KMPlayer Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List

The most useful KMPlayer shortcuts are Spacebar to play or pause, Enter to toggle fullscreen, Left and Right arrows to skip 5 seconds, Up and Down arrows to change volume, M to mute, Alt + O to load subtitles and Alt + X to show or hide them. Press F2 to open Preferences, where you can view and change every shortcut.

KMPlayer (short for K-Multimedia Player) is a free media player for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, developed by Pandora TV. Almost every key on the keyboard does something in KMPlayer, which makes it fast to control once you know the layout and confusing when you press the wrong key.

This guide lists 85+ default KMPlayer shortcuts grouped by task, so you can find the one you need in seconds. Press Ctrl + F in your browser to search this page.

Download: KMPlayer Shortcuts PDF (free, printable)

The 10 KMPlayer shortcuts you will use every day

If you learn only ten keys, learn these.

ActionShortcut
Play or pauseSpacebar
Toggle fullscreen and window modeEnter
Skip back or forward 5 secondsLeft Arrow / Right Arrow
Skip back or forward 30 secondsCtrl + Left Arrow / Ctrl + Right Arrow
Volume up or downUp Arrow / Down Arrow
Mute or unmuteM
Load a subtitle fileAlt + O
Show or hide subtitlesAlt + X
Take a screenshot of the current frameCtrl + A
Open PreferencesF2

Playback control shortcuts

These keys start, stop and move between files.

ActionShortcut
Play or pauseSpacebar
Stop and close the current fileCtrl + Z
Previous file in playlistPage Up
Next file in playlistPage Down
Step forward one frameF
Minimize the window and pause (boss key)Esc
Exit KMPlayerAlt + F4

Seek and skip shortcuts

KMPlayer uses one simple pattern for seeking: the arrow keys jump 5 seconds, and each modifier key makes the jump bigger.

ActionShortcut
Back or forward 5 secondsLeft Arrow / Right Arrow
Back or forward 30 secondsCtrl + Left Arrow / Ctrl + Right Arrow
Back or forward 1 minuteAlt + Left Arrow / Alt + Right Arrow
Back or forward 10 minutesCtrl + Alt + Left Arrow / Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow

Volume and audio shortcuts

ActionShortcut
Volume upUp Arrow
Volume downDown Arrow
Mute or unmuteM
Volume up or down with the mouseScroll wheel
Capture (record) audioAlt + A

Subtitle shortcuts

KMPlayer can load, hide, resize and re-time subtitles without opening a single menu.

ActionShortcut
Load a subtitle fileAlt + O
Show or hide subtitlesAlt + X
Open the subtitle editorAlt + Q
Increase subtitle font sizeAlt + F1
Decrease subtitle font sizeAlt + F2
Reset subtitle font sizeAlt + F3
Subtitles earlier by 0.5 seconds[
Subtitles later by 0.5 seconds]
Subtitles earlier by 5 secondsShift + [
Subtitles later by 5 secondsShift + ]
Reset subtitle syncAlt + Y
Change subtitle positionF11

How to fix out-of-sync subtitles in 3 steps

  1. Play the video to a line of dialogue and note whether the subtitle appears before or after the speaker.
  2. Press [ or ] to shift the subtitle by 0.5 seconds at a time. Use Shift + [ or Shift + ] for big gaps of several seconds.
  3. If you overshoot, press Alt + Y to reset the timing and start again.

Which key moves the text earlier or later can feel reversed on some builds. Test one press, watch the on-screen message, then continue.

Fullscreen and screen size shortcuts

Enter is the main fullscreen key. The number keys on the main keyboard (not the numpad) switch between preset sizes and fullscreen modes.

ActionShortcut
Toggle fullscreen and window modeEnter
FullscreenAlt + Enter
Fullscreen, stretchedCtrl + Enter
Fullscreen, overscanCtrl + Alt + Enter
Window at half size (50%)1
Window at original size (100%)2
Window at 1.5x size3
Window at double size (200%)4
Fullscreen (normal)5
Fullscreen (stretch)6
Fullscreen (scan)7
Play video as desktop background9

On some builds the window size presets also work with Alt + 1 to Alt + 4, and Alt + 5 resets the frame to its original size.

Zoom, pan and window position shortcuts

ActionShortcut
Zoom in on the pictureNumpad +
Zoom out of the pictureNumpad –
Cycle aspect ratio and zoom presetsNumpad *
Move the picture up / downNumpad 8 / Numpad 2
Move the picture left / rightNumpad 4 / Numpad 6
Move the window to the top of the screenCtrl + Alt + 8
Move the window to the bottomCtrl + Alt + 2
Move the window to the leftCtrl + Alt + 4
Move the window to the rightCtrl + Alt + 6

Brightness, contrast and saturation shortcuts

KMPlayer has two sets of color keys. The H/W keys use your graphics card, and the S/W keys use software processing. In each group of three, the first key decreases, the second resets and the third increases.

SettingDecreaseResetIncrease
Brightness (H/W)QWE
Saturation (H/W)ASD
Contrast (H/W)ZXC
Brightness (S/W)TYU
Saturation (S/W)GHJ
Contrast (S/W)VBN

Press R to reset and turn off all brightness, contrast and saturation changes at once. This is the key to remember if you press a letter by accident and the picture suddenly looks wrong.

Bookmark and A-B repeat shortcuts

Bookmarks save a position so you can jump back to it. A-B repeat loops one section, which is useful for learning a song, a dance move or a language phrase.

