitation: Not all media players expose their playback information to the Windows Media Session API. This means some players will open and play the file, but the Media Server UI won't show playback status, track information, or allow remote control.
Compatible Players (work with playback tracking):
- VLC Media Player - Full support
- Groove Music (Windows 10/11 built-in) - Full support
- Spotify - Full support (if already running)
- Chrome/Edge/Firefox - Full support for web players
- foobar2000 - Full support (with proper configuration/plugins)
Limited/No Support:
- Windows Media Player Classic - Opens files but doesn't expose session info
- Windows Media Player (classic version) - Limited session support
Recommendation: Set VLC Media Player or Groove Music as your default audio player for the best experience with the Media Browser.
Changing Your Default Media Player (on Windows)
- Open Windows Settings > Apps > Default apps
- Search for "Music player" or "Video player"
- Select VLC Media Player or Groove Music
- Files opened from Media Browser will now use the selected player
Display Control
The Display Control feature allows you to manage monitor brightness and power state from the Web UI or via API.
- Brightness adjustment - Set brightness (0-100%) for each monitor
- Power management - Turn monitors on or off
- Multi-monitor support - See all connected monitors with model, manufacturer, and resolution info
- Technology: DDC-CI on Windows, XRandR/ACPI on Linux, IOKit on macOS
Display API
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/display/monitors |
GET | - | List monitors (use ?refresh=true to refresh) |
/api/display/brightness/{monitor_id} |
POST | {"brightness": 0-100} |
Set monitor brightness |
/api/display/power/{monitor_id} |
POST | `{"on": true\ | false}` |
Monitor response:
{
"id": 0,
"name": "Monitor Name",
"brightness": 100,
"power_supported": true,
"power_on": true,
"model": "Model Number",
"manufacturer": "Manufacturer",
"resolution": "1920x1080",
"is_primary": true
}
Header Links
Configure quick-access links that appear in the Web UI header bar with custom icons.
Links Setup
Add links in your config.yaml:
links:
spotify:
url: "https://open.spotify.com"
icon: "mdi:spotify"
label: "Spotify"
settings:
url: "https://your-server.com/settings"
icon: "mdi:cog"
label: "Settings"
description: "System settings"
Links API
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/links/list |
GET | - | List all links |
/api/links/create/{link_name} |
POST | {url, icon, label, description} |
Create link |
/api/links/update/{link_name} |
PUT | {url, icon, label, description} |
Update link |
/api/links/delete/{link_name} |
DELETE | - | Delete link |
All connected WebSocket clients receive a links_changed notification when links are modified.
Requirements
- Python 3.10+
- Platform-specific dependencies (see below)
Installation
Dependencies are declared in pyproject.toml. Pick the extra that matches
your OS — the Python deps differ enough between Windows / Linux / macOS
that there's no single pip install line.
Installing on Windows
pip install ".[windows]"
Pulls in winsdk, pywin32, pycaw, comtypes, pystray, etc.
Installing on Linux
# System packages required to build dbus-python + PyGObject from sdist.
sudo apt-get install -y python3-pip python3-venv \
libdbus-1-dev libglib2.0-dev pkg-config
pip install ".[linux]"
Installing on macOS
pip install ".[macos]"
Pulls in pyobjc-framework-Cocoa + pyobjc-framework-Quartz for the
foreground-window probe; AppleScript-based media control uses the
built-in osascript.
Installing on Android (Termux)
# In Termux
pkg install python termux-api
pip install "."
Requires Termux and Termux:API apps from F-Droid.
Quick Start
-
Generate configuration with API token:
python -m media_server.main --generate-config -
View your API token:
python -m media_server.main --show-token -
Start the server:
python -m media_server.main -
Open the Web UI (recommended):
- Navigate to
http://localhost:8765/in your browser - Enter your API token from step 2
- Start playing media and control it from the web interface!
