How to use Apple Media Keys with VLC

[its.sims]

Hi,

I've searched the forums but can only find old posts (which I've followed but they haven't resolved the issue for me) so I'm hoping someone can help me.

I'm running Mojave and VLC 3.0.6
Until about 4 hours ago, I could use the media keys (play / pause etc.) on my laptop keyboard to get VLC to play and pause (both when it was in the background and when I was actively using it). I'm not sure what I have done but now they have stopped working with VLC and when I hit the play/pause button, iTunes opens up and starts playing.
I have double checked the playback controls in VLC and it is set to 'control playback with media keys'. I have reset this a couple of times to see if it would work. I have now uninstalled and reinstalled VLC with no luck. What have I done??? Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks.

[ChubbyPrincess]

Yes, same strange thing happening to me only since this morning. I have used it for years and all of a sudden it stopped working? Maybe it was some osx or itunes update that gave itunes precedence over other application in consuming media key events?

No matter what I tried I can't get VLC to receive play/pause key events, instead iTunes opens.

Any help or input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks <3

[ChubbyPrincess]

Update: As a workaround for now I've found this free open source tool to control media key behaviour: https://beardedspice.github.io/

Not optimal to need an extra tool, but it works for me. Anyways I'm still curious what the cause of this is.

[niggler]

Ran into same problem a few days ago. Fix: Allow VLC to control your computer!

Go to System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy. In the left pane, select "Accessibility", and the right side will say "Allow the apps below to control your computer." Scroll down and you should see VLC. Make sure it is checked (It was not checked when the issue arose).

If it is not checked, click the "Click the lock to make changes", enter admin password, then check the box next to VLC, then click "Click the lock to prevent further changes." and restart VLC

[ChubbyPrincess]

Fix: Allow VLC to control your computer!

Nice, that did work! Thank you! Curious though why VLC wouldn't request this permission if it needs it.

[dfuhrmann]

VLC already requests this permission when used for the first time. But if you click "deny" (or the equivalent button) once, macOS will remember this and will not ask again.

[its.sims]

Thank you so much! This was the fix I needed. Still curious about how it came about so suddenly - wondering whether I somehow allowed an update somewhere and dismissed an alert requesting this. Really appreciate your help

Ran into same problem a few days ago. Fix: Allow VLC to control your computer!

Go to System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy. In the left pane, select "Accessibility", and the right side will say "Allow the apps below to control your computer." Scroll down and you should see VLC. Make sure it is checked (It was not checked when the issue arose).

If it is not checked, click the "Click the lock to make changes", enter admin password, then check the box next to VLC, then click "Click the lock to prevent further changes." and restart VLC

[m_martinez92]

It happened to me as soon as my VLC completed the update a few days ago.

[mattyj]

Awesome, that's fixed it. Thanks very much for taking the time to comment and help everyone else.

[nixodian]

thanks niggler, that worked, youre awesome!

[modlin]

Update: As a workaround for now I've found this free open source tool to control media key behaviour: https://beardedspice.github.io/

Not optimal to need an extra tool, but it works for me. Anyways I'm still curious what the cause of this is.

I just wanted to say: Thank you very much for https://beardedspice.github.io/ - it solved one of my annoyances with the macOS - cycling Play button through all open media apps.

[Matteo]

Multimedia_key still not working anymore for me … I fixed it this way:
VLC > Preferences… Show all. Then, in the left menu (Interface > Main interfaces > Macosx), I checked “Control playback with multimedia keys”