15 XBMC keyboard shortcuts you should know

Having reviewed the Logitech K830 backlit HPTC keyboard recently, it is time to present you with some of the best XBMC keyboard shortcuts that can come in handy. I use the $5 USB IR remote that is configured with Logitech Harmony remote to control my XBMC boxes. But many media center enthusiasts are fond of keyboards and knowing the XBMC keyboard controls can save a lot of time. So in this post, I am going to present not all but, some of the main shortcut keys that you should know to save time while controlling your XBMC.

Most users are familiar with using arrow keys, Esc (Previous Menu or Home Screen), Backspace (Back), and Enter (Select) to navigate through XBMC. Without covering those, below are some XBMC keyboard controls that can help you out while watching videos or listening to music.

Table of Contents

XBMC Keyboard Shortcuts

XBMC Keyboard Shortcuts

Volume Controls

These are global XBMC keyboard shortcuts and should work on whichever screen you are on.

Key	Alternate Key	Function
F8		XBMC Mute Shortcut
F9	- (minus)	Volume Down
F10	+ (plus)	Volume Up

Player Controls

These keyboard shortuts should work on video playback or music visualization screens.

Key	Alternate Key	Function
Spacebar	P	Play / Pause
F		Fast Forward
R		Rewind
< - (left)		Stepback 30s
-> (right)		Stepforward 30s
X		Stop
I		Info
T		Subtitles On/Off
M		Player Control

Music or Video Lists

These shortcut keys should work on library screens.

Key	Alternate Key	Function
C		Context Menu
P		Mark Watched / Unwatched

Other XBMC Keyboard Shortcuts

Finally, these miscellaneous XBMC keyboard shortcuts should work on all screens.

Key	Alternate Key	Function
S		Shutdown Menu

The above 15 just some of the keyboard commands that will help you minimize annoyances and enjoy what XBMC has to offer. Of course you can always reassign keys to do something else by editing the default key map (keyboard.xml). For now, get used to the above XBMC keyboard shortcuts and enjoy your XBMC media center.