iTunes Remote Reviews

by TuiTui3

Even though there is an official app for the Apple Watch, iTunesRemote doesn’t have the ability to display what’s on your iPhone. It solely relies on the wifi connection. Why is that a problem? Because my WiFi is on a faster 5ghz frequency, and the Apple Watch is the only Apple device I own that doesn’t support 5ghz. Therefor I cannot use my Apple Watch with the remote app. However because my mac and iPhone are both connected to the 5ghz the Remote App works on the iPhone. Why can I not use the existing connection between the iPhone and Apple Watch to control the Remote App on the iPhone??? Why doesn’t Apple step up and release an Apple Watch with 5ghz support???

by BigRedCornell

Catalina got rid of the forever spinning beach ball that was present in the last iteration (abortion, really) of itunes on Mojave, especially when ripping music from a cd.
But remote, which has had many issues over the years, seems to have an amnesia problem, this time losing track of its host computer, even sometimes while it is playing a playlist! Only way to reconnect is by deleting the remote and reestablishing the Connection. It works for a short while and then the same thing happens.
I use this with Hegel music products, one of the best, if no THE best airplay receiver.
I have been using iTunes and airplay for more than 10 years. It has steadily gone downhill as iOS and intoxicating profits drove Apple’s focus, while OS X steadily went downhill.
The dreaded Apple permissions debacle is enough to make a grown man cry. The only person this is going to keep from copying the music is the Apple computer owner. A thumb in the eye for being an Apple enthusiast.
I have owned most everything Apple makes, including Xserve.
It used to be fun to work with Apple. Now it’s a hair pulling ritual. For the first time since I started using Apple, I an thinking of alternatives.
Lastly the interface with music and iphone is terrible. Just awful.
Can’t see playlists, edit playlists, delete playlists along with their songs.
Clearly Apple doesn’t care. And it’s very very sad.

by Jashton37

So far I haven’t been impressed with many of the changes since Apple decided to chop iTunes in half. Why did you take away the Airplay button? Now I have to go to my computer to make iTunes connect to my Apple TV via Airplay (which is still way faster than loading from the Apple TV!) Before I could connect it from iTunesRemote while sitting on my couch. Also, there’s no Airplay setting in the Apple TV app that will maintain the preference to automatically Airplay to your Apple TV like before. Why take that away? It worked so great before! Now I have to select it from my computer every time that I want to watch anything. I have purchased ALL the Apple things like you wanted me to, why won’t they play well together?!
(Note: I am writing this review while I am patiently waiting for my Apple TV to load content from my library...)

by Anthonyjp

After Catalina, I waited a long time for the return of Remote support. While it finally works on iPhone, I can’t it to work properly on my watch. It shows my Mac library in the list, but after connecting, nada. I‘ve read all the help files, researched it to no end, removed/re-installed/re-added more times than I can count, with no luck.

Feature request: Instead or fixing Remote, it would be even better if the remote functionality with my Mac could be incorporated into the Now Playing watch app – it would save so many steps and be much easier! (Bc honestly, using Remote app to control Mac Music app is really clunky and slow as it is anyway, with so many taps and waiting between taps to get to a simple music control like adjusting volume or skipping to the next track.) It really doesn’t make sense that Watch integration is only right with iOS and not my Mac too.

by Geoknowmusic

I have been a long standing Apple advocate for almost all products. I particularly loved the integrated nature of things even though some protocols are proprietary. iTunes was the most important app and allowed me to share my library with others and also launch and manage all music libraries across our home network and devices. It was easy and a one of a kind product suite.

With the introduction of the streaming Music product Apple continuously tweets and screws with Remote App Library management and overall utility of the integration. I am really disgusted and won’t go into the more granular inconveniences but please just leave it alone! My iTunes library has over 10,000 songs that were transferred from CD’s or purchased through iTunes. Not sure when you keep making it difficult to use, unless of course you are trying to kill historical use to add streaming subscriptions. I assure you, you will NEVER get me to do that.

by Schmidlapper

This is one of the most used apps I have on my IOS devices, using it to control a headless Mac mini music server. There are no iTunes alternatives available I’m aware off, as such it is important to me that it continues to remain relevant. For the most part it works flawlessly with a local music library, what it doesn’t do is quite astonishing, it doesn’t allow selecting music from Apple Music. If I choose an album or song in Apple Music using Remote Desktop from a Mac and then start iTunes Remote on iPad it appears in now playing and functions normally so it seems feasible. Please Apple update iTunesRemote with Apple Music functionality, don’t make me email Tim Cook over such an obvious shortcoming.

