Windows Media Player Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List for Windows 10 & 11 (WMP 12)
If you use Windows Media Player regularly, reaching for the mouse every time you want to pause, skip, or adjust the volume adds up to a lot of wasted time. Keyboard shortcuts solve that instantly.
This guide covers every Windows Media Player keyboard shortcut available in WMP 12 on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (Legacy mode) organized by category, cleaned of duplicates, and updated for 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Windows Media Player has 55+ keyboard shortcuts for playback, video, navigation, and window control
- Works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (as Windows Media Player Legacy)
- Core shortcuts: Ctrl+P (play/pause), Ctrl+F (next), Ctrl+B (previous), F7 (mute)
- Shortcuts only work when the WMP window is active and in focus
- Free PDF cheat sheet available at the bottom of this page
What are Windows Media Player keyboard shortcuts?
Windows Media Player keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that control playback, navigation, volume, and window behavior in Windows Media Player without using a mouse. They work in WMP 10, WMP 11, and WMP 12 on Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11.
What Is Windows Media Player?
Windows Media Player (WMP) is a media player and library management application developed by Microsoft. It is built into Windows and supports playback of audio files (MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC), video files (MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV), and optical discs (CD, DVD).
First released in 1991 as part of Windows 3.0 Multimedia Extensions, WMP has gone through 12 major versions. The current desktop version is Windows Media Player 12, which ships with Windows 10 and remains available on Windows 11 as a Legacy application.
Is Windows Media Player Available on Windows 11?
Yes but with an important distinction. Windows 11 ships with two separate media players:
| App | Name | What It Is |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy app | Windows Media Player Legacy | The classic WMP 12, with full keyboard shortcut support |
| New app | Media Player | A redesigned modern app introduced in Windows 11 |
All keyboard shortcuts in this guide apply to Windows Media Player Legacy (the classic version). The new Media Player app uses a different set of controls.
How to Enable Windows Media Player on Windows 11
If Windows Media Player is not showing up on your Windows 11 system, it may need to be manually enabled:
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog
- Type optionalfeatures and press Enter
- In the Windows Features window, scroll down and expand Media Features
- Check the box next to Windows Media Player
- Click OK and restart your computer if prompted
Once enabled, search for “Windows Media Player Legacy” in the Start menu to launch it.
Quick Master Reference (Top 15 Most Used)
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play / Pause | Ctrl + P |
| Stop | Ctrl + S |
| Next track | Ctrl + F |
| Previous track | Ctrl + B |
| Mute | F7 |
| Volume up | F8 |
| Volume down | F9 |
| Full screen | Alt + Enter |
| Mini player | Ctrl + 2 |
| Full mode | Ctrl + 1 |
| Fast forward | Ctrl + Shift + F |
| Rewind | Ctrl + Shift + B |
| Faster speed | Ctrl + Shift + G |
| Normal speed | Ctrl + Shift + N |
| Search library | Ctrl + E |
Playback Shortcuts (Music & Video)
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play or pause | Ctrl + P |
| Stop playback | Ctrl + S |
| Close or stop playing a file | Ctrl + W |
| Play the next track | Ctrl + F |
| Play the previous track | Ctrl + B |
| Fast-forward through media | Ctrl + Shift + F |
| Rewind media | Ctrl + Shift + B |
| Turn shuffle on or off | Ctrl + H |
Playback Speed Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play faster than normal speed | Ctrl + Shift + G |
| Play slower than normal speed | Ctrl + Shift + S |
| Return to normal playback speed | Ctrl + Shift + N |
Volume Control Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Mute or unmute | F7 |
| Increase volume | F8 |
| Decrease volume | F9 |
Video-Specific Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Full screen toggle | Alt + Enter |
| Zoom video to 50% | Alt + 1 |
| Zoom video to 100% | Alt + 2 |
| Zoom video to 200% | Alt + 3 |
| Turn captions / subtitles on or off | Ctrl + Shift + C |
| Eject CD or DVD | Ctrl + J |
| Specify a URL or file path | Ctrl + U |
Navigation & Library Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move focus to search box | Ctrl + E |
| Switch to Artists view | Ctrl + 7 |
| Switch to Album view | Ctrl + 8 |
| Switch to Songs view | Ctrl + 9 |
| Switch to previous view | Alt + Left Arrow |
| Switch to next view | Alt + Right Arrow |
| Add media to the library | F3 |
| Refresh information in panes | F5 |
Window Management Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Switch to Full mode | Ctrl + 1 |
| Switch to Skin mode (mini player) | Ctrl + 2 |
| Show or hide anchor window | Ctrl + 0 |
| Show or hide Classic menu bar | Ctrl + M |
| Turn full page view on or off | F11 |
| Open title bar menu | Alt + Spacebar |
| Restore window | Alt + Spacebar + Enter |
| Maximize window | Alt + Spacebar + X |
| Minimize window | Alt + Spacebar + N |
| Close Windows Media Player | Alt + F4 |
Playlist & Library Management Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Create a new playlist | Ctrl + N |
| Add media to the library | F3 |
| Edit item info | F2 |
| Refresh library panes | F5 |
| Increase album art size | F6 |
| Decrease album art size | Shift + F6 |
| Open Help | F1 |
| Show Classic menus | F10 |
Now Playing Mode Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Switch to Full mode | Ctrl + 1 |
| Show or hide Classic menu bar | Ctrl + M |
| Turn full page view on or off | F11 |
| Close Windows Media Player | Alt + F4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to play or pause in Windows Media Player?
