Notch-based player
The compact player sits in the MacBook notch and expands into a full player on hover or click, keeping playback controls close without taking over the screen.
Notch Radio
Notch Radio is a native macOS internet radio player that places live station playback in the MacBook notch or menu bar. It helps Mac users discover, save, and listen to community-listed stations, with live track titles and album artwork when broadcasters provide the relevant metadata.
Internet radio in the macOS notch
Notch Radio is a native macOS internet radio player designed to live in a MacBook's notch. It connects to live station streams, shows the current station and available track metadata, and provides playback controls in a compact interface rather than a separate traditional player window.
The app uses the Radio Browser community directory for station discovery, while audio plays directly from the broadcaster's stream. Users can search by name, genre, or country, save stations to a personal library, and add an HTTPS stream URL when a station is not listed. It also works on Macs without a physical notch through a drawn notch interface or a menu bar mode.
Features
Track metadata and album art
View live track titles and per-song album artwork in the full player when the station supplies usable metadata; artwork is fetched to match the current song.
Station discovery and library
Search the Radio Browser community directory by station name or genre, including genre-based results, then save stations to a personal library.
Media key controls
Use keyboard media keys and macOS Now Playing controls for playback without returning to the app window.
Flexible placement
Move the player to the menu bar, pin it to a selected display, or use a drawn notch on Macs without a physical notch.
Custom streams and filters
Add stations outside the directory with a manually entered HTTPS stream URL and filter directory results by country.
Use cases
Background listening while working
Keep a station playing while working in other Mac apps, using the notch or menu bar for quick access and keyboard media keys for basic playback control.
Exploring internet radio
Search by genre or country to find ambient, focus, jazz, electronic, and other internet radio stations, then keep selected stations in a personal library.
Using different Mac setups
Use the compact player on a MacBook with a physical notch, or switch to the drawn-notch and menu bar modes on another Mac or an external display.
Listening to a specific station
Add a preferred broadcaster directly when it is not indexed in Radio Browser, provided the station exposes an HTTPS stream URL.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Native macOS app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
- Compact notch placement with menu bar and multi-display alternatives.
- Radio Browser search supports station, genre, and country discovery.
- Supports keyboard media keys, Now Playing, custom HTTPS streams, and per-song artwork when metadata is available.
Cons
- Station playback and track metadata depend on third-party broadcasters; some streams may be unavailable or lack live titles.
- The app requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and manually added stations must use HTTPS stream URLs.
- The free tier limits the saved station library to five stations and does not retain all paid trial features after the trial ends.
FAQ
What Macs and macOS versions does Notch Radio support?
Notch Radio requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later and runs on any Mac, including both Macs with and without a physical notch. On Macs without a notch, it can draw its own notch-shaped player or use the menu bar.
Where does the Notch Radio player appear?
By default, the player sits in the Mac's notch and expands when hovered or clicked. You can switch it to a menu bar icon in Settings → Appearance, and on multi-display setups pin it to a specific display.
How do I add a radio station?
Search the Radio Browser community directory in Settings → Stations, or add a station manually with an HTTPS stream URL. Plain HTTP stream URLs are not supported.
Why might a station or track title not work?
Station availability and metadata depend on the broadcaster. Stations may go offline, move, or change URLs, and track titles are missing when a station does not broadcast them. In that case, Notch Radio shows the station name.
What is included in the free tier and trial?
The free tier has no time limit or account requirement. It keeps up to five stations and allows directory playback while there is room to save. A 14-day in-app trial enables the paid features; after it ends, saved stations continue to play, while live track titles, per-song artwork, and some player options are disabled until unlocking.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Internet radio player
- Platform
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later
- Hardware
- Works on Macs with or without a physical notch
- Station directory
- Radio Browser community directory
- Input
- Directory stations or custom HTTPS stream URLs
- Purchase model
- Free tier with optional one-time unlock
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