Updated: Apple is rolling out lossless HiRez Apple Music soon, yet this their only remote app for controlling the Music App still cannot see any of the Apple Music streaming stuff. While Roon and Audirvana's remote apps can do just that with their apps controlling HiRez streaming services like Qobuz and Tidal.

by Frustrated And Angry Mario

iTunesRemote like so many other Apple apps is so full of bugs and so frustrating to use. For someone who has his own music file library, iTunesRemote makes one question why keeping using Apple products. New Music app for MacOS is a joke. Trying to sync apple devices to my library is hit and miss and requires reboots of MacBook and devices at times to sync properly. So I started using iTunes on windows which seems to be more stable, but the Remote app randomly displays different playlist and playlist folders just starting iTunesRemote or creating new playlists. Taps on virtual buttons on screen, such as “Playing Now” do not work at times and require tapping another button or restarting app. This doesn’t even qualify as an alpha release, much less beta or live rollout release.

by LateAdaptor

Now that iTunes functionality has moved to the new Music app in the Catalina MacOS, not surprisingly, those who have not moved forward have been left to suffer the slow decline of Remote functionality. Myself included. This is the nature of the software universe, so take a relaxing breath since it is fruitless to expect such old technology to function as intended so far beyond its useful life.

One can no longer add a Play Next song to the UpNext playlist without the currently playing song muting for half a second while some buffer refills (or whatever is the cause). If you wait until a new song begins playing, you can sometimes get around this flaw.

by Christina Christina

I have a Mac mini that we use as a media server that is hooked up to an audiophile system. You can tell the sound difference between Apple Music and actual cds we ripped and play on iTunes. That being said we prefer using iTunes and this remote is severely limiting. I haven’t seen any functionality added in years. Please don’t forget about iTunesRemote! I know very few people use it, but there are some of us out there that are crying for a revamp!!
I also subscribe to Apple Music which only shows up if you’ve downloaded the songs to the iTunes folder.

by TOSONA

Like everything associated with iTunes or the new Apple Music, the remote app is just so-so. I’ve been using Macs since 1985 and I’d gotten used to great care being paid to what Apple used to call human factors engineering, what we now call user-interface design. itunes’ design was so poor you’d swear it was written by Microsoft. Apple Music is worse, if that’s possible. The Remote app works — if everything is painstakingly set up — most of the time. There are limitations about what you can do with playlists that don’t make sense, especially in a closed environment where everything is designed send coded by one company. A big company. A company with lots of money. Money it seems not to want to spend on getting music streaming right.

by Abq Michael

Remote is a cool concept. It lets me adjust the Music volume playing on my Apple TV or iMac from my iPhone or iPad. In theory, it could also let me change what’s playing.

The in theory part is that I subscribe to Apple Music and have had my subscription for over 5 years. Remote let’s me select among “my” recordings in my Apple library. This is basically the music I ripped or purchased before I started subscribing to Apple Music. It does not let me select Apple Music subscription tracks. It does not let me select Apple Music radio stations. At this point it basically lets me select tracks I’m not very interested in. That’s really limiting.

by Deliriousguy

If you like to play music on iTunes and use AirPlay to play music in different parts of the house, this lets you control it via your phone. Unfortunately more recent versions have removed some nice features and support on newer versions of Mac OS is a bit rough, but I hope iTunesRemote continues to work. Sadly, it seems the Apple Watch version of this no longer works as well. But this is one of the apps I’ve been using the longest and I hope it stays around for a while longer.

by SFmorf

Via the remote app I am able to send uncompressed music from my iMac all over my house and control it with my iPad, my iPhone, & my Apple Watch! Very cool!
I’ve noted two problems that I haven’t been able to fix:
After any significant time out (1 hour), my home pods disappear as on option to send music via Remote app. I have to walk to the Mac and select the option manually (again) before it appears again (temporarily) in app. The remote app sees all other Airplay devices (including non-Apple) and the Music app sees all devices, but the Remote app remains blind.
2nd problem: When Remote App uploads my (extensive) Mac music library, it sometimes lists (& plays) tracks in the wrong order. Not acceptable to one (like me) who appreciates listening to an album in the way intended.
Fix these problems and we’ve got a 6 Star app!

by The Builder....

For the most part, it does work correctly, controlling the sound from the Mac via Wi-Fi, but even on Gigabit Ethernet, it still loses connection with the Mac at intermittent intervals. As a result, it’s great to use only for personal projects, and not for professional use.

If Apple could give people the option of controlling their music via Bluetooth, or improve the Wi-Fi connectivity of iTunesRemote, it would be great to use.

by SlaughterDog

iTunesRemote makes it so easy to search and control a 3rd gen Apple TV, since you can use a keyboard to enter your search. It’s also great for playing music and videos from a Mac – you can even change where it AirPlays to, which is awesome.

What it lacks is the ability to search Apple Music if you’ve got a subscription. It only finds songs already added to your library. I have a playlist of internet streams, which it finds, which is great..

Trying to connect to a Mac that is sleeping is hit and miss. I wish I could always remotely wake it and start some tunes.

by Michael B. Singh

ITunes/Music Remote App stopped working on iPhone 11 pro and Apple Watch 4 after upgrade to macOS Catalina. Was resolved on both iWatch and iPhone when Catalina was upgraded to 10.5.2. However when Watch was upgraded to 6.1.1, Remote app on watch stopped working again. Hope this can be resolved soon. Also, When using Remote app on iPhone, ir doesn’t show on locked screen. Have to unlock to see whats playing.

by Snapper-Z

I have used iTunesRemote regularly for 10+ years with occasional technical difficulties. But Just upgraded my 2012 Mac Mini to the latest version of MacOS. The Remote app has simply never been better. Works a treat on all my iOS devices to play my purchased iTunes music and playlists WITHOUT an Apple Music subscription. Well done Apple!

