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MPV Keyboard Shortcuts

By Ramces Red
Mpv Cheatsheet 00 Featured Image

MPV is a free, open-source command-line multimedia player. Unlike graphical players like VLC Media Player, MPV allows you to load any supported media file straight from your terminal. Furthermore, MPV also supports a wide range of codecs and formats. This means you can use MPV to play simple MP3 files as well as high-fidelity 4K HEVC movies.

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Essential MPV Keyboard Shortcuts

By default, MPV provides command-line flags for its various features similar to ffmpeg. This can be useful if you want to play a video file through MPV using the rc shell. However, this approach will not let you modify a media file during playback — which is exactly where this list of MPV keyboard shortcuts comes in.

This cheatsheet will give you a list of keybindings to optimize your experience with MPV. Furthremore, these shortcuts will make it easier for you to access some of MPV’s advanced features, such as Real Time AV Delay and Color Correction.

ShortcutFunction
Timeline Seeking
Left ArrowGo back 5 seconds in the media.
Right ArrowGo forward 5 seconds in the media.
Down ArrowGo back 1 minute in the media.
Up ArrowGo forward 1 minute in the media.
Shift + Page UpGo forward 10 minutes in the media.
Shift + Page DownGo back 10 minutes in the media.
Page UpGo to the beginning of the next chapter.
Page DownGo to the beginning of the previous chapter.
Ctrl + Left ArrowGo to the previous frame with subtitles.
Ctrl + Right ArrowGo to the next frame with subtitles.
Subtitle Manipulation
VEither display or hide subtitles for the currently playing media.
Shift + JSelect the previous subtitle file available.
JSelect the next subtitle file available.
Ctrl + Shift + LeftSynchronize the subtitle with the previous frame.
Ctrl + Shift + RightSynchronize the subtitle with the next frame.
ZIncrease the subtitle delay by 100 milliseconds.
Shift + ZDecrease the subtitle delay by 100 milliseconds.
Shift + GIncrease the subtitle font by 10%.
Shift + FDecrease the subtitle font by 10%.
RShift the subtitle placement in the video upwards.
Shift + RShift the subtitle placement in the video downwards.
USwitch the currently active subtitle to a compatible SubStation Alpha format.
Playback Controls
[Slow the media playback down by 10%.
]Speed the media playback up by 10%.
Shift + [Drop the playback speed by 50%.
Shift + ]Increase the playback speed by 50%.
LMark the current position as a playback loop.
Shift + LCreate an infinite loop between two marked points.
BackspaceReturn the media playback speed back to 100%.
/ or 9Decrease the media volume by 1 point.
* or 0Increase the media volume by 1 point.
MMute the sound of the currently playing media.
Shift + `Go through the available video tracks in the media file.
Shift + 3Go through the available audio tracks in the media file.
STake the current video frame and save it as a screenshot.
Shift + STake a screenshot of the current frame and remove all subtitles.
Ctrl + STake a screenshot of the current player window.
Ctrl +Increase the audio delay by 100 milliseconds.
Ctrl –Decrease the audio delay by 100 milliseconds.
Picture Controls
Shift + AForce a different aspect ratio for the currently playing media.
DToggle the realtime video deinterlacer.
1Decrease the contrast of the video.
2Increase the contrast of the video.
3Decrease the brightness of the video.
4Increase the brightness of the video.
5Decrease the gamma of the video.
6Increase the gamma of the video.
7Decrease the saturation of the video.
8Increase the saturation of the video.
Ctrl + HEnable Hardware Decoding Support.
Shift + WIncrease the picture cropping for the currently playing media.
WDecrease the picture cropping for the currently playing media.
Alt + Up ArrowMove the picture in the window upwards.
Alt + Down ArrowMove the picture in the window downwards.
Alt + Left ArrowMove the picture in the window leftwards.
Alt + Right ArrowMove the picture in the window rightwards.
Alt +Zoom into the currently playing media.
Alt –Zoom out of the currently playing media.
Alt + BackspaceRestore the original position and zoom of the picture.
Player Controls
> or EnterPlay the next file in a playlist.
Play the previous file in a playlist.
P or SpaceToggle the player’s pause function.
.Pause the file and display the next frame.
,Pause the file and display the previous frame.
FTurn the player into a fullscreen window.
EscTurn the player back to its original size.
TForce the player to stay on top of other windows.
O or Shift + PDisplay the current progress bar.
I or Shift + IPrint the technical details of the currently playing file in the screen.
`Pause the file and display the previous frame.
QStop the currently playing file and exit the player.
Shift + QStop the currently playing file, save its playback position then exit the player.
Mouse-Specific Controls
Right ClickToggle the pause function.
Double Left ClickTurn the player into a fullscreen window.
Scroll UpGo forward 10 seconds in the media.
Scroll DownGo backwards 10 seconds in the media.

Image Credit: Unsplash

Ramces Red Avatar
Ramces Red
Ramces is a technology writer that lived with computers all his life. A prolific reader and a student of Anthropology, he is an eccentric character that writes articles about Linux and anything *nix.

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