Ask Different (Apple)
Q&A for power users of Apple hardware and software
Latest Questions
5
votes
1
answers
4476
views
How can you remove "now playing" from the new control center in Big Sur
Is it possible to remove the "Now Playing" (Music) section of the Control Center in Big Sur? The mac is my work machine, and I never (can't) listen to music when I work, it's not a big deal, but it's always nice to be able to fine tune a machine setup, and for me that would mean removing this. What...
Is it possible to remove the "Now Playing" (Music) section of the Control Center in Big Sur?
The mac is my work machine, and I never (can't) listen to music when I work, it's not a big deal, but it's always nice to be able to fine tune a machine setup, and for me that would mean removing this.
What I've tried:
I found this help from Apple about customisng the Control Center: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchl50f94f8f/mac
But when you get to the relevant setting, it simply says "Now Playing is always available in the control centre" You can optionally show it in the _menu bar_ but can't get it out of the control centre as far as I know.
Edit: Update to note that this is unchanged in Monterey.
Edit: And also unchanged in Ventura
Edit: And Sequoia
Edit: Update to note that this is unchanged in Monterey.
Edit: And also unchanged in Ventura
Edit: And Sequoia
Andrew M
(153 rep)
Apr 29, 2021, 08:17 AM
• Last activity: Mar 8, 2025, 04:02 PM
1
votes
1
answers
61
views
How can I remove the wifi shortcut from the top right corner on my iPad?
To prevent an intended tap on bluetooth hitting the wifi target area, I want to remove the wifi shortcut from the top right corner on my iPad: [![enter image description here][1]][1] I don't see any option in the Control Center: [![enter image description here][2]][2] How can I remove the wifi short...
To prevent an intended tap on bluetooth hitting the wifi target area, I want to remove the wifi shortcut from the top right corner on my iPad:
I don't see any option in the Control Center:
How can I remove the wifi shortcut from the top right corner on my iPad?
I don't see any option in the Control Center:
How can I remove the wifi shortcut from the top right corner on my iPad?
Franck Dernoncourt
(3616 rep)
Feb 7, 2025, 11:59 PM
• Last activity: Feb 9, 2025, 05:49 PM
0
votes
0
answers
292
views
How to restart Control Center?
Through the desktop widget for Screen Time on my M3 Max MacBook Pro with macOS 15.1.1, I noticed how usage for today was around 35 hours (!), 12.5 of which were occupied by the com.apple.controlcenter process. Browsing Activity Monitor didn't return any relevant result for that specific process, eve...
Through the desktop widget for Screen Time on my M3 Max MacBook Pro with macOS 15.1.1, I noticed how usage for today was around 35 hours (!), 12.5 of which were occupied by the com.apple.controlcenter process.
Browsing Activity Monitor didn't return any relevant result for that specific process, even though looking directly for "Control Center" returned the expected result.
Here is a screenshot of System Settings > Screen Time > App & Website Activity, filtered down for only my Mac in devices.
As you can see, it shows Control Centre as being an in-use app for close to 14h, something that I have honestly never seen before. Safari is running, but I have certainly not kept it in focus for 12h! YouTube was running on the iPad as a background music for my workday for 6h (checking the iPad page of Screen Time), but it was never once opened on Mac.
The Tips app was running, but in focus for perhaps 10 minutes while I was writing a blog post? Then what is 5h of Dailymotion? I have no app that is called like that, no process running that answers to it, nor any Safari tab that has it.
Any idea what may be going on and what I could do to solve it? Just a bug in Screen Time, perhaps?
As you can see, it shows Control Centre as being an in-use app for close to 14h, something that I have honestly never seen before. Safari is running, but I have certainly not kept it in focus for 12h! YouTube was running on the iPad as a background music for my workday for 6h (checking the iPad page of Screen Time), but it was never once opened on Mac.
The Tips app was running, but in focus for perhaps 10 minutes while I was writing a blog post? Then what is 5h of Dailymotion? I have no app that is called like that, no process running that answers to it, nor any Safari tab that has it.