- Navigate to
-
Or test via API:
# Health check (no auth required) curl http://localhost:8765/api/health # Get media status curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" http://localhost:8765/api/media/status
Configuration Reference
Configuration file locations:
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\media-server\config.yaml - Linux/macOS:
~/.config/media-server/config.yaml
Full config.yaml Example
host: 0.0.0.0
port: 8765
# API Tokens - Multiple tokens with labels for client identification
api_tokens:
home_assistant: "your-home-assistant-token-here"
mobile: "your-mobile-app-token-here"
web_ui: "your-web-ui-token-here"
poll_interval: 1.0
log_level: INFO
# Audio device for system volume control (null = default device)
audio_device: null
# Audio visualizer (requires soundcard + numpy)
visualizer_enabled: true
visualizer_fps: 30
visualizer_bins: 32
visualizer_device: null # null = auto-detect loopback
# Media folders for browser
media_folders:
music:
path: "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Music"
label: "My Music"
enabled: true
# Thumbnail size: "small" (150x150), "medium" (300x300), or "both"
thumbnail_size: "medium"
# Custom scripts (execute via API/UI)
scripts:
lock_screen:
command: "rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation"
label: "Lock Screen"
description: "Lock the workstation"
icon: "mdi:lock"
timeout: 5
shell: true
# Callbacks (execute after media actions)
callbacks:
on_turn_off:
command: "rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation"
timeout: 5
shell: true
# Header quick links
links:
spotify:
url: "https://open.spotify.com"
icon: "mdi:spotify"
label: "Spotify"
Authentication
The media server supports multiple API tokens with friendly labels. This allows you to:
- Issue different tokens for different clients (Home Assistant, mobile apps, web UI, etc.)
- Identify which client is making requests in the server logs
- Revoke individual tokens without affecting other clients
Token labels appear in all server logs, making it easy to track and debug client connections:
2026-02-06 03:36:20,806 - media_server.services.websocket_manager - [home_assistant] - INFO - WebSocket client connected
2026-02-06 03:28:24,258 - media_server.routes.scripts - [mobile] - INFO - Executing script: lock_screen
Viewing your tokens:
python -m media_server.main --show-token
Output:
Config directory: C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\media-server
API Tokens:
home_assistant B04zhGDjnxH6LIwxL3VOT0F4qORwaipD7LoDyeAG4EU
mobile xyz123...
web_ui abc456...
Environment Variables
All settings can be overridden with environment variables (prefix: MEDIA_SERVER_):
export MEDIA_SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0
export MEDIA_SERVER_PORT=8765
export MEDIA_SERVER_LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
Note: For multi-token configuration, use the config.yaml file. Environment variables only support single-token mode.
API Reference
Health Check
GET /api/health
No authentication required. Returns server status and platform info.
Response:
{
"status": "healthy",
"platform": "Windows",
"version": "1.0.0"
}
Get Media Status
GET /api/media/status
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Response:
{
"state": "playing",
"title": "Song Title",
"artist": "Artist Name",
"album": "Album Name",
"album_art_url": "https://...",
"duration": 240.5,
"position": 120.3,
"volume": 75,
"muted": false,
"source": "Spotify"
}
Album Artwork
GET /api/media/artwork
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Returns current album artwork as PNG/JPEG/WebP binary. Also accepts token as a query parameter.
Media Controls
All control endpoints require authentication and return {"success": true} on success.
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/media/play |
POST | - | Resume playback |
/api/media/pause |
POST | - | Pause playback |
/api/media/stop |
POST | - | Stop playback |
/api/media/next |
POST | - | Next track |
/api/media/previous |
POST | - | Previous track |
/api/media/volume |
POST | {"volume": 75} |
Set volume (0-100) |
/api/media/mute |
POST | - | Toggle mute |
/api/media/seek |
POST | {"position": 60.0} |
Seek to position (seconds) |
/api/media/turn_on |
POST | - | Execute on_turn_on callback |
/api/media/turn_off |
POST | - | Execute on_turn_off callback |
/api/media/toggle |
POST | - | Execute on_toggle callback |
Visualizer API
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/media/visualizer/status |
GET | - | Check availability and running state |
/api/media/visualizer/devices |
GET | - | List loopback audio devices |
/api/media/visualizer/device |
POST | `{"device_name": "..." \ | null}` |
Audio Devices
GET /api/audio/devices
Authorization: Bearer <token>
Returns a list of available audio output devices.
Script Management
Scripts can be managed via API or directly from the Web UI (Quick Actions tab).
