VirtualBox Keyboard Shortcuts

A photograph of a desktop on a gray table.

VirtualBox is a powerful, free, open-source Type 2 hypervisor for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. Unlike a Type 1 hypervisor, VirtualBox uses your system’s kernel to simulate the hardware of its guest machines. This approach makes deploying virtual machines and installing operating systems easier, even for novice users.

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Aside from being a beginner-friendly hypervisor, VirtualBox also excels at providing an intuitive shortcut interface for the entire application. This lets you quickly manage your virtual machines, networks, and even remote cloud profiles for Oracle Cloud straight from the keyboard.

This cheat sheet will highlight the most essential keyboard shortcuts for VirtualBox. Not only that, but it will also show some of the program’s little-known features, such as in-machine screenshots, along with the ability to create state snapshots from the hypervisor itself.

Linux/WindowsMacFunction
Virtual Machine Management
Ctrl + NCommand + NOpen the Virtual Machine creation prompt.
Ctrl + ACommand + AAdd an existing Virtual Machine in VirtualBox’s machine listing.
Ctrl + OCommand + OClone an existing Virtual Machine in the current listing.
Alt + M, then Alt + MMove the currently selected Virtual Machine to a different directory location.
Alt + M, then Alt + RRemove the currently selected Virtual Machine from the current listing.
Ctrl + SCommand + SOpen the Settings window for the currently selected Virtual Machine.
Ctrl + ICommand + IImport a Virtual Appliance to the current listing.
Ctrl + ECommand + EExport a Virtual Appliance from the current listing.
Virtual Machine Control
Right CtrlLeft CommandCapture the host machine’s mouse and keyboard input.
Right Ctrl + PLeft Command + PSuspend the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + RLeft Command + RReload the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + HLeft Command + USend a “Power Off” signal to the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + SLeft Command + SOpen the Settings window for the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + TLeft Command + TCapture a snapshot of the state of the running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + DeleteLeft Command + BackspaceSend the keystroke: Ctrl + Alt + Delete to the running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + BackspaceSend the keystroke: Ctrl + Alt + Backspace to the running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + InsertLeft Command + InsertSend a custom keystroke to the running Virtual Machine.
Virtual Machine Display
Right Ctrl + NLeft Command + NOpen the Statistics window for the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + HLeft Command + FMove the location of the Virtual Disk image to a different local directory.
Right Ctrl + CLeft Command + CToggle the scaled display mode for the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + LLeft Command + LToggle the seamless mode for the currently running Virtual Machine.
Right Ctrl + ALeft Command + AResize the display window to the current resolution of the Virtual Machine.
Window Management
Ctrl + GCommand + Comma (,)Open VirtualBox’s Preferences window.
F1Open the comprehensive Help window for VirtualBox.
Ctrl + QCommand + QTerminate the current VirtualBox session.
Command + HMinimize the current session to the taskbar.
Command + Option + HMinimize all the other sessions to the taskbar.
Extension Packs Management
Ctrl + TCommand + TOpen the VM Extensions Pack application panel.
Ctrl + Shift + ICommand + Shift + IInstall a new Extension Pack on the current VirtualBox installation.
Ctrl + Shift + UCommand + Shift + UUninstall an existing Extension Pack on the current VirtualBox installation.
Virtual Storage Management
Ctrl + DCommand + DOpen the Virtual Storage application panel.
Alt + HList all the available Hard Disk images on the current installation.
Alt + OList all the available Optical Media images on the current installation.
Alt + FList all the available Floppy Disk images on the current installation.
Ctrl + Shift + FCommand + Shift + FReload the list of currently available Virtual Disks.
Ctrl + Shift + ACommand + Shift + AImport an existing Virtual Disk image to the current installation.
Ctrl + Shift + CCommand + Shift + CClone the currently selected Virtual Disk image.
Ctrl + Shift + MCommand + Shift + MMove the location of the Virtual Disk image to different local directory.
Ctrl + Shift + LCommand + Shift + LDetach the currently selected Virtual Disk from its parent Virtual Machine.
Ctrl + Shift + RCommand + Shift + RDelete the currently selected Virtual Disk from the installation.
Ctrl + Shift + PCommand + Shift + PDisplay the settings and properties for the currently selected Virtual Disk.
Log Management
Ctrl + LCommand + LOpen the Log Viewer window for the currently selected Virtual Machine.
Ctrl + ASelect the contents of the entire Log Viewer window.
Ctrl + CCopy the currently selected log text to the clipboard.
Ctrl + Shift + FCommand + Shift + FOpen the search prompt for the currently active Log Viewer.
Ctrl + Shift + TCommand + Shift + TPerform a filtered term search for the currently active Log Viewer.
Ctrl + Shift + DCommand + Shift + DList all the available bookmarks for the currently active Log Viewer.
Ctrl + Shift + RCommand + Shift + RReload the contents of the currently active Log Viewer.
Ctrl + Shift + SCommand + Shift + SDump the contents of the current Log Viewer to a file.
Ctrl + Shift + PCommand + Shift + PShow the available display settings for the currently active Log Viewer.
Virtual Network Management
Ctrl + HOpen the Virtual Network application panel.
Ctrl + Shift + CCommand + Shift + CCreate a new Virtual Network Controller for your machines.
Ctrl + Shift + RCommand + Shift + RDelete the currently selected Virtual Network Controller.
Ctrl + Shift + PCommand + Shift + PDisplay all the available settings for the currently selected controller.
Ctrl + Shift + P, then Alt + DOpen the DHCP server settings for the current network controller.
Ctrl + Shift + P, then Alt + AOpen the controller-specific settings for virtual network.
Remote Cloud Management
Ctrl + PCommand + POpen the Remote Cloud application panel.
Ctrl + Shift + TCommand + Shift + TOpen the free trial offer for Oracle Remote Cloud access.
Ctrl + Shift + ACommand + Shift + ACreate a new Remote Cloud profile for the current installation.
Ctrl + Shift + ICommand + Shift + IImport an existing Remote Cloud profile for the current installation.
Ctrl + Shift + RCommand + Shift + RRemove an existing Remote Cloud profile for the current installation.
Ctrl + Shift + PCommand + Shift + PToggle the available settings for the currently selected Remote Cloud profile.
Ctrl + Shift + HCommand + Shift + HOpen a browser window showing the documentation for Oracle Remote Cloud.

Image credit: Unsplash. All alterations and screenshots by Ramces Red.

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Ramces Red
Ramces Red - Staff Writer

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.