Performance Cues
Use musical cues to shape a moment without changing the audio. These controls do not pause or control playback in Apple Music.
Where to find it
Mac
Lightning icon below the visual. Mac calls Visuals Off “Blackout.” Keyboard shortcuts are listed in Help and Settings.
iPhone and iPad
Lightning icon below the visual. Full screen also provides Performance Cues. Hardware-keyboard shortcuts are listed in Help and Settings.
How it works
- Build increases tension, Drop adds an impact, and Breakdown signals release. Their envelopes recover into the ongoing music; the exact visible action depends on the world.
- Surge briefly accelerates visual motion and returns smoothly in about 1.35 seconds. It is a momentary cue, not a playback mode.
- Freeze holds visual progression while listening continues. Visuals Off / Blackout makes the output black while the session continues. Press either again to restore it.
- Pause Session in Playback Adjustments suspends rendering and audio analysis and keeps the last frame. Resume Session continues from that position.
Tips
Repeated cues can overlap the music. Leave room for recovery. Use Pause Session when you want to reduce work; a black or frozen picture alone does not suspend the entire pipeline.