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/scripts/list |
GET | - | List all scripts |
/api/scripts/execute/{script_name} |
POST | {"args": []} |
Execute a script |
/api/scripts/create/{script_name} |
POST | {command, label, description, icon, timeout, shell} |
Create a script |
/api/scripts/update/{script_name} |
PUT | {command, label, description, icon, timeout, shell} |
Update a script |
/api/scripts/delete/{script_name} |
DELETE | - | Delete a script |
Execute response:
{
"success": true,
"script": "lock_screen",
"exit_code": 0,
"stdout": "",
"stderr": ""
}
Script Config Options
Add scripts in your config.yaml:
scripts:
lock_screen:
command: "rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation"
label: "Lock Screen"
description: "Lock the workstation"
timeout: 5
shell: true
shutdown:
command: "shutdown /s /t 0"
label: "Shutdown"
description: "Shutdown the PC immediately"
timeout: 10
shell: true
restart:
command: "shutdown /r /t 0"
label: "Restart"
description: "Restart the PC"
timeout: 10
shell: true
hibernate:
command: "shutdown /h"
label: "Hibernate"
description: "Hibernate the PC"
timeout: 10
shell: true
sleep:
command: "rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0"
label: "Sleep"
description: "Put PC to sleep"
timeout: 10
shell: true
Script fields:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
command |
Yes | Command to execute |
label |
No | User-friendly display name (defaults to script name) |
description |
No | Description of what the script does |
icon |
No | Custom MDI icon (e.g., mdi:power) |
timeout |
No | Execution timeout in seconds (default: 30, max: 300) |
working_dir |
No | Working directory for the command |
shell |
No | Run in shell (default: true) |
Callback Management
Callbacks are commands executed after media actions. They can be managed via API or the Web UI (Quick Actions tab).
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/callbacks/list |
GET | - | List all callbacks |
/api/callbacks/execute/{callback_name} |
POST | - | Execute (for debugging) |
/api/callbacks/create/{callback_name} |
POST | {command, timeout, working_dir, shell} |
Create a callback |
/api/callbacks/update/{callback_name} |
PUT | {command, timeout, working_dir, shell} |
Update a callback |
/api/callbacks/delete/{callback_name} |
DELETE | - | Delete a callback |
Callback Config Options
Add callbacks in your config.yaml:
callbacks:
# Media control callbacks (run after successful action)
on_play:
command: "echo Play triggered"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_pause:
command: "echo Pause triggered"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_stop:
command: "echo Stop triggered"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_next:
command: "echo Next track"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_previous:
command: "echo Previous track"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_volume:
command: "echo Volume changed"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_mute:
command: "echo Mute toggled"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_seek:
command: "echo Seek triggered"
timeout: 10
shell: true
# Turn on/off/toggle (callback-only actions, no default behavior)
on_turn_on:
command: "echo PC turned on"
timeout: 10
shell: true
on_turn_off:
command: "rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation"
timeout: 5
shell: true
on_toggle:
command: "echo Toggle triggered"
timeout: 10
shell: true
Available callbacks:
| Callback | Triggered by | Description |
|---|---|---|
on_play |
/api/media/play |
After play succeeds |
on_pause |
/api/media/pause |
After pause succeeds |
on_stop |
/api/media/stop |
After stop succeeds |
on_next |
/api/media/next |
After next track succeeds |
on_previous |
/api/media/previous |
After previous track succeeds |
on_volume |
/api/media/volume |
After volume change succeeds |
on_mute |
/api/media/mute |
After mute toggle |
on_seek |
/api/media/seek |
After seek succeeds |
on_turn_on |
/api/media/turn_on |
Callback-only action |
on_turn_off |
/api/media/turn_off |
Callback-only action |
on_toggle |
/api/media/toggle |
Callback-only action |
Callback fields:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
command |
Yes | Command to execute |
timeout |
No | Execution timeout in seconds (default: 30, max: 300) |
working_dir |
No | Working directory for the command |
shell |
No | Run in shell (default: true) |
Browser API
| Endpoint | Method | Body | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
/api/browser/folders |
GET | - | List configured media folders |
/api/browser/browse |
GET | - | Browse directory (query: folder_id, path) |
/api/browser/metadata |
GET | - | Get file metadata (query: file_path) |
/api/browser/thumbnail |
GET | - | Get thumbnail image (query: file_path) |
/api/browser/download |
GET | - | Download file (query: folder_id, path) |
/api/browser/play |
POST | {"file_path": "..."} |
Open file with default player |
/api/browser/play-folder |
POST | {"folder_id": "...", "path": ""} |
Play all files in folder (M3U) |
/api/browser/folders/create |
POST | {folder_id, label, path, enabled} |
Create folder config |
/api/browser/folders/update/{folder_id} |
PUT | {label, path, enabled} |
Update folder config |
/api/browser/folders/delete/{folder_id} |
DELETE | - | Delete folder config |
All endpoints require bearer token authentication.
Security Notes
- Path Traversal Protection - All paths are validated to prevent directory traversal attacks
- Folder Restrictions - Only configured folders are accessible
- Authentication Required - All endpoints require a valid API token
- Output Limits - Script stdout/stderr capped at 10KB
WebSocket
WebSocket /api/media/ws
Authorization: Bearer <token>
The WebSocket connection provides real-time updates and low-latency control.
