So your compatible smartwatch can use the app, too. You get music controls, playlists, search, and the ability to play specific songs, plus the app is compatible with Android Wear. Making it a permanent resident of the UI can help alleviate some anxiety about accidentally removing a song from your library, and it's also a better reminder that your trash is automatically emptied after 60 days.Ī free remote player mobile app for Android: As its name implies, Remote for GPMDP is a free Android app that interacts directly with the Desktop Player, over your local Wi-Fi connection. The Trash section exists in the web version of Google Play, but you can't see it unless there's something in it. You can set the Player app to open when you start your computer, enable voice control, use a mini player widget, link the app to a Last.FM account, create keyboard shortcuts for a variety of common actions, and even try out experimental support of 5.1 surround sound. The additional features are welcome and sensible: While the visual design of GPMDP is nearly identical to the web version, you'll notice a few additional items when you click on the hamburger menu in the upper left corner, chiefly 'Desktop Settings' and 'Trash.' Clicking on Desktop Settings opens up a whole new layer of functions and interaction. Its advantages come in what it can add to the experience, rather than attempting to alter what's already working. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel: Play Music doesn't have a bad interface, so why fix what isn't broken? For the most part, Google Play Music Desktop Player (GPMDP) seeks to mirror the look and feel of the in-browser experience, for maximum familiarity.

Have Play Music fans been missing out by not having a Spotify-like desktop experience? Let's investigate. Generally speaking, Google's mobile services come from a kaleidoscope of individual apps, but us lowly Windows and Mac users get corralled into a web browser tab when we want to load up Gmail, Drive, Photos, Maps, and so on. Although Google Play Music (GPM) competes directly against Spotify and other streaming services, it actually doesn't have its own desktop app.

Googleplay desktop