iTunes Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List for Windows & Mac (2026)
iTunes keyboard shortcuts let you play music, manage playlists, and navigate your library without touching the mouse. This guide lists every iTunes shortcut for both Windows and Mac, side by side, with a free printable PDF you can keep next to your keyboard.
One thing to know first: iTunes still runs on Windows in 2026, but on Mac it was replaced by the Apple Music app in 2019 (macOS Catalina). Most shortcuts carried over unchanged but a few changed, and this guide covers both, so the keys you press actually work.
The single most-used shortcut is the Spacebar, which plays and pauses any song, video, podcast, or audiobook on both Windows and Mac.
File / Library Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Create a new playlist | Ctrl + N | Command + N |
| Create a playlist from selected songs | Ctrl + Shift + N | Shift + Command + N |
| Create a new Smart Playlist | Ctrl + Alt + N | Option + Command + N |
| Add or open a file in your library | Ctrl + O | Command + O |
| Close the window | Ctrl + W | Command + W |
| Open the song / CD info window | Ctrl + I | Command + I |
| Show where a song file is located | Ctrl + R | Shift + Command + R |
| Show the currently playing song in the list | Ctrl + L | Command + L |
Edit Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open Preferences / Settings | Ctrl + , | Command + , |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | Command + X |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | Command + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | Command + V |
| Undo (while editing item info) | Ctrl + Z | Command + Z |
| Select all songs in the list | Ctrl + A | Command + A |
| Deselect all songs in the list | Ctrl + Shift + A | Shift + Command + A |
| Select the search field | Ctrl + F | Command + F |
Playback / Control Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Start or stop playing | Spacebar | Spacebar |
| Play the selected song from the start | Enter | Return |
| Stop playing (full stop) | — (use Spacebar) | Command + Period |
| Play the next song in a list | Right Arrow | Right Arrow |
| Play the previous song in a list | Left Arrow | Left Arrow |
| Move forward within a song | Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow | Option + Command + Right Arrow |
| Move backward within a song | Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow | Option + Command + Left Arrow |
| Next album in a list | Shift + Right Arrow | Option + Right Arrow |
| Previous album in a list | Shift + Left Arrow | Option + Left Arrow |
| Next / last chapter (if available) | Ctrl + Shift + Right / Left Arrow | Shift + Command + Right / Left Arrow |
| Increase the volume | Ctrl + Up Arrow | Command + Up Arrow |
| Decrease the volume | Ctrl + Down Arrow | Command + Down Arrow |
| Mute / unmute (song keeps playing) | Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow | Command + Option + Down Arrow |
| Show the playback queue | – | Option + Command + U |
| Open the equalizer | – | Option + Command + E |
| Eject a CD | Ctrl + E | Command + E |
View Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to / open MiniPlayer | Ctrl + Shift + M | Option + Command + M |
| Enter or exit full-screen view | Ctrl + Shift + F | Shift + Command + F |
| Show or hide the Column Browser | Ctrl + B | Command + B |
| Turn the visualizer on or off | Ctrl + T | Command + T |
| Open the View Options window | Ctrl + J | Command + J |
| Show or hide the status bar | – | Command + / |
| Refresh source list / Genius | F5 | Command + R |
iTunes Store Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Next page in the iTunes Store | Ctrl + ] | Command + ] |
| Previous page in the iTunes Store | Ctrl + [ | Command + [ |
| Open the Store menu | Alt + S | Option + S |
| Search the iTunes Store (from anywhere) | type query + Shift + Enter | type query + Option + Return |
| Check for new podcast episodes | F5 | Command + R |
General Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open Help | Ctrl + ? | Command + ? |
| Edit the name of the selected item | F2 | F2 |
| Quit the app | Alt + F4 | Command + Q |
| Hide the window | – | Command + M |
| Hide all other apps | – | Option + Command + H |
| Open in “safe mode” (no plug-ins) | Ctrl + Shift (while launching) | – |
How to Enable Full Keyboard Navigation in iTunes
By default, iTunes lets you control playback and menus with shortcuts, but not move between on-screen controls using the Tab key. Turning on full keyboard navigation lets you reach buttons, checkboxes, and lists without a mouse useful for accessibility and for working faster on a laptop.
To enable full keyboard navigation in iTunes on Windows:
- Open iTunes and click Edit in the menu bar.
- Choose Preferences.
- Click the Advanced tab.
- Select “Enable full keyboard navigation.”
- Click OK to save.
Once it’s on, use these navigation keys:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move to the next control | Tab |
| Activate the selected control | Enter |
| Expand or collapse the selected item | Left Arrow / Right Arrow (or + / − on the numeric keypad) |
On Mac (Apple Music app): Full keyboard navigation is a system-wide setting, not an app setting. Turn it on under System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard navigation, then use Tab to move between controls in the Music app and any other app.
iTunes Keyboard Shortcuts FAQ
Does iTunes still exist in 2026?
Yes, but only on Windows. iTunes still runs on Windows and receives updates. On Mac, Apple discontinued iTunes in 2019 with macOS Catalina and replaced it with three apps: Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV.
What is the play/pause shortcut in iTunes?
The Spacebar plays and pauses the selected song, video, podcast, or audiobook. It works identically on both Windows and Mac, and it carried over unchanged to the Apple Music app.
Do iTunes shortcuts work in the Apple Music app?
Most do. Common shortcuts like Spacebar (play/pause), Command + N (new playlist), and Command + I (song info) are identical in both apps. A few changed for example, opening the MiniPlayer is now Option + Command + M in Music instead of Command + Shift + S, and stopping playback is Command + Period.
Are iTunes shortcuts different on Windows and Mac?
The actions are the same, but the modifier key differs: Windows uses Ctrl where Mac uses Command. For example, creating a new playlist is Ctrl + N on Windows and Command + N on Mac. A few Mac shortcuts also use the Option key where Windows uses Alt.
How do I create a new playlist using a keyboard shortcut?
Press Ctrl + N on Windows or Command + N on Mac to create a new, empty playlist. In the Apple Music app, you can also press Shift + Command + N to create a playlist from songs you’ve already selected.
Can I customize iTunes keyboard shortcuts?
iTunes does not have a built-in shortcut editor. On Mac, you can create custom shortcuts through System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts, assigning a key combination to any menu item by its exact name.
Is there a printable iTunes shortcuts PDF?
Yes. You can download the full iTunes keyboard shortcuts list as a free PDF from this page and print it or keep it open as a reference.
What is the most useful iTunes keyboard shortcut?
The Spacebar is the most-used shortcut because it handles play and pause for all media types with a single key, on both Windows and Mac.
Final Thoughts
iTunes keyboard shortcuts turn a slow, mouse-heavy app into something you can drive almost entirely from the keyboard. Start with the Spacebar and the ten essentials above, then add the menu and Store shortcuts from the tables as they become useful to you. Keep the free PDF nearby until the keys become muscle memory.
One last reminder: if you’re on a modern Mac, you’re using the Apple Music app, where most of these shortcuts work unchanged and a few have shifted the comparison table above covers the differences. On Windows, iTunes still works exactly as listed.
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