Messages from server:
| Type | Data | Description |
|---|---|---|
status |
Media status object | Initial status on connection |
status_update |
Media status object | Status changes during playback |
audio_data |
[0.1, 0.2, ...] |
Visualizer frequency data (30 fps) |
scripts_changed |
{} |
Scripts were created/updated/deleted |
links_changed |
{} |
Links were created/updated/deleted |
pong |
- | Response to client ping |
error |
{"message": "..."} |
Error messages |
Messages from client:
| Type | Data | Description |
|---|---|---|
ping |
- | Keepalive ping |
get_status |
- | Request current status |
volume |
{"volume": 0-100} |
Low-latency volume control via WebSocket |
enable_visualizer |
- | Subscribe to audio data (starts capture) |
disable_visualizer |
- | Unsubscribe from audio data (stops capture on last client) |
Running as a Service
Windows Task Scheduler (Recommended)
Run in Administrator PowerShell from the project root:
.\media_server\service\install_task_windows.ps1
To remove the scheduled task:
Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName "MediaServer" -Confirm:$false
Windows Service (Alternative)
Install:
python -m media_server.service.install_windows install
Start/Stop:
python -m media_server.service.install_windows start
python -m media_server.service.install_windows stop
Remove:
python -m media_server.service.install_windows remove
Linux (systemd)
Install:
sudo ./service/install_linux.sh install
Enable user lingering — required so /run/user/$UID/bus (the D-Bus
session socket needed for MPRIS) exists even when no graphical session
is active. Without this the server boots but every /api/media/* call
silently returns idle.
sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER
Enable and start the templated unit for your user:
sudo systemctl enable --now media-server@$USER
View logs:
journalctl -u media-server@$USER -f
Troubleshooting:
- "
/api/media/statusalways returnsidle" — check the service log forD-Bus session bus not available. Most commonly: lingering isn't enabled, or the unit is using the wrongXDG_RUNTIME_DIR(%Umust expand to the user's numeric UID). - "Visualizer permanently unavailable" — PulseAudio/PipeWire must
expose monitor sources.
pactl list sources short | grep monitorshould list at least one entry; if not, installpipewire-pulseand restart your session. - "Volume control silently fails" —
pactlmust be onPATHand the user's PulseAudio/PipeWire server must be reachable (PULSE_RUNTIME_PATH=/run/user/$UID/pulse). - "Foreground window is always
null" — expected under Wayland; the compositor hides window info from unprivileged clients. X11 sessions work normally.
macOS (LaunchAgent)
The distribution tarball ships an installer:
./install-launchagent.sh
This drops ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.dolgolyov.media-server.plist,
starts the service immediately, and re-launches it at every login. Logs
go to ~/Library/Logs/media-server/{stdout,stderr}.log. To stop:
./uninstall-launchagent.sh
Command Line Options
python -m media_server.main [OPTIONS]
Options:
--host TEXT Host to bind to (default: 0.0.0.0)
--port INTEGER Port to bind to (default: 8765)
--generate-config Generate default config file and exit
--show-token Show current API token and exit
Security Recommendations
- Use HTTPS in production - Set up a reverse proxy (nginx, Caddy) with SSL
- Strong tokens - Default tokens are 32 random characters; don't use weak tokens
- Firewall - Only expose the port to trusted networks
- Secrets management - Don't commit tokens to version control
Supported Media Players
Players on Windows
- Spotify
- Windows Media Player
- VLC
- Groove Music
- foobar2000
- AIMP
- Web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Brave)
- Any app using Windows Media Transport Controls
Players on Linux
- Any MPRIS-compliant player:
- Spotify
- VLC
- Rhythmbox
- Clementine
- Web browsers
- MPD (with MPRIS bridge)
Players on macOS
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- VLC (partial)
- QuickTime Player
Players on Android (via Termux)
- System media controls
- Limited seek support
Troubleshooting
"No active media session"
- Ensure a media player is running and has played content
- On Windows, check that the app supports media transport controls
- On Linux, verify MPRIS with:
dbus-send --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.DBus /org/freedesktop/DBus org.freedesktop.DBus.ListNames | grep mpris
Permission errors on Linux
- Ensure your user has access to the D-Bus session bus
- For systemd service, the
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESSmust be set correctly
Volume control not working
- Windows: Run as administrator if needed
- Linux: Ensure PulseAudio/PipeWire is running
License
MIT License