How to Restore the iTunes 10 Buttons to the Horizontal Layout

This brief tutorial will show you how to revert back to the original, horizontal buttons in iTunes 10 – instead of the vertical button layout.

With the launch of iTunes 10 came a whole slew of new features and user interface changes. The change that most bothered me was having the “close” (red) “minimize” (yellow) and re-size (green) buttons moved to a vertical line, rather than the traditional horizontal one.

1. As seen in the screenshot below, iTunes 10 switched the button layout – presumably to maximize the available space for other items. Whatever the reason, I (and presumably you) don’t like it.
2. To switch back to the previous button layout, open a Terminal window by selecting Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal. Enter the following command:

   defaults write com.apple.iTunes full-window -boolean YES

   and then hit enter.


click to enlarge

3. Close iTunes, and then re-open it. Your buttons are now back where they belong.
4. Note: when in Mini-Player mode, the buttons will remain vertical, as they have been for years