VLC (VideoLAN Client) Media Player is an open-source free application for playing media. The VLC media player is well known for supporting a wide range of video and audio formats and can play unsupported file formats which are unplayable by traditional software or even by the Windows default player. This makes VLC a good choice for greater media compatibility. People use VLC shortcuts (also known as hotkeys) which don’t need the use of a mouse. Even though this is a good function, users report VLC shortcuts and hotkeys not working. This can be an issue when utilizing VLC hotkeys. If you are searching on how to fix this particular problem and how to enable global shortcuts, then you are at the right article, Here I give you some methods to fix the problem and get you started with VLC hotkeys, let’s get started.
How to Fix VLC Hotkeys and Shortcuts Not Working in Windows 10
Before we move on to the methods for the fix, let’s see some points on why this issue occurs
- Not saving changes when applying hotkeys
- Keyboard conflicts with the VLC media player
- Keyboard layout glitch
- VLC installations issues
- VLC media player bugs
- Conflict with other apps
- VLC player hotkeys are not enabled
Method 1: Connect USB Connection to Different Port
If your keyboard is powered by USB, you can try changing to a different USB port to see if that works, if there is a problem with a connection in your current USB port connection then some of your keyboard functions cannot work. Connecting to a different port will solve any issues related to this. If your keyboard is based on a PS/2 connection then this method might not work for you as there is only per hub per computer.
Method 2: Clean your Keyboard
This Solution might be obvious but computer and laptop keyboard gets accumulated with dust and other particles over time, this, in turn, can cause some keyboard buttons to not work properly as intended. To solve this issue, clean your keyboard physically with a soft cloth to remove any dust particles. Further, usage of any soft brush exclusively designed for keyboard cleaning can also be helpful.
Method 3: Enable VLC Shortcuts
Global shortcuts are useful functions, to understand global hotkeys; let me explain what a hotkey or shortcut is. A hotkey is a keyboard combination that is default or can be assigned by a user at will. This hotkey is assigned to the app’s particular function (e.g.: increase volume) the main advantage of hotkeys is that mouse usage is not required. Now that we know what a hotkey is, Global shortcuts are those which are also assigned by the user but the difference is they work in any application but normal hotkeys only work on that particular application. You may have the question How do I enable global shortcuts in VLC. To enable global shortcuts to follow the given steps
1 Press the Windows key, type VLC media player, then click on Open.
2. Navigate to Tools menu.
3. Then, select the Preferences option.
4. Next, go to Hotkeys tab.
5. In that tab, below Global heading you can assign a Global hotkey.
6. Use a hotkey combination for saving.
7. For Example, press Ctrl + Enter keys together for Fullscreen.
8. Click on the Save option.
Method 4: Update VLC Media Player
VLC media player rolls out frequent updates which address user-reported glitches and bugs. Updating VLC is the first step in fixing any problem related to the VLC media player
1. Open the VLC media player.
2. Click on Help
3. Next, click on Check for updates
4. VLC will check for recent updates for VLC
5. You can install a new version of VLC if it is available
Method 5: Change Keyboard Layout
For Users, different keyboard layouts cause the VLC hotkeys problem. Choosing an appropriate Windows keyboard layout will fix this issue, to do that
1. Click on language button or if you are using English as your primary language click on ENG button
2. Different languages have different icons, click on that icon and select the appropriate keyboard layout to fix the issue
3. Choose English (United States) US keyboard layout to fix the issue
Method 6: Run Keyboard Troubleshooter
There is a convenient Windows Troubleshooter for keyboard shortcut issues such as VLC hotkeys. You can run the troubleshooting to see if there are any possible issues you can solve.
1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security settings.
3. Now, click on Troubleshoot menu on the left-pane.
4. Scroll down and click on Keyboard troubleshooter.
5. Then, click on Run the troubleshooter.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to apply the fix if any issues are detected.
Method 7: Save VLC Settings Properly
Not quitting the VLC media player properly cause VLC hotkeys issues, to solve this VLC shortcuts and hotkeys not working issue.