ActionShortcut
Add a bookmark at the current positionP
Jump to previous / next bookmarkAlt + Page Up / Alt + Page Down
Set A-B repeat start point (A)F5
Set A-B repeat end point (B)F6
Turn A-B repeat on or offF8 or Numpad /
A-B repeat detail settingsF9
Repeat a 10-second sectionF4

Screenshot and capture shortcuts

ActionShortcut
Save the current frame as an imageCtrl + A
Save the current frame and choose the file nameCtrl + E
Capture (record) videoAlt + C
Capture (record) audioAlt + A

File, playlist and window shortcuts

ActionShortcut
Open file(s)Ctrl + O
Open a folderCtrl + F
Open a URL or streamCtrl + U
Open a recent fileCtrl + R
Reopen the file after changing settingsCtrl + P
Open a DVDCtrl + D
Open the playlist editorAlt + E
Open the Control Box (quick video, audio and subtitle settings)Alt + G
HelpF1
Preferences (all settings and shortcuts)F2
Right-click menu with every optionRight mouse button

Playback info shortcuts

ActionShortcut
Show playback info on screenTab
Show playback messageShift + Tab
Show advanced playback info (codec, bitrate)Ctrl + Tab
Show advanced filter infoCtrl + ‘

Older guides list shortcuts for Internet Explorer URLs, TV-Out, WDM TV devices and Video CDs. Those features are legacy and are not part of the current KMPlayer 64X experience, so they are left out here.

Download the KMPlayer shortcuts PDF

Get every shortcut on this page as a one-page printable cheat sheet. Keep it next to your screen until the keys become muscle memory.

Download KMPlayer Shortcuts PDF

How to view and change KMPlayer shortcuts

Every shortcut in this list can be viewed and reassigned inside KMPlayer, and you can also set global hotkeys that work while another app is in focus.

  1. Open KMPlayer and press F2 to open Preferences. You can also right-click the player and choose Preferences.
  2. In the left panel, expand General and select Keys/Global Control (the label can read Keys/Remote Control on some builds).
  3. Browse the list to see every action and its current key.
  4. Select an action and press the new key or key combination you want to assign.
  5. Click Apply, then Close. To undo all changes, use the reset or default option in the same panel.

KMPlayer shortcuts not working? 5 fixes

Most shortcut problems come from focus, a changed key preset or a numpad setting.

  1. Click on the video first. Shortcuts only work when the KMPlayer window is active. If a menu, the playlist or another app has focus, your key goes there instead.
  2. Check Num Lock. Zoom, pan and A-B repeat keys on the numpad only work when Num Lock is on. Laptop keyboards without a numpad need custom keys for these actions.
  3. Reset your key preset. If a key does something unexpected, someone may have changed it. Open Preferences (F2), go to Keys/Global Control and restore the defaults.
  4. Look for app conflicts. Screen recorders, game overlays and keyboard utilities can grab global hotkeys like Alt + A or Ctrl + E before KMPlayer sees them. Close them and test again.
  5. Update KMPlayer. Old 32-bit builds behave differently from KMPlayer 64X. Install the latest version from the official site at kmplayer.com.

If the picture suddenly looks too dark, too bright or washed out, you probably pressed a color key by accident. Press R to reset all color changes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fullscreen shortcut in KMPlayer?

Press Enter to switch between fullscreen and window mode. Alt + Enter also enters fullscreen, Ctrl + Enter gives a stretched fullscreen, and the number key 5 switches to normal fullscreen.

How do I skip 10 seconds in KMPlayer?

KMPlayer has no default 10-second key. Press the Right Arrow twice to skip 10 seconds, since each press jumps 5 seconds. Ctrl + Right Arrow jumps 30 seconds, and Alt + Right Arrow jumps 1 minute.

How do I change playback speed in KMPlayer with the keyboard?

Open Preferences with F2, go to Keys/Global Control, and assign keys to the speed up, slow down and reset speed actions. You can also change speed from the right-click menu or the Control Box (Alt + G).

How do I sync subtitles in KMPlayer?

Press [ or ] to shift subtitles by 0.5 seconds, or Shift + [ and Shift + ] to shift them by 5 seconds. Press Alt + Y to reset the timing.

How do I take a screenshot in KMPlayer?

Press Ctrl + A to save the current frame as an image. Press Ctrl + E if you want to choose the file name before saving.

How do I hide subtitles in KMPlayer?

Press Alt + X to show or hide subtitles. Press Alt + O to load a different subtitle file.

Can I customize KMPlayer shortcuts?

Yes. Press F2, open General, then Keys/Global Control. Select any action and press the key you want to assign. You can also create global hotkeys that work while KMPlayer is in the background.

Why did my KMPlayer video suddenly turn dark or change color?

You likely pressed one of the color keys (Q, W, E, A, S, D, Z, X, C and others). Press R to reset all brightness, contrast and saturation changes.

Key takeaways

  • Arrow keys control seeking and volume. Add Ctrl, Alt or both to make seek jumps bigger.
  • Enter toggles fullscreen, and the number keys 1 to 7 switch between window sizes and fullscreen modes.
  • Subtitle keys start with Alt (Alt + O, Alt + X), and [ and ] fix subtitle timing.
  • F2 opens Preferences, where every shortcut can be viewed and changed.

Conclusion

You do not need all 85+ KMPlayer shortcuts. Start with the top 10 table, add the subtitle and seek keys once those feel natural, and keep the PDF nearby for everything else. If a key does not work as listed, check Preferences (F2), because your build or key preset may differ from the defaults.

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Pratik

Pratik is the founder of Tutorial Tactic and a productivity tools specialist with 15 years of hands-on experience in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and software automation. He has published over 1,500 guides on keyboard shortcuts, software commands, how-to tutorials and workflow optimization, helping readers across the US and India work faster with the tools they use every day. Tutorial Tactic was founded in 2021 with one goal: cut through the noise and give readers exactly what they need fast, verified, and beginner-friendly.
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