diff --git a/DynamicIsland/Localizable.xcstrings b/DynamicIsland/Localizable.xcstrings
index d30c6da..0da0743 100644
--- a/DynamicIsland/Localizable.xcstrings
+++ b/DynamicIsland/Localizable.xcstrings
@@ -26248,6 +26248,9 @@
           }
         }
       }
+    },
+    "When disabled, the notch music player stays visible with placeholder metadata even when playback is inactive." : {
+
     },
     "When enabled, Atoll connects to Lunar's TCP socket and displays DDC brightness, contrast, and volume events using your selected HUD style above." : {
 
diff --git a/DynamicIsland/components/Notch/NotchHomeView.swift b/DynamicIsland/components/Notch/NotchHomeView.swift
index 7b3d0fa..fff6be9 100644
--- a/DynamicIsland/components/Notch/NotchHomeView.swift
+++ b/DynamicIsland/components/Notch/NotchHomeView.swift
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ struct MusicPlayerView: View {
                 .padding(.all, 5)
             MusicControlsView()
                 .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
-                .drawingGroup()
-                .compositingGroup()
         }
         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
     }
@@ -529,11 +527,12 @@ struct NotchHomeView: View {
     @ObservedObject private var extensionNotchExperienceManager = ExtensionNotchExperienceManager.shared
     @ObservedObject private var musicManager = MusicManager.shared
     @Default(.showStandardMediaControls) private var showStandardMediaControls
+    @Default(.autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer) private var autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer
     let albumArtNamespace: Namespace.ID
 
     /// Whether the music player should actively display (enabled AND has real content).
     private var shouldShowMusicPlayer: Bool {
-        showStandardMediaControls && musicManager.hasActiveSession
+        showStandardMediaControls && (!autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer || musicManager.hasActiveSession)
     }
     
     var body: some View {
diff --git a/DynamicIsland/components/Settings/SettingsView.swift b/DynamicIsland/components/Settings/SettingsView.swift
index f974daf..8bd68cd 100644
--- a/DynamicIsland/components/Settings/SettingsView.swift
+++ b/DynamicIsland/components/Settings/SettingsView.swift
@@ -747,6 +747,7 @@ struct SettingsView: View {
             SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Skip buttons", keywords: ["skip", "controls", "±10"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Skip buttons")),
             SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Sneak Peek Style", keywords: ["sneak peek", "preview"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Sneak Peek Style")),
             SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Enable lyrics", keywords: ["lyrics", "song text"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Enable lyrics")),
+            SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Auto-hide inactive notch media player", keywords: ["auto hide", "inactive", "placeholder", "notch media"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Auto-hide inactive notch media player")),
             SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Show Change Media Output control", keywords: ["airplay", "route picker", "media output"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Show Change Media Output control")),
             SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Enable album art parallax", keywords: ["parallax", "lock screen", "album art"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Enable album art parallax")),
             SettingsSearchEntry(tab: .media, title: "Enable album art parallax effect", keywords: ["parallax", "parallax effect", "album art"], highlightID: SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: "Enable album art parallax effect")),
@@ -2397,6 +2398,7 @@ struct Media: View {
     @Default(.lockScreenGlassCustomizationMode) private var lockScreenGlassCustomizationMode
     @Default(.lockScreenMusicAlbumParallaxEnabled) private var lockScreenMusicAlbumParallaxEnabled
     @Default(.showStandardMediaControls) private var showStandardMediaControls
+    @Default(.autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer) private var autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer
 
     private func highlightID(_ title: String) -> String {
         SettingsTab.media.highlightID(for: title)
@@ -2444,6 +2446,10 @@ struct Media: View {
                     .disabled(enableMinimalisticUI)
                     .settingsHighlight(id: highlightID("Show media controls in Dynamic Island"))
 
+                Defaults.Toggle("Auto-hide inactive notch media player", key: .autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer)
+                    .disabled(enableMinimalisticUI || !showStandardMediaControls)
+                    .settingsHighlight(id: highlightID("Auto-hide inactive notch media player"))
+
                 if enableMinimalisticUI {
                     Text("Disable Minimalistic UI to configure the standard notch media controls.")
                         .font(.caption)
@@ -2452,6 +2458,10 @@ struct Media: View {
                     Text("Standard notch media controls are hidden. Re-enable the toggle above to restore them.")
                         .font(.caption)
                         .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                } else if !autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer {
+                    Text("When disabled, the notch music player stays visible with placeholder metadata even when playback is inactive.")
+                        .font(.caption)
+                        .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
                 }
             } header: {
                 Text("Dynamic Island Visibility")
diff --git a/DynamicIsland/managers/MusicManager.swift b/DynamicIsland/managers/MusicManager.swift
index c5edc0f..e1bfd36 100644
--- a/DynamicIsland/managers/MusicManager.swift
+++ b/DynamicIsland/managers/MusicManager.swift
@@ -630,15 +630,19 @@ class MusicManager: ObservableObject {
     
     func togglePlay() {
         guard let controller = activeController else { return }
+        let targetState = !isPlaying
 
         Task {
             await MainActor.run {
-                let newState = !isPlaying
-                pendingOptimisticPlayState = newState
-                applyPlayState(newState, animation: .smooth(duration: 0.18))
+                pendingOptimisticPlayState = targetState
+                applyPlayState(targetState, animation: .smooth(duration: 0.18))
             }
 
-            await controller.togglePlay()
+            if targetState {
+                await controller.play()
+            } else {
+                await controller.pause()
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/DynamicIsland/models/Constants.swift b/DynamicIsland/models/Constants.swift
index cef66c7..459e537 100644
--- a/DynamicIsland/models/Constants.swift
+++ b/DynamicIsland/models/Constants.swift
@@ -774,6 +774,7 @@ extension Defaults.Keys {
     static let musicSkipBehavior = Key<MusicSkipBehavior>("musicSkipBehavior", default: .track)
     static let musicControlWindowEnabled = Key<Bool>("musicControlWindowEnabled", default: false)
     static let showStandardMediaControls = Key<Bool>("showStandardMediaControls", default: true)
+    static let autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer = Key<Bool>("autoHideInactiveNotchMediaPlayer", default: true)
     static let cachedMusicLiveActivityPreference = Key<Bool?>("cachedMusicLiveActivityPreference", default: nil)
     static let cachedLockScreenMediaWidgetPreference = Key<Bool?>("cachedLockScreenMediaWidgetPreference", default: nil)
     static let cachedMusicControlWindowPreference = Key<Bool?>("cachedMusicControlWindowPreference", default: nil)