1. Launch the VLC media player.
2. Click on the Tools menu.
3. Here, select the Preferences option.
4. For a simple UI, make sure the radio button for the Simple option is selected under Show settings.
5. At the top of the window, you can see the tabs, on the end, there will be a Hotkeys tab. Here, you can see all the functions and all the Hotkeys related to the function, you can edit or change them.
6. If none of the hotkeys is mapped, click Reset preferences button under Show settings section.
6. After you are done with them click on Save.
7. Now, close the VLC media player.
8. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys together to open Task Manager
9. Click on Processes tab and select the VLC process.
10. Right-click on it and select the End task option.
This will solve VLC shortcuts and hotkeys not working
Method 8: Close Other Applications
In case you use other apps that also use hotkeys, these may conflict with VLC media player hotkeys, if other apps get initialized first then their hotkeys get applied which leads to the issue. In my case, I have another app that increases volume by a hotkey and it conflicts with VLC media player. I follow this method, if you think you have an application like this follow the below steps
1. Right-click on the app in the Taskbar that you think might conflict with the VLC Media Player app.
2. Then, quit the app.
3. Now, relaunch the VLC media player.
Method 9: Enable Human Interface Device Services
The Human Interface device is a Windows service that is enabled in Windows by default. The main purpose of this service is to manage hotkeys for various input devices such as keyboards, mouse, etc. Verify if the service is running or not. To check follow the below steps,
1. Right-click on This PC and select the Manage option.
2. Under the Services and Applications section, click on Services.
3. Double-click on the Human Interfaces Devices Services.
4. If the service is running as shown in the below picture then leave it as it is but if the service is Disabled or stopped, follow the next steps to enable it.
5. If the Startup type is Disabled, then double-click on Human Interface device service and click on Startup type dropdown menu.
6. Select the Automatic option from the drop-down menu.
7. Next, Click on Apply.
8. Now, click on Start to start the service
9. If the Startup type is set to Automatic or manual already, then double-click on Human interface device service and click on Start under Service status.
Method 10: Reinstall VLC Media Player
Sometimes, the VLC hotkeys issue might be due to the user assigning it incorrectly or there might be some issues with keyboard layouts. In other cases, there also might be errors with the VLC media player application itself. Because, if you have uninstalled the VLC media player previously and have forgotten to tick the option remove previous installation settings, then there might have been some left-over files. So I recommend you uninstall the VLC media player and Download the VLC media player from the official website and install it.
1. Hit the Windows key, type Control panel, then click on Open.
2. Set the View by > Category, then click on Uninstall a program under the Programs section.
3. Double click on VLC media player to Uninstall.
4. Download the VLC media player as shown.
5. After downloading, run the setup file.
6. Check the Delete preferences and cache option in the Choose Components section,
7. Click on the Next > option.
8. Then, choose the Destination Folder and click on Install to install the VLC media player
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the difference between global and normal hotkeys?
Ans. The main difference between the two is that when a keyboard combination is assigned to a global hotkey by the user then it can be triggered anywhere including on other apps whereas a normal hotkey only allows using keyboard combinations while using the particular app in which it was assigned.
Q2. Why my keyboard shortcuts are not working?
Ans. There are various reasons why the shortcuts are not working, follow the above guide for fixes. You can also use Windows sticky keys, it allows you to use key combinations with just only one press of a button.
Q3. What is HID Service and do I need it?
Ans. Human Interface Device is exclusively for USB-based devices such as keyboard, mouse etc. Enabling the service may allow for assigning a hotkey function.
Q4. There are language preferences near my taskbar, what do I do?
Ans. You probably only have installed one language on your system, installing more than one language will make the language preferences appear near the Taskbar.
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We hope that you have found the above article on how to fix VLC Hotkeys and Shortcuts not working issue useful and that you were able to solve your problem, let us know which one of the solutions worked and please leave a comment below for any suggestions and/or queries regarding the same. Thanks!