qBittorrent Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List for Windows, Mac & Linux

Quick answer: The most used qBittorrent shortcuts are Ctrl + O to add a torrent file, Ctrl + Shift + O to add a magnet link, Ctrl + S to start a torrent, Ctrl + P to stop it, Ctrl + M to force start, Ctrl + R to recheck, and Ctrl + Q to exit. On a Mac, press Command instead of Ctrl. Every shortcut below was checked against the qBittorrent 5.2.4 source code (released September 28, 2026).

qBittorrent is a free, open-source BitTorrent client for Windows, macOS and Linux, built on libtorrent and Qt. Most lists of qBittorrent shortcuts online were written for version 4 and still say “Pause” and “Resume”. Those labels changed in qBittorrent 5.0, and two shortcuts now do something different. This guide covers 45+ shortcuts for the current version, grouped by task, plus the hidden ones most users never find.

qBittorrent Shortcuts at a Glance

File and Main Window Shortcuts

These work from anywhere in the main qBittorrent window.

Hidden gem: Ctrl + V in the main window reads your clipboard and adds every magnet link or torrent URL it finds, one per line. You can paste a whole list of links at once.

Alt + 2, Alt + 3 and Alt + 4 also switch on the Search, RSS or Execution Log tab if it is hidden in the View menu. The first time you press Ctrl + L, qBittorrent asks you to set a lock password of at least 3 characters. After that, it hides the window to the system tray until the password is entered. Lock is only available when the system tray icon is enabled.

Torrent Control Shortcuts (Start, Stop, Force Start, Recheck)

Select one or more torrents in the transfer list first. These shortcuts act on the selection.

Start vs. Force start: Start respects your queue limits, so a torrent may wait as “Queued”. Force start runs the torrent immediately and ignores the maximum active downloads setting.

Pause session vs. Stop: Ctrl + Shift + P pauses all transfer activity without changing each torrent’s own Started or Stopped state. Ctrl + Shift + S resumes the session exactly as it was. Only one of the two is active at a time, depending on whether the session is running.

Be careful with Shift + Delete. It removes the torrent and also deletes the downloaded files from your disk. If deletion confirmation is on in Options, you still get a prompt first.

Queue Priority Shortcuts

Queue shortcuts change which torrents download first. They only work when queueing is enabled under Options, BitTorrent, Torrent Queueing.

The – here is the regular minus key, not a dash character. For the most reliable result, use the + and – keys on the numeric keypad.

Properties Panel Shortcuts

The properties panel sits below the transfer list. Each tab has its own shortcut, so you can inspect a torrent without touching the mouse.

Inside those tabs, a few extra keys work on the selected row:

On a Mac, use Command + C for copy and Command + Delete instead of Delete.

Menu Access Keys and Navigation

On Windows and Linux, hold Alt and press the underlined letter to open a menu. Then press the underlined letter of any item inside it.

Mac users don’t have menu access keys. Use the menu bar, or press Command + Shift + / to search menu items by name.

Search tab and dialogs

Download the qBittorrent Shortcuts PDF

Keep every shortcut on one printable page. The free PDF cheat sheet includes the Windows, Linux and Mac keys from this guide, updated for qBittorrent 5.2.

Download the qBittorrent Shortcuts PDF

qBittorrent Shortcuts on Mac: What’s Different

qBittorrent is built with Qt, which maps Ctrl to Command and Alt to Option on macOS. So most shortcuts simply swap Ctrl for Command. Five exceptions matter:

1. Remove a torrent is Command + Delete, not the Delete key alone.
2. Command + M minimizes the window on Mac. Because Force start also uses Ctrl + M in the code, it may not fire reliably. Use right-click, Force Start instead.
3. Command + W closes the window but keeps qBittorrent running. Use Command + Q to quit fully.
4. Help opens with Command + ? instead of F1.
5. Menu access keys (Alt + F, Alt + E and so on) don’t exist on macOS.

On a MacBook, F2 may need the fn key: press fn + F2 to rename a torrent or file.

qBittorrent Shortcuts Not Working? 5 Fixes

1. Focus is in a text box. Keys like Delete, F2 and Ctrl + R only act on the transfer list. Press Esc, then click a torrent or press Tab until the list is selected.
2. No torrent is selected. Start, Stop, Force start and Recheck need a selection. Press Ctrl + A to select all.
3. Plus and minus keys don’t respond. On many keyboard layouts the top-row + needs Shift. Use the numeric keypad + and – instead.
4. Queue shortcuts do nothing. Turn on Torrent Queueing in Options, BitTorrent. Without it, the queue actions are hidden.
5. Another app grabs the key. Screen recorders, overlays and global hotkey tools can capture combinations like Ctrl + Shift + S first. Close them and try again, or remap the key with AutoHotkey.

qBittorrent vs. Other Torrent Clients

Switching from another client? qBittorrent keeps the most common keys familiar. For the full lists, see our Transmission shortcuts and uTorrent shortcuts guides.

FAQs

What is the shortcut to pause a torrent in qBittorrent?

Press Ctrl + P (Command + P on Mac). Since qBittorrent 5.0, this action is called Stop instead of Pause. Press Ctrl + S to start the torrent again.

Why can’t I find Pause All in qBittorrent 5?

It was replaced by Pause Session (Ctrl + Shift + P). It halts all activity without changing each torrent’s state. Resume Session (Ctrl + Shift + S) brings everything back as it was.

What is the shortcut for Force Start in qBittorrent?

Select the torrent and press Ctrl + M on Windows or Linux. On Mac, Command + M minimizes the window, so use right-click, Force Start.

Can I change keyboard shortcuts in qBittorrent?

Not inside the app. qBittorrent has no shortcut editor. Use AutoHotkey on Windows or App Shortcuts in macOS System Settings.

How do I add a magnet link with a keyboard shortcut?

Press Ctrl + Shift + O, paste the link, and press Ctrl + Enter. Faster still: copy the magnet link, click the qBittorrent window, and press Ctrl + V.

How do I delete a torrent and its files with the keyboard?

Select it and press Shift + Delete on Windows or Linux. This removes the torrent and deletes the downloaded files, so double-check before confirming.

How do I lock qBittorrent with a password?

Press Ctrl + L. The first time, qBittorrent asks you to set a password of at least 3 characters. The window then hides to the system tray until you unlock it.

Do these shortcuts work in the qBittorrent Web UI?

Only a few. In the Web UI, Ctrl + A selects all torrents, Ctrl + F focuses the filter, Delete removes torrents, Shift + Delete removes them with files, and Esc closes a dialog.

Key Takeaways

• qBittorrent 5 renamed Pause and Resume to Stop and Start. The keys stayed Ctrl + P and Ctrl + S.
• Ctrl + Shift + P now pauses the whole session, not every torrent individually.
• Ctrl + M force starts, Ctrl + R rechecks, and Ctrl + V adds magnet links straight from your clipboard.
• Alt + G, Alt + C, Alt + R, Alt + B, Alt + Z and Alt + D open the properties tabs.

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