Set a New Default Music Player in System Settings

The fastest way to change your default music player on Mac is through System Settings. Open System Settings, go to the General tab in the sidebar, then scroll down and click Default Apps. Find Music in the list and click the dropdown next to it. Select whichever music player you want to use by default — Apple Music, Spotify, VLC, or any other player installed on your Mac.

Once you select a new player, the change takes effect when ready. Any music file you double-click or any music link you click in a web browser will now open in your chosen player instead of the one that was set before. You can change this setting back at any time by returning to the same menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to System Settings > General > Default Apps and select Music to change which player opens music files by default.
  • The player you choose must already be installed on your Mac — you cannot set a default for an app that does not exist on your computer.
  • Changing the default player affects double-clicks on music files and links clicked in web browsers, but not music already playing in another app.
  • You can switch back to a different default player at any time using the same System Settings menu.

What Counts as a Music Player on Mac

Not every app that plays music will show up in the Default Apps list. Only apps that register themselves with macOS as music players appear there. Apple Music, Spotify, VLC, and most other dedicated music apps do register. Some web-based players like YouTube Music or Bandcamp do not, because they run in your browser rather than as standalone Mac apps.

If you want to use a web-based player as your default, you will need to use a different approach — you cannot set a browser tab as the default for music files. Your best option is to read the desktop version of that service if one exists, or to stick with a traditional music app.

Why Your Default Player Might Not Change

If you set a new default and music files still open in the old player, the most common reason is that the old player is still running in the background. Close it completely — not just minimize it — and then try opening a music file again. The new default should take over.

Another possibility is that you are opening a music file from within another app rather than from Finder. Some apps, like email clients or messaging apps, have their own settings for which player to use. Check the preferences in that specific app if music files opened from it are not using your new default.

Opening Music Files Directly Without Changing Your Default

If you want to open a single music file in a different player without changing your default, right-click the file in Finder and select Open With. A submenu will show all the music players installed on your Mac. Click the one you want to use for that file only. Your default player remains unchanged.

This approach is useful if you mostly want to use one player but occasionally need to open files in another — for example, if you use Apple Music by default but have VLC installed for playing unusual audio formats.

Changing the Default Player for Specific File Types

macOS treats different audio formats slightly differently. If you want MP3 files to open in one player but FLAC files to open in another, you can set that up. Right-click a file of the type you want to change, select Get Info, and look for the Open With section. Click the dropdown, choose your preferred player, then click Change All. This changes the default for that file type only, leaving other formats unchanged.

This is most useful if you have high-quality audio files in formats like FLAC or WAV that your main player does not handle well, but you want everything else to open in your preferred app.

Resetting to Apple Music as Your Default

If you want to go back to using Apple Music as your default player, follow the same steps: System Settings > General > Default Apps > Music, then select Apple Music from the dropdown. Apple Music is the built-in player on every Mac, so it will always be available as an option.

You do not need to reinstall anything or restart your Mac. The change happens when ready and applies to all new music files you open.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default music player affect music I am already playing?

No. If you have music playing in one app and then change your default player, the music currently playing will continue in the app it started in. The new default only affects music files you open after you make the change.

Can I set different default players for different file types?

Yes. Right-click a file of the type you want to change, select Get Info, find Open With, choose your player, and click Change All. This sets the default for that specific file type without affecting others.

What if my preferred music player does not appear in the Default Apps list?

The app may not be installed, or it may not register itself as a music player with macOS. Try reinstalling it, or check the app's documentation to see if it supports being set as a default. If it does not, you can still open files with it by right-clicking and selecting Open With.

Does changing my default music player affect how music plays on the web?

No. Web-based music services like Spotify Web, YouTube Music, or Apple Music in a browser use your browser's settings, not your Mac's default player. Your default player only affects files stored on your computer or links that point to downloadable files.