Press Ctrl + P to play or pause any media file in Windows Media Player. This shortcut works for both audio and video files in Full mode, Skin mode, and Now Playing mode.
How do I go full screen in Windows Media Player?
Press Alt + Enter to toggle full screen mode in Windows Media Player. Press Alt + Enter again to exit full screen and return to the normal windowed view.
What is the keyboard shortcut for muting Windows Media Player?
Press F7 to mute or unmute audio in Windows Media Player. To adjust volume incrementally, use F8 to increase volume and F9 to decrease volume.
How do I fast-forward in Windows Media Player?
Press Ctrl + Shift + F to fast-forward through a video or audio track in Windows Media Player. To rewind, press Ctrl + Shift + B.
How do I change playback speed in Windows Media Player?
Windows Media Player has three playback speed shortcuts:
- Ctrl + Shift + G Play faster than normal speed
- Ctrl + Shift + S Play slower than normal speed
- Ctrl + Shift + N Return to normal playback speed
Is Windows Media Player available on Windows 11?
Yes. Windows Media Player is available on Windows 11 as Windows Media Player Legacy. It can be enabled through Windows Features settings (Win + R → optionalfeatures → Media Features → Windows Media Player). All keyboard shortcuts in this guide are fully supported in the Legacy version.
What is the shortcut to skip to the next song in Windows Media Player?
Press Ctrl + F to skip to the next track in Windows Media Player. Press Ctrl + B to go back to the previous track.
How do I turn on subtitles in Windows Media Player?
Press Ctrl + Shift + C to turn captions and subtitles on or off in Windows Media Player. This shortcut works for video files that have subtitle tracks embedded or available as separate files.
How do I switch to mini player mode in Windows Media Player?
Press Ctrl + 2 to switch to Skin mode the compact mini-player view in Windows Media Player. Press Ctrl + 1 at any time to return to Full mode with the complete library interface.
Why are my Windows Media Player shortcuts not working?
The most common reasons WMP shortcuts stop working are:
- WMP is not the active window click on the WMP window first
- F Lock is enabled on your keyboard toggle it with the F Lock or Fn key
- Another application is intercepting the shortcut (Zoom, OBS, Discord)
- WMP is running in the wrong mode press Ctrl + 1 to switch to Full mode
- WMP is not enabled on Windows 11 enable it via Optional Features
Conclusion
Whether you use Windows Media Player for casual music listening, video playback, or managing a large media library, these keyboard shortcuts remove the friction of constant mouse clicks and give you faster, smoother control over everything WMP can do.
Start with the basics Ctrl + P to play and pause, F7 to mute, F8 and F9 for volume and build from there. Within a few days of regular use, these shortcuts become second nature and you will wonder how you managed without them.
A few things to remember before you go:
- Shortcuts only work when Windows Media Player is the active window click on it first if they stop responding
- Press Ctrl + 1 for Full mode and Ctrl + 2 for Skin mode two of the most underused shortcuts in WMP
- If you are on Windows 11, make sure Windows Media Player Legacy is enabled via Optional Features
- Download the free PDF cheat sheet above to keep all shortcuts in one place for quick offline reference
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