Mac trick: launch playlist directly from the dock

Yesterday I showed you how to use the Albums: Music Shortcuts App access your favorite albums from the iPhone or iPad home screen. This went hand in hand with the display of widgets showing the respective album cover. Today I was looking for a way to play certain playlists from the Apple Music app faster on Mac. Because when I start work, I want to hear music right away and not have to look for it first. So in this guide, I'll show you how I put my 80s, 90s, and other playlists in the macOS Dock for instant playback.

Music app play playlist thanks to shortcut

For a long time I ignored the Shortcuts app and didn't want to fiddle with the individual settings and shortcuts. I was probably put off by the sometimes complex use of the Automator app, especially on the Mac. However, if you're a regular visitor to the Sir Apfelot Blog, you'll know that I've gotten quite comfortable with shortcuts lately, both on Mac and iPhone.

Accordingly, I found the solution to instantly play a playlist from Music app on Apple Mac right there. So the first thing I did was open the Shortcuts app, select Gallery at the top of the left sidebar, and type Playlist in the search box in the top right. I then added the Play Playlist command to my collection.

A short search for the term "playlist" quickly finds the right shortcut for the task.
A short search for the term "playlist" quickly finds the right shortcut for the task.

If you click on the plus symbol (+) of the "Play playlist" tile, you can start directly with the necessary settings of the shortcut. A playlist created in the music app or added to the media library there is selected via the drop-down menu in the window that opens. With a click on the "Add shortcut" button, the whole thing is then confirmed. And then you're almost done. 

If you have selected a playlist from your media library, you can create the shortcut for playing it. Can't select the desired playlist? Then you have to add them to your collection in Apple Music.
If you have selected a playlist from your media library, you can create the shortcut for playing it. Can't select the desired playlist? Then you have to add them to your collection in Apple Music.

Customize the shortcut and pin it to the dock

If the shortcut has been created as described above, it will then be in the "All Shortcuts" collection, which you can find in the left sidebar. Right-click (or two fingers on the trackpad) to open the context menu. In it I would recommend the two points "Rename" and "Change icon". So you can use the shortcut z. For example, miss the name of the playlist and also select an icon from the music section or something related (like a horse icon for the country playlist). 

With a unique name and a suitable icon, you can quickly find your playlist shortcut – even in the macOS Dock.
With a unique name and a suitable icon, you can quickly find your playlist shortcut – even in the macOS Dock.

Finally, right-click or use two fingers on the shortcut tile and select “Add to Dock” from the menu. A red icon with the icon you selected will now appear in the macOS Dock. If you move the mouse cursor over it, the name you have given will appear. If you click on it, the linked playlist will be played. By assigning individual symbols and names, you can store different playlists in the dock and start them individually without getting confused.

Two more clicks bring their shortcuts to the dock. You can find out how to separate them from the other symbols in another guide.
Two more clicks bring their shortcuts to the dock. You can find out how to separate them from the other symbols in another guide.

By the way, if you want to know how to create the spaces that separate groups of icons on the dock, take a look at this guide: Use spaces in the dock to separate groups of icons. In the article you will find four more tricks for practical functions of macOS on the Apple Mac, which you should have read about. You can also change app icons with replacicon – I used it to bring the old icons for Word and Excel back into the dock, among other things.

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2 Responses to “Mac trick: launch playlist directly from dock”

    1. Johannes Domke

      Hello Martin,

      I'm glad you like the shortcut.

      I now use it every day to start the working day with a few 80s hits :D

      Best regards
      John

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