Any idea what may be going on and what I could do to solve it? Just a bug in Screen Time, perhaps?
NotationMaster
(1734 rep)
Dec 2, 2024, 09:50 PM
• Last activity: Dec 3, 2024, 12:09 AM
0
votes
2
answers
195
views
Why won't the Control Center module let me turn on Airdrop on my iPhone 8?
This has worked before in the past but I don't know why it doesn't work now. I used to be able to turn Airdrop on/off on my iPhone by: 1. Swiping up from the bottom of my phone 2. Pressing and holding the module that has options for Airplane mode, WiFi, etc. (image of what I'm talking about [here on...
This has worked before in the past but I don't know why it doesn't work now.
I used to be able to turn Airdrop on/off on my iPhone by:
1. Swiping up from the bottom of my phone
2. Pressing and holding the module that has options for Airplane mode, WiFi, etc. (image of what I'm talking about here on google )
For some reason, now when I press and hold that module, it doesn't open up to let me turn Airdrop on/off or turn on my personal hotspot.
I've tried powering off/on my phone, and closing all apps but nothing is working. I don't know what else to try. Is there some app that I installed that might have prevented this from working as usual? What can I do to make this simple function work again?
Classified
(851 rep)
Jul 11, 2019, 03:49 AM
• Last activity: Nov 6, 2024, 05:45 PM
0
votes
0
answers
61
views
Location Services widget for control center?
iOS 18 has added a lot of widgets that can be used in the control center. One that still seems to be missing is Location Services. Is there no way to add functionality for toggling Location Services on and off?
iOS 18 has added a lot of widgets that can be used in the control center.
One that still seems to be missing is Location Services.
Is there no way to add functionality for toggling Location Services on and off?
Mou某
(891 rep)
Sep 20, 2024, 04:01 PM
1
votes
0
answers
786
views
How can I change/remove the shortcut fn+C for opening the Control Centre
Since I upgraded to macOS Monterey, `fn` + `C` (i.e. the `fn` key + the `C` key) opens the Control Centre in the Menu Bar. How can I change or even remove this shortcut? Same question for the shortcut `fn` + `A`. ## Notes 1. In the *Keyboard Preferences* pane I have in the *Keyboard* tab the "Use F1...
Since I upgraded to macOS Monterey, 
but despite the way the table looks _the shortcuts cannot be changed_ here!!!!!!!!!!!!
fn + C (i.e. the fn key + the C key) opens the Control Centre in the Menu Bar.
How can I change or even remove this shortcut?
Same question for the shortcut fn + A.
## Notes
1. In the *Keyboard Preferences* pane I have in the *Keyboard* tab the "Use F1,F2... as standard function keys" checkbox checked and want to keep it that way.
2. I know (thanks to @ user16145658) how to ***view*** the Control Centre shortcut: _System Preferences_ => _Accessibility_ => _Keyboard_ => _Navigation_ tab => Options => _Commands_ tab. Then I see:
but despite the way the table looks _the shortcuts cannot be changed_ here!!!!!!!!!!!!
halloleo
(1497 rep)
May 10, 2024, 11:21 AM
• Last activity: May 12, 2024, 06:37 AM
0
votes
0
answers
69
views
AirPods Icon in Status Bar
Some time ago, there was an AirPods icon in the statusbar of macOS, to show the battery percentage and toggle between the different noise control modes, [like in this screenshot][1]. However, after an update this has been removed. Is there a way to get it back, or has it gone for good? Thanks in adv...
Some time ago, there was an AirPods icon in the statusbar of macOS, to show the battery percentage and toggle between the different noise control modes, like in this screenshot . However, after an update this has been removed. Is there a way to get it back, or has it gone for good? Thanks in advance!
Le_Petit_Prince
(57 rep)
Apr 2, 2024, 01:36 PM
5
votes
0
answers
2509
views
How can I hide the control center icon on the menubar on macos?
