If you have recently switched from VLC Media Player to Media Player Classic – Black Edition (MPC-BE), you might find yourself missing some of the familiar hotkeys you have grown accustomed to. One such example is the hotkey for toggling fullscreen mode. In VLC, this is conveniently set to the F key, but in MPC-BE, the default hotkey is Alt+Enter. For many users, pressing a single key like F is much more intuitive and quicker than a combination of keys. Fortunately, MPC-BE offers an easy way to customize its hotkeys, allowing you to align them with your personal preferences.
Here is a step-by-step guide to changing the fullscreen hotkey in MPC-BE to F, just like in VLC:
Steps to Change the Fullscreen Hotkey:
1. Open the Settings Window
Launch MPC-BE on your computer. To access the settings window, press the O key on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can select View, and then Options from the menubar.
2. Navigate to the Keys Section
In the settings window, look at the list of categories on the left-hand side. Click on the Keys category, which is where all the program’s hotkeys can be configured.
3. Locate the Fullscreen Hotkey
Scroll through the list of hotkeys to find Alt+Enter, which is the default fullscreen shortcut. The ID for this key is 831 using which you can quickly find it.
4. Edit the Hotkey
Double-click on the Alt+Enter entry to make it editable. Now simply press the F key on your keyboard. This will replace the default combination with your new hotkey.
5. Apply and Save Changes
Click on the Apply button at the bottom of the settings window to save your changes. Close the window, and your new hotkey is now active.
Why Use the F Key for Fullscreen?
The F key is a single-key shortcut, making it much faster and more convenient to use compared to the default Alt+Enter or even the often-used F11. It is easier to remember too because F means Fullscreen. When watching videos or navigating the player, having a simple toggle like F enhances the overall experience by reducing the effort required to remember and execute the command.
Conclusion
Customizing hotkeys in MPC-BE is a straightforward process that can significantly improve your user experience. By changing the fullscreen toggle to the F key, you can bring MPC-BE’s functionality closer to VLC Media Player, making the transition smoother and more enjoyable.
You can download Media Player Classic – Black Edition (MPC-BE) from https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/files/MPC-BE/Release%20builds/.