Compatibility Check is now Playback Verification. Same feature, clearer name: it verifies what Apple Music is actually playing on your Mac before you buy Pro. All functionality is unchanged.
Improvements
- Menu, preferences, and verification window labels now use Verify Playback and Verify Sample Rate (previously Run Check and Run Match Check).
- Output sample-rate details now show the current Device format when available, matching the wording used by Audio MIDI Setup. Output matched is still based on sample rate only.
- The notch expanded view now shows the output sample rate next to the playback format (for example, ALAC 24/96 → 96).
- License verification now includes an anonymous device identifier generated randomly by Audex Trace and hashed on your Mac. It does not use hardware serial numbers, device names, or personal information, and is only sent as part of the standard license check.
- Minor visual refinements to notch controls and button highlights.
Download AudexTrace-1.2.5.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
Compatibility notes
- Requires macOS 15 or later.
- For best real-time playback-format detection, turn off Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade in Music.
- Improved Compatibility Check playback-format detection when Apple Music takes longer to start playback or report fresh format information.
- Added clearer Compatibility Check results when playback is unavailable, Automation access is disabled, or the check cannot complete.
- Improved Playing Next quality estimates and controls, especially for downloaded or local queue items.
- Improved playback display polish, including labels, contrast, and compact player details.
- Improved playback state stability around brief zero-position or duration updates from Apple Music.
Download AudexTrace-1.2.4.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
Compatibility notes
- Requires macOS 15 or later.
- For best real-time playback-format detection, turn off Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade in Music.
Maintenance update focused on Apple Music lifecycle handling and release polish.
Improvements
- Fixed an issue where Audex Trace could unexpectedly launch or relaunch Apple Music while monitoring playback.
- Improved the empty/waiting state when Apple Music is not currently running.
- Improved Music access recovery when macOS Automation permission needs attention.
Download AudexTrace-1.2.3.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
Compatibility notes
- Requires macOS 15 or later.
- For best real-time playback-format detection, turn off Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade in Music.
Maintenance update for Audex Trace 1.2, focused on artwork background readability, clearer Preferences organization, and Compatibility Check polish.
Download AudexTrace-1.2.2.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
Improvements
- Added background style options for the player window and menu bar panel: Plain, Translucent, and Artwork.
- Added separate Player Window and Menu Bar appearance settings so each surface can be tuned independently.
- Improved dynamic artwork backgrounds and text contrast across the mini player, menu bar panel, and Playing Next panel.
- Improved artwork background transitions when opening or closing Playing Next.
- Reorganized Preferences into clearer sections for Player Window, Menu Bar, Notch, Playback, and Playing Next.
- Improved Compatibility Check guidance when Apple Music is not currently playing a track.
Fixes
- Fixed Compatibility Check guidance appearing for Pro users.
- Fixed Compatibility Check scrolling while detection is running.
- Fixed cases where Playing Next text could choose the wrong contrast color.
- Fixed several small visual inconsistencies in preference labels, experimental badges, and artwork-backed controls.
Compatibility notes
- Compatibility Check needs an active Apple Music playback session to detect the current playback format and sample-rate behavior on your Mac.
- Auto Sample Rate Match depends on the output device exposing compatible macOS sample rates.
Maintenance update for Audex Trace 1.2, focused on Playing Next reliability, playback format display consistency, and menu bar/notch interaction polish.
Download AudexTrace-1.2.1.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
Improvements
- Improved Playing Next artwork handling for upcoming tracks when Apple Music does not provide enough identifier data.
- Improved playback format detection around track changes, especially when queue and quality features are active.
- Standardized playback format labels across the app, such as
ALAC 24-bit / 48 kHz and ALAC 24-bit / 96 kHz.
- Refined the expanded notch player with denser controls, better seek bar spacing, marquee text for long metadata, and more accurate hover areas.
- Improved release metadata handling so download links and release references can point to the exact versioned build.
Fixes
- Fixed menu bar popovers after changing UI scale.
- Fixed keyboard input behavior around menu bar popovers.
- Fixed queue/window layout behavior when the player is near screen edges.
- Fixed expanded notch control hover feedback so the visible hover state matches the actual interactive area.
Feature update for Apple Music listeners on macOS 15 and later, centered on Playing Next and earlier visibility into upcoming playback issues.
Download AudexTrace-1.2.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
What's new
- Added Playing Next, a compact queue view for upcoming Apple Music tracks.
- Playing Next is available for free with upcoming track metadata and artwork.
- Pro users can now see estimated queue quality for upcoming tracks, including Lossless, Hi-Res, or Dolby availability before playback reaches them.
- Pro users can now see skip warnings for queued tracks that look likely to fail or be skipped.
- Added Playing Next preferences so queue details, quality estimates, and skip warnings can be shown or hidden.
Improvements
- Reduced CPU usage while audio-quality features are active.
- Improved queue refresh behavior and artwork stability around track changes.
- Improved compact player layout, footer alignment, and playback transitions.
- Refined menu bar and notch presentation for the new queue experience.
- Improved Preferences organization with a clearer Support and Feedback area.
Maintenance update for macOS 15 and later.
Download AudexTrace-1.1.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
What's changed
- Refined compact player, menu bar, and notch interaction polish.
- Improved expanded notch layout behavior.
- Improved artwork fallback transitions so artwork changes feel steadier.
- Made playback state changes feel steadier after play/pause interactions.
- Kept Apple Music playback format display, output match status, and experimental Auto Sample Rate Match available for Pro users.
- Fixed release publishing so the public site points to the exact versioned download and release page.
Compatibility notes
- Requires macOS 15 or later.
- For best real-time playback-format detection, turn off Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade in Music.
- Auto Sample Rate Match depends on the output device exposing compatible macOS sample rates.
Initial public release for macOS 15 and later.
Download AudexTrace-1.0.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.
Highlights
- Apple Music mini player with playback controls, track metadata, and album artwork.
- Menu bar controls with playback-status visuals.
- Optional notch overlay for quick now-playing access.
- Local playback format detection for Apple Music, including codec, bit depth, and sample rate.
- Output sample-rate match status for Pro users.
- Experimental Auto Sample Rate Match for Pro users.
- Built-in Compatibility Check so users can verify playback-format detection before buying Pro.
- Signed and notarized release distributed through GitHub Releases.
- Automatic update support for future releases.
Before buying Pro
- Run the built-in Compatibility Check on your own Mac.
- For best real-time playback-format detection, turn off Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade in Music.
- Auto Sample Rate Match depends on the output device exposing compatible macOS sample rates.
Known limitations
- Apple Music can prepare upcoming tracks before playback starts, so Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade may make format detection delayed or unavailable around track changes.
- macOS 14 and earlier are not officially supported.