Removing Control Center from the menubar would help free up space for my highly used tools like VPN's, [iStat Menus][1], 1Pass, etc. Three years after Control Center was added in Big Sur, there still seems to be no way to hide it. Historically we've seen methods to [hide Spotlight][2] and [hide noti...
Removing Control Center from the menubar would help free up space for my highly used tools like VPN's, iStat Menus , 1Pass, etc. Three years after Control Center was added in Big Sur, there still seems to be no way to hide it.
Historically we've seen methods to hide Spotlight and hide notification center before macOS supported hiding them, as well as other workarounds like:
- Disabling core services underlying menubar icons in terminal (even disabling SIP)
- Swapping system icon files with transparent pngs
- Altering the menubar with via SystemUIServer, iirc the Jamf way
- Simply holding
cmd and dragging them off the menubar
- Using apps specific to solving this problem, like Bartender .
Is there a way with Sonoma to hide the control center icon?
Josh Hibschman
(1294 rep)
Jan 14, 2024, 04:56 PM
• Last activity: Jan 15, 2024, 08:52 AM
8
votes
4
answers
1618
views
How do I actually disable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth in iOS 11 Control Center?
In iOS 11, I can't disable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi using the redesigned Control Center. It disconnects from any Bluetooth/Wi-Fi devices but the radios are still on, draining battery. It also doesn't disable AirDrop either. If I disable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi using settings this shows: [ ][1] [ ][2] How can I...
In iOS 11, I can't disable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi using the redesigned Control Center. It disconnects from any Bluetooth/Wi-Fi devices but the radios are still on, draining battery. It also doesn't disable AirDrop either. If I disable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi using settings this shows:
" class="img-fluid rounded" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 10px 0;" loading="lazy">
" class="img-fluid rounded" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 10px 0;" loading="lazy">
How can I quickly disable Bluetooth/Wi-Fi without having to go to settings?
" class="img-fluid rounded" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 10px 0;" loading="lazy">
" class="img-fluid rounded" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 10px 0;" loading="lazy">
How can I quickly disable Bluetooth/Wi-Fi without having to go to settings?
airsquared
(5187 rep)
Sep 24, 2017, 04:02 AM
• Last activity: Jan 5, 2024, 02:05 PM
5
votes
2
answers
1358
views
Set Focus for a specific duration
By default, the 'Focus' button in the control center of macOS provides three options. Among them, there is a 'For 1 hour'. I would like to have a similar 'Focus' with its duration configurable, such as 2 hours or so. But looking into the settings, it seems that one can only 'schedule' a Focus like f...
By default, the 'Focus' button in the control center of macOS provides three options. Among them, there is a 'For 1 hour'.
I would like to have a similar 'Focus' with its duration configurable, such as 2 hours or so.
But looking into the settings, it seems that one can only 'schedule' a Focus like from 13:00 to 14:30. This is rather different from the duration-only thing.
How to do this?
xiaohuamao
(341 rep)
Jun 17, 2023, 12:42 AM
• Last activity: Nov 16, 2023, 10:00 PM
1
votes
1
answers
339
views
Is the scientific calculator no longer available from control center as accessed from the lock screen?
The calculator app: woot! Extra joy to find out what happens when you rotate the phone 90°… double woot! Yet more joy to find the calculator can be accessed from the lock screen by placing it in Control Center. (Triple woot!) Until a year or so ago I could access the scientific calculator from...
The calculator app: woot! Extra joy to find out what happens when you rotate the phone 90°… double woot!
Yet more joy to find the calculator can be accessed from the lock screen by placing it in Control Center. (Triple woot!)
Until a year or so ago I could access the scientific calculator from the lock screen by rotating the phone. But in iOS 15 (iPhone SE 1st gen) and iOS 16 (iPhone SE 2nd gen), this no longer works.
**Is there some way to re-enable the scientific calculator as accessed from the Control Center *in the lock screen*?**
Lexible
(486 rep)
Sep 14, 2023, 03:31 AM
• Last activity: Sep 14, 2023, 09:52 PM
1
votes
0
answers
1614
views
Battery option is disappeared from control centre
I want to enable **Show Battery in Menu Bar**, but the battery option is missing in Control Center, I'm using MacBook Pro macOS Ventura 13 [![Screenshot of the Control Center settings in macOS Ventura][1]][1] [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/U5xHj.png "Screenshot of the Control Center settings in macOS Ve...
