Title: Deskbeat for OpenStation Author: alexismp Published: July 27, 2026 Last modified: August 14, 2026 --- Search plugins ![](https://ps.w.org/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/assets/banner-772x250.png?rev=3647234) ![](https://ps.w.org/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/assets/icon.svg?rev=3624075) # Deskbeat for OpenStation By [alexismp](https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexismp/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode.1.2.1.zip) * [Details](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/#description) * [Reviews](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/#reviews) * [Installation](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/#installation) * [Development](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/) ## Description Deskbeat adds a compact music widget to the [OpenStation](https://wordpress.org/plugins/desktop-mode/)( formerly Desktop Mode) desktop. Once a site administrator connects a Spotify Developer app, each user links their own Spotify account with a single click and gets: * **Now playing** — album art, track, and artist, updating live. * **Transport controls** — play/pause, next, previous, shuffle, repeat, seek, and volume. * **In-browser playback** — for Spotify Premium accounts, via the Spotify Web Playback SDK. Free accounts can see and control playback on their other devices. * **Browse your library** — Queue, Liked Songs, Top tracks, Recently played, and Playlists, plus a search — all inside the widget, with infinite scroll. This plugin requires the **OpenStation** plugin (formerly Desktop Mode; the WordPress. org slug is still `desktop-mode`) and works as a widget you add from the OpenStation widget picker. #### Not affiliated with Spotify This plugin is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Spotify. “Spotify” is a trademark of Spotify AB. It works with Spotify through the official Spotify Web API and Web Playback SDK, using credentials you provide. #### Credentials stay yours No Spotify credentials ship with this plugin. Each site connects using its **own** Spotify Developer app: an administrator creates a free app and enters its Client ID and Secret once. Tokens are stored server-side per user; the Client Secret and refresh tokens never reach the browser. ### External services This plugin connects to **Spotify** so you can view and control your own Spotify playback from the OpenStation desktop. It relies on the following Spotify services: 1. **Spotify Web API** (`https://accounts.spotify.com`, `https://api.spotify.com`) 2. * What it is: Spotify’s official API for account authorization and playback control. * What is sent and when: after you click “Connect Spotify”, the server exchanges an OAuth authorization code for access/refresh tokens; while the widget is open, it sends playback commands (play, pause, next, previous, seek, shuffle, repeat, volume, transfer) and reads your now-playing state, library, and search queries you type. Requests are made server-side on your behalf; your Client Secret and refresh token are never exposed to the browser. * No data is sent until you connect your account. 3. **Spotify Web Playback SDK** (`https://sdk.scdn.co/spotify-player.js`) 4. * What it is: Spotify’s official in-browser player library, loaded via a script tag (it must be served from Spotify’s own domain; there is no self-hosted version). * What is sent and when: for Spotify Premium accounts, when you start in-browser playback it registers a playback device with Spotify and streams audio using a short-lived access token. Use of Spotify is subject to Spotify’s terms and privacy policy: – Terms of Use: https://www.spotify.com/legal/end-user-agreement/ – Privacy Policy: https://www. spotify.com/legal/privacy-policy/ – Developer Terms (for the app credentials the administrator provides): https://developer.spotify.com/terms/ This plugin is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Spotify. No Spotify credentials are bundled — each site uses its own Spotify Developer app. ## Screenshots [⌊The full-player window: large artwork, a seek bar with time read-outs, the full transport, volume, and your library inline.⌉⌊The full-player window: large artwork, a seek bar with time read-outs, the full transport, volume, and your library inline .⌉[ The full-player window: large artwork, a seek bar with time read-outs, the full transport, volume, and your library inline. [⌊The Music widget: now playing with transport controls, shuffle/repeat, seek, and volume.⌉⌊The Music widget: now playing with transport controls, shuffle/repeat, seek, and volume.⌉[ The Music widget: now playing with transport controls, shuffle/repeat, seek, and volume. [⌊Browse your library — Queue, Liked Songs, Top tracks, Recently played, and Playlists, with infinite scroll.