How to minimize iTunes to the Windows Taskbar

Posted on December 16, 2007 at 7:20 am

Even though I’ve been using iTunes for a long time, I apparently did not know one of the most useful features of the software: the fact that iTunes can be minimized to and controlled from the Windows taskbar just like Windows Media player! So if you’re always using iTunes to play your music and you didn’t already know this little trick, here’s how to setup iTunes so that it can be controlled from the taskbar.

First, right-click on the Taskbar and go to Toolbars and then select iTunes.

Now click on the minimize button at the top right of the iTunes window:

Now you should see the iTunes controls minimized to the bottom right corner of the Windows Taskbar. You can pause, rewind, fast-forward, or skip to different parts of the currently playing song.

If, for some reason, this does not work, you may have to go into iTunes and then go to Preferences and click on the Advanced tab. There is an option towards the bottom called “Show iTunes icon in system tray“. Make sure to UN-CHECK that. Sounds kind of counter-intuitive, but you want Windows to control how the minimizing process, not iTunes.

And that’s it! You should now be able to control iTunes through the Windows taskbar. Also, if you’re a big time user of Firefox, you can download and install an extension called FoxyTunes that will allow you to play iTunes songs from within Firefox.

I like this extension a lot because it not only allows you to control iTunes, but also many other media players like WinAmp, Pandora, Windows Media Player, etc and it provides more information about a song, such as it’s name, the lyrics, album covers, videos, bios, and lots more!

The other nice thing about this Firefox add-on is that it can be moved to any location in your Firefox browser, so you can have it at the top, bottom, on the sidebar, etc.