I want to enable **Show Battery in Menu Bar**, but the battery option is missing in Control Center, I'm using MacBook Pro macOS Ventura 13
![Screenshot of the Control Center settings in macOS Ventura ][1]
Aditya_Tarale
(11 rep)
Nov 13, 2022, 11:32 AM
• Last activity: Jul 21, 2023, 05:48 AM
10
votes
1
answers
1772
views
Turn off Control Center in macOS Big Sur
Is there a way to turn off the control center in macOS Big Sur? In settings under dock and menu bar there are settings to the control center but no option to disable it.
Is there a way to turn off the control center in macOS Big Sur? In settings under dock and menu bar there are settings to the control center but no option to disable it.
iTunes
(1801 rep)
Nov 19, 2020, 12:11 PM
• Last activity: Jun 15, 2023, 06:25 PM
1
votes
0
answers
2393
views
How do I remove the "ignore limit for today" option?
I have Screen Time set up on an iPhone. I scheduled downtime to always run, but it gives me three options: - Ignore limit for 1 minute - Ignore limit for 15 minutes - Ignore limit for the rest of the day I am fine with the first two options, but I'd rather exclude the third option. Is it possible to...
I have Screen Time set up on an iPhone. I scheduled downtime to always run, but it gives me three options:
- Ignore limit for 1 minute
- Ignore limit for 15 minutes
- Ignore limit for the rest of the day
I am fine with the first two options, but I'd rather exclude the third option.
Is it possible to get rid of the third option?
Cauder
(54 rep)
May 26, 2023, 01:25 PM
• Last activity: May 27, 2023, 02:45 AM
0
votes
0
answers
28
views
Control center microphone enabling/disabling rapidly + audio glitching
MacOS Ventura 13.4, RME Babyface Pro, MacBook Pro M1 Max 2021 I've found a weird issue somewhere between my audio driver and coreaudio. Regularly my computer gets into a state where the audio stops or glitches out, and I can see in the control center that the microphone is rapidly switching between...
MacOS Ventura 13.4, RME Babyface Pro, MacBook Pro M1 Max 2021
I've found a weird issue somewhere between my audio driver and coreaudio. Regularly my computer gets into a state where the audio stops or glitches out, and I can see in the control center that the microphone is rapidly switching between enabled/disabled. I can stop it by doing a soft reset (shutting down my DAW or something like that) but it's pretty painful.
It's not reproducible with internal audio, so I know it's something between the driver and coreaudio, but its hard to say where the problem is without some kind of debug logs and knowledge about the how the interaction works. Can anybody suggest how to get more information, theories I can test, or ways to contact engineering at Apple? I'm already trying to chase it down with RME.
Thanks
psugar
(101 rep)
May 26, 2023, 02:27 PM
1
votes
1
answers
1129
views
iOS 16 - remove Home from Control Centre
Ever since updating to iOS 16, I now have this Home section added to my Control Centre. I neither need nor want this. Home is not enabled as one of my Control Centre items, yet this sits here prompting me to set up some 'accessories and scenes' for equipment I don't own… [I've tried clicking the hel...
Ever since updating to iOS 16, I now have this Home section added to my Control Centre.
I neither need nor want this. Home is not enabled as one of my Control Centre items, yet this sits here prompting me to set up some 'accessories and scenes' for equipment I don't own… [I've tried clicking the helpful 'Open Home' in the hope it would be satisfied, but I can't do anything with it, as I have nothing to configure.]
This, combined with the fact the entire screen now sits much lower than it used to, wasting an entire row at the top, pushes all the icons I **do** want off the bottom of the screen.
Is there any way to get rid of it?
Inside the Home app I found prefs to switch off 'suggestions' and also removed the default 'home' it had decided I needed to get started. No joy.
