> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://handbook.musescore.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/sound-and-playback/play-mode.md).
# Play mode
## Playback toolbar
Basic playback functions are accessed from the **Play toolbar** located above the document window:
From left to right, the icons are:
* **Toggle 'Midi input'**:
* **Rewind to start position**: Playback returns to the beginning of the score, or to the start of the loop (if one is set).
* **Start or stop playback**: See [Start/stop playback](#startstop-playback).
* **Toggle loop playback**: See [Loop playback](#loop-playback).
* **Play repeats**: Turn off if you want playback to ignore repeats.
* **Pan score during playback**: Turn off if you want the score to remain stationary.
* **Play metronome**: Toggles metronome ON and OFF.
## Playback commands
### Start/stop playback
To start playback:
1. Click on a note, rest or the blank part of a measure to establish the starting point. **Note**: If no selection is made, playback returns to the place it left off; or, if no previous playback, to the start of the score.
2. Press the **Play** button; or press Space.
During playback you can jump to a specific note or rest in the score by simply clicking on it.
To stop playback:
* Press the **Play** button; or press Space.
### During playback
Once playback has started, the following commands are available:
* Go back to previous chord: Left
* Advance to next chord: Right
* Go back to start of previous measure: Ctrl+Left (Mac: Cmd+Left)
* Advance to start of next measure: Ctrl+Right (Mac: Cmd+Right)
* Rewind to start of score: Home (Mac: Cmd+Home); or press the **Rewind** button (playback toolbar).
During playback you can still use [keyboard shortcuts](/3/basics/viewing-and-navigation.md#show-sidebarspanels) to open and close [panels](/3/basics/viewing-and-navigation.md#show-sidebarspanels), such as Play, Synthesizer, Mixer etc.
### Loop playback
* Playback should be **off**, and the "Loop playback button" **on**.
* [Select](/3/basics/selecting-elements.md) the desired region of the score for loop playback.
* Press the playback button.
Playback will now cycle within the region marked by the blue flags.
* Use the "Loop playback" button to toggle the loop on or off.
See also: [Play Panel](#play-panel) (below).
## Play panel
To open the Play Panel use one of the following options:
* Press F11 (Mac: Fn+F11).
* From the menu bar, select **View -> Play Panel**.
The Play Panel allows you to make temporary changes to tempo and volume, to loop playback between specified points etc.
* **Loop playback**: Select a start note and click on the **Loop in** button; select an end note and click on the **Loop out** button. Press **Play** to hear the loop. The controls also work *during* playback.
* **Rewind, Play**: Playback controls.
* **Metronome**: Toggle metronome playback ON or OFF. Note about beat subdivision: the metronome adds 'beat subdivision ticks' for sufficiently slow tempo of the piece (see [Tempo](/3/sound-and-playback/tempo.md)), but they are not added when the % Tempo is slowed down in the playback panel (it is necessary to edit the piece's tempo to achieve them).
* **Count in**: (Conductor icon) Adds a count-in when you start playback at the start of a measure. Extra beats are added if you start mid-measure. Toggles ON and OFF.
* **Tempo**: Make temporary change to tempo. See [Tempo : Changing monitoring playback tempo in Play Panel](/3/sound-and-playback/tempo.md#changing-monitoring-playback-tempo-in-play-panel) chapter.
* **Volume**: Make temporary change to volume (resets when program is reopened). Note: To change the default **playback volume** of the score, see [Synthesizer](/3/sound-and-playback/synthesizer.md).
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