⌉⌊Browse your library — Queue, Liked Songs, Top tracks, Recently played, and Playlists, with infinite scroll.⌉[ Browse your library — Queue, Liked Songs, Top tracks, Recently played, and Playlists, with infinite scroll. [⌊Search songs and artists, and play with one click.⌉⌊Search songs and artists, and play with one click.⌉[ Search songs and artists, and play with one click. [⌊One-click "Connect Spotify" — end users never touch credentials.⌉⌊One-click "Connect Spotify" — end users never touch credentials.⌉[ One-click “Connect Spotify” — end users never touch credentials. [⌊Admin setup: enter the site's Spotify app Client ID and Secret once.⌉⌊Admin setup: enter the site's Spotify app Client ID and Secret once.⌉[ Admin setup: enter the site’s Spotify app Client ID and Secret once. ## Installation 1. Install and activate the **OpenStation** plugin (formerly Desktop Mode). 2. Install and activate **Deskbeat for OpenStation**. 3. Create a free app at the [Spotify Developer Dashboard](https://developer.spotify.com/dashboard). 4. In the app’s settings, add the Redirect URI shown in the widget’s setup screen ( it is your site’s REST callback), and enable **Web API** and **Web Playback SDK**. 5. In OpenStation, add the **Music** widget from the widget picker. As an administrator, paste the app’s Client ID and Client Secret in the setup screen. 6. Click **Connect Spotify** to link your account. ## FAQ ### Do end users need the Client ID/Secret? No. Only an administrator enters them once, per site. Everyone else just clicks “ Connect Spotify”. ### Why do I need to create a Spotify app? Spotify requires every integration to be a registered app with its own redirect URI. For security and to respect Spotify’s rate limits, no shared credentials are bundled — each site uses its own app. ### Does in-browser playback work without Spotify Premium? No. The Spotify Web Playback SDK requires Premium. Free accounts can still view and control playback happening on their other devices. ## Reviews There are no reviews for this plugin. ## Contributors & Developers “Deskbeat for OpenStation” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ alexismp ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexismp/) [Translate “Deskbeat for OpenStation” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 1.2.1 * Fixed: the widget’s “open full player” button did nothing — it called an internal API that isn’t exposed on `wp.os`; it now uses `wp.os.openWindow`. (Opening the full player from the dock already worked.) * Improved contrast of the full-player window controls, seek time read-outs, and volume on the dark surface. * Housekeeping: prefixed the player-window functions and shortened the short description( Plugin Check). #### 1.2.0 * **Full-player window** — open a large “big screen” player from the widget (a native OpenStation window): large artwork, seek bar with time read-outs, the full transport, an always-visible volume slider, and Browse / Search inline. * **More transport controls in the widget** — shuffle, repeat (repeat-all / repeat- one), and a click-to-seek progress bar, alongside the existing play/pause, next, previous, and volume. * Playing a track or list from the full player jumps to the Queue so you can see what’s coming up next. * Browse sections are now a compact dropdown; the widget’s colors follow OpenStation’s theme tokens (light/dark aware). #### 1.1.0 * Compatibility: updated for **OpenStation 1.0.1** — the host plugin formerly known as Desktop Mode. It renamed its public API (`openstation_*`), its script handle(` openstation`), its JS global (`wp.os`), the widget-mount registry (`window.openStationWidgets`), and the active body class (`os-active`); Deskbeat now targets these. Requires OpenStation 1.0.1 or newer. * Tested up to WordPress 7.1. #### 1.0.0 * Initial release: now-playing widget with controls, volume, library browsing, and search for Desktop Mode. ## Meta * Version **1.2.1** * Last updated **1 week ago** * Active installations **Fewer than 10** * WordPress version ** 6.5 or higher ** * Tested up to **7.1** * PHP version ** 7.4 or higher ** * Language * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/) * Tags * [music](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/music/)[player](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/player/) [Spotify](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/spotify/)[widget](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/widget/) * [Advanced View](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/advanced/) ## Ratings No reviews have been submitted yet. [Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ alexismp ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexismp/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/deskbeat-for-desktop-mode/)