VirtualBox: Change the Host Key

Contributor Icon Contributed by Rob Rogers  
Tag Icon Tagged: Windows  

When you are running a guest operating system in VirtualBox (innotek’s x86 virtualizer), it will capture your mouse cursor for use within the guest OS. To use your cursor on your host operating system, you need to use the Host Key. VirtualBox uses the Right Ctrl key as the default key. The laptop that I use VirtualBox on has no Right Ctrl key, so another key is needed as the Host Key. If you are in this situation, or would just prefer that the Host Key be something easier for you to use, follow these steps:


1. Open innotek VirtualBox.

2. Click File and select Preferences.

3. In the left pane, select Input.

4. In the right pane, go to the Keyboard section and click the box next to Host Key (the one containing Right Ctrl).

5. Press the key you wish to be the new Host Key (I used Right Alt as my new host key). The new value will appear in the box.

6. Click OK.

 

15 Comments -


  1. anon said on March 7, 2009

    Excellent

  2. Raoul said on April 20, 2009

    Fantastic¡¡¡¡ Thanks

  3. another anon said on June 9, 2009

    Thank you

  4. Guest said on June 23, 2009

    Thank you!

  5. hari said on August 1, 2009

    thanks

  6. Eric said on August 3, 2009

    Thanks

  7. innotek 5100 said on October 18, 2009

    Thank you for the post!

    Matt

  8. Anonymous said on October 19, 2009

    thanks!

  9. Eric said on January 14, 2010

    There should be a way to use multiple keys as host key. I like used ctrl+alt+shift in vmware

  10. Kamrul said on June 30, 2010

    Thank you so much. It works

  11. Anonymous said on September 1, 2010

    oh nice!! I’m looking for this :D

  12. Umarje said on November 14, 2010

    Thanks a lot :D

  13. rama said on December 14, 2010

    Thanks Man Great Job

  14. AB said on May 3, 2011

    Thank you!

  15. Asif Hizbullah said on May 12, 2011

    Thanks…………….

 

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