UPDATED: all the new OS update make it even better. I no longer have to walk back to the office to change the output. Can do it all from the Remote app. I love you, Apple!

by TeckFire

This is by far the most effective way to control music on a large downloaded library in a home theater or dedicated listening area from afar. Reliable, packed with features, and is simple to set up.

One suggestion, though... Can you let us look up Apple Music searches through iTunesRemote? It currently is library only, and while that does include Apple Music downloads and streaming, you can’t look for new searches without going to iTunes on your PC. You can play/pause once they’re going, you just manually have to search on iTunes.

Please add this to iTunesRemote !

by Amayer54

After this latest update and MacOS update, working swimmingly. I love that my whole house AirPlay Setup works as designed once again!

Old rating: Had I known about the iTunes remote breaking when this Catalina upgrade came about, it would have been a deal breaker. I’ve had iTunesRemote for years and used it regularly to stream music to all my airplay speakers. Worked wonderfully.

I put Catalina on my mac, and it’s broken. Apple would be wise to fix, with all the issues with the iOS and macOS, which they absurdly and uncharacteristically botched, and the anger in the community over this among other “losses”, which outweigh the “enhancements”. Apple, you were better than this.

by Chenmo Xialin

Very nice useful App, though recently it has stopped functioning properly, I can’t scroll left right up or down. Only click in and menu out... strange thought it might be a temporary glitch, but it hasn’t fallen back in gear for the past few days. But iTunesRemote is or was awesome to have especially if you misplace your Apple TV remote not to mention all the shortcuts it holds within to get to content❣️ ...hope you all will repair the glitch soon🙏🖖🏼💖

by Fogmaster

iTunesRemote is great when it works. It happens to work about 50% of the time. You can turn home sharing on and off to get it to find your home library. But that works about 66% of the time. It stopped working completely when the last major MacOS occurred. You can tell apple doesn’t care about WiFi networking anymore. They are getting out of WiFi routers and it shows. If I was going to invest in a room by room music system hooked up with multiple units playing from the Music App (not iTunes now) I would invest in a Sonos system. Way more stable and dependable. Apple just wants to make easy money now. No vision other than that.

by Charlie Nemonster

iTunesRemote worked best and was more intuitive on my iPhone 4. You go to your music library or radio content and hit the button and it automatically went where I wanted to go. Now it takes several steps and it’s not a easy to play the content I want to play. From my iPhone 5, 6S and XR, same problem. How can you go backward? I use my iPhone 4 exclusively as a remote control in a WiFi zone at home.

by Mythrenegade

I was livid that key functionality had been removed, but when I went back into iTunesRemote to take a screenshot it was back. It apparently takes a while for things to load before you can access the library directly in the AppleTV2 and 3. Haven’t tried it with the 4.

by NathanielGins

Finally works with Music. What were they thinking. That was a rough few weeks without a remote! Works well enough as a remote. Occasionally it can’t find the music library. Feature suggestion: since I have Apple Music give me access to all that goodness. Thanks for fixing iTunesRemote Apple!

by Hahko Poxley

Been in the throes of this music playing use case since my first airports expresses bought in early 2005. Glad Apple saw the value in bringing it to Catalina and the mobile OSes. Keep it, please.

Only drawback in the past number of years is that synchronicity among active airport expresses was better for my setup during the middle of the period since 2005 than in the beginning and more recently. Got better and then got worse.

by Battincash2

Yes iTunesRemote works again but it's sorting my Library items alphabetically instead of by Episode number. Super irritating to have to make a playlist or manually add episode numbers to the titles just for them to display in the correct order. At least give us a sorting option! It doesn't even match the macOS version display...keep it consistent Apple!!

by Dergo32

Works well as a basic remote, offering a simplistic interface similar to iTunes itself. Apple Music features (such as for adding new music) need to be added though; preferably, iTunesRemote should be integrated into the IOS native music app, much like how Spotify’s remote feature is integrated smoothly right in iTunesRemote .

by SucculentLemons

Take the default music app and re-code it t be more like this remote. It used to be this way, but updates of late have been detrimental to the musical experience of apple devices. You can tell Jobs is gone, by how the music is treated by the company. If you want help, Apple, call me.

by Shimmer Factor

And probably most underrated on iTunesRemote Store. Simply perfect. Select and play music from our local library throughout the house without draining the phone battery by playing directly from the device. Keep at it!

by G Diggy

I’ve been using iTunesRemote for what, 9 years now? It’s had its hits and misses but iTunesRemote is one of the first things I got for my Apple culture at home and have used it religiously since. It’s one of those “gee-whiz” apps from back in the day. It’s still my trusty jukebox. Viva La Remote!!