*Late edit*
Mentioned in comments & in an answer is to switch off 'Show Home Controls', just below 'Access within apps'. I do not have this option…
Inside the Home app I found prefs to switch off 'suggestions' and also removed the default 'home' it had decided I needed to get started. No joy.
*Late edit*
Mentioned in comments & in an answer is to switch off 'Show Home Controls', just below 'Access within apps'. I do not have this option…
Tetsujin
(119118 rep)
Feb 12, 2023, 05:57 PM
• Last activity: Feb 13, 2023, 06:16 PM
6
votes
2
answers
8805
views
Keyboard shortcut for Control Center
How can I open Control Center without the mouse—only the keyboard?
How can I open Control Center without the mouse—only the keyboard?
Merchako
(1154 rep)
Feb 5, 2022, 04:44 AM
• Last activity: Sep 20, 2022, 05:28 PM
0
votes
0
answers
1389
views
Why Control Center is constantly taking ~40% CPU?
I'm an engineer who needs to work in outdoor environment with my Intel Macbook Pro. I realized that even I minimize energy consumption from apps I installed, the Control Center still constantly consumes 40% of CPU even nothing is going on. Why does Control Center needs CPU at spare time? Is there a...
I'm an engineer who needs to work in outdoor environment with my Intel Macbook Pro. I realized that even I minimize energy consumption from apps I installed, the Control Center still constantly consumes 40% of CPU even nothing is going on.
Why does Control Center needs CPU at spare time? Is there a way to disable Control Center? or minimize its workload to make CPU low enough?
attached my sampling: [https://pastebin.com/baqS3LjP on Monterey 12.3.1]
Jason Xu
(101 rep)
Aug 21, 2022, 02:37 AM
• Last activity: Aug 22, 2022, 01:57 AM
1
votes
2
answers
4142
views
Toggle Airplay Receiver server with the command line on MacOS Monteray+
The new macOS Airplay Receiver service uses port 5000. I'd like to temporarily disable it during the running of a script. This service is manually toggled by an option under *System Preferences > Sharing > Services > Airplay Receiver*. The process that seems to run the service is `/System/Library/Co...
The new macOS Airplay Receiver service uses port 5000. I'd like to temporarily disable it during the running of a script. This service is manually toggled by an option under *System Preferences > Sharing > Services > Airplay Receiver*. The process that seems to run the service is
/System/Library/CoreServices/ControlCenter.app/Contents/MacOS/ControlCenter.
I've looked into the defaults command and some osascript options but been unable to find the right incantations. The ideal solution resembles:
#!/bin/bash
toggle_airplay_receiver off
echo "Running my script and doing stuff on port 5000..."
toggle_airplay_receiver on
echo "All done, AirPlay Receiver works again :)"
AJ Slater
(43 rep)
Dec 3, 2021, 05:44 AM
• Last activity: Aug 9, 2022, 07:31 PM
2
votes
0
answers
1742
views
How can you toggle auto-locking on iPhone?
Say I'm cooking and I want to look at a recipe on my iPhone without having to worry about the iPhone dimming and locking. One way to achieve this is to go to Settings -> Display & Brightness -> Auto-Lock -> Never. However, *usually* I do want my iPhone to auto-lock – it's only when I'm cooking that...
Say I'm cooking and I want to look at a recipe on my iPhone without having to worry about the iPhone dimming and locking. One way to achieve this is to go to Settings -> Display & Brightness -> Auto-Lock -> Never. However, *usually* I do want my iPhone to auto-lock – it's only when I'm cooking that this is unhelpful. If I turn off auto-locking, then I might forget to turn it back on when I'm finished. Is one of the following alternatives possible?
1. Configure the iPhone so that you can change auto-locking from the control centre. This would make it easier to spot that it was off when it should be on.
2. Create a shortcut that turns off auto-locking for a set period of time, say 1 hour, and then turns it back on after that.
Any other suggestions are also welcome.
Joe
(133 rep)
Jul 23, 2022, 08:25 PM
Showing page 1 of 20 total questions