You can create custom keyboard shortcuts in MPC-HC64 by editing a single configuration file

MPC-HC64 (Media Player Classic - Home Cinema 64-bit) stores all its keyboard commands in a text file you can open and modify directly. Instead of being stuck with the built-in shortcuts, you can assign any key or key combination to any action the player supports — play, pause, jump forward, cycle through audio tracks, or dozens of other functions. The file is called mpc-hc.ini, and editing it takes about five minutes once you know where to look.

This guide walks you through finding the file, understanding its structure, adding your own commands, and testing them to make sure they work. You do not need any special software — just a text editor like Notepad, which comes with Windows.

Key Takeaways

  • MPC-HC64 stores keyboard shortcuts in the mpc-hc.ini file, which you can edit with Notepad to create custom commands.
  • The file lives in your user profile folder under AppData\Roaming\MPC-HC, and you may need to show hidden files to see it.
  • Each shortcut follows the format Command ID = key code, and you can combine keys like Ctrl+Alt+letter for more options.
  • You must close MPC-HC64 completely before editing the file, or your changes will be overwritten when the program exits.
  • Testing a shortcut takes seconds — just open a video file and press your new key combination to confirm it works.

Finding the mpc-hc.ini file on your computer

The configuration file lives in a hidden folder that Windows does not show by default. Open File Explorer and navigate to your user profile. The fastest way is to type the path directly into the address bar: %AppData%\MPC-HC and press Enter. Windows will expand that to your actual user folder and take you straight there.

If that does not work, you can navigate manually. Open File Explorer, click on "This PC" or "My Computer", then double-click your C: drive. Navigate to Users, then your username folder. Look for a folder called AppData — if you do not see it, you need to show hidden files. Click the View tab at the top of File Explorer, then check the box next to "Hidden items". Now you should see AppData. Open it, then open Roaming, then look for the MPC-HC folder.

Inside the MPC-HC folder, you will see several files. Look for mpc-hc.ini — this is the file you need to edit. Do not touch the other files.

Understanding the keyboard command format

Open mpc-hc.ini with Notepad. Right-click the file, choose "Open with", and select Notepad. The file contains many sections marked with square brackets like [Playlist] or [Playback]. Scroll down until you find the section called [Commands] — this is where all the keyboard shortcuts live.

Each line in the Commands section follows this pattern: Command ID = key code. For example, you might see ID_PLAY = 32, which means pressing the spacebar (key code 32) triggers the play command. The command ID tells MPC-HC64 what action to perform. The key code tells it which key or key combination triggers that action.

Key codes work like this: regular letters and numbers use their ASCII values (A is 65, B is 66, 1 is 49, and so on). Function keys have their own codes (F1 is 112, F2 is 113). Modifier keys — Ctrl, Alt, Shift — are added as prefixes. Ctrl adds 0x10000, Alt adds 0x20000, and Shift adds 0x40000. So Ctrl+A would be 0x10000 + 65 = 0x10041.

Locating the command you want to customize

Before you create a new shortcut, you need to know the command ID for the action you want. MPC-HC64 has dozens of built-in commands: ID_PLAY, ID_PAUSE, ID_STOP, ID_VOLUME_UP, ID_VOLUME_DOWN, ID_SEEK_FORWARD, ID_SEEK_BACKWARD, ID_NEXT_FILE, ID_PREV_FILE, and many more. The command names are usually descriptive enough that you can guess what they do.

If you are not sure which command does what, look at the existing shortcuts in your [Commands] section. You will see patterns — anything starting with ID_VOLUME controls sound, anything starting with ID_SEEK controls jumping through the video, anything starting with ID_AUDIO controls audio track selection. If you want to create a shortcut for something you do not see listed, check the MPC-HC documentation or forums, where users often share lists of available commands.

Write down the exact command ID you want to use. Spelling and capitalization matter — ID_PLAY is not the same as id_play or ID_play.

Adding your custom shortcut to the file

Once you have chosen your command and decided which key you want to use, add a new line to the [Commands] section. Type the command ID, an equals sign, and the key code. For example, if you want to make Ctrl+Right Arrow jump forward 10 seconds, you would type something like ID_SEEK_FORWARD = 0x1004F (0x10000 for Ctrl, plus 0x4F for the Right Arrow key).

If you are not comfortable calculating hex codes, use decimal instead. Most key codes work in decimal form too. The spacebar is 32, Enter is 13, and letter keys are their ASCII values (A through Z are 65 through 90). For modifier combinations, add the decimal values: Ctrl is 65536, Alt is 131072, Shift is 262144. So Ctrl+A in decimal would be 65536 + 65 = 65601.

Add your new line anywhere in the [Commands] section — order does not matter. If the command already has a shortcut assigned, you can replace the old key code with your new one, or leave both and let the new one override it. Save the file when you are done. Use Ctrl+S or go to File menu and click Save.

Testing your new keyboard shortcut

Close MPC-HC64 completely — not just minimize it, but fully exit the program. This is important because MPC-HC64 rewrites the ini file when it closes, and if the program is still running, your changes will be lost. Check the system tray at the bottom right of your screen to make sure no MPC-HC64 window is still open.

Open MPC-HC64 again and load a video file. Press your new keyboard shortcut and watch what happens. If you assigned Ctrl+Right to jump forward, press Ctrl+Right Arrow and the video should skip ahead. If you assigned Alt+P to pause, press Alt+P and the video should pause. If nothing happens, the shortcut did not register — go back to the ini file and check your spelling and key codes.

Common mistakes: forgetting to close MPC-HC64 before testing, using the wrong case (ID_play instead of ID_PLAY), or miscalculating the key code. If your shortcut conflicts with a Windows or MPC-HC64 system shortcut, Windows may intercept it and your custom command will not run. Try a different key combination if that happens.

Avoiding conflicts and backing up your settings

Some key combinations are reserved by Windows or MPC-HC64 and will not work no matter what you do. Alt+Tab, Alt+F4, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and Windows+X are all locked by the operating system. Within MPC-HC64, some keys like spacebar and arrow keys already have built-in functions, so reassigning them may cause unexpected behavior. If you want to use a common key, check what it already does in the [Commands] section first.

Before you make major changes to mpc-hc.ini, make a backup copy. Right-click the file, choose Copy, then right-click in the same folder and choose Paste. Rename the copy to something like mpc-hc-backup.ini. If something goes wrong, you can delete your edited version and rename the backup back to mpc-hc.ini to restore your original settings.

If you want to reset all your shortcuts to MPC-HC64's defaults, delete the mpc-hc.ini file entirely. The next time you open MPC-HC64, it will create a fresh copy with all the original settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same key for two different commands?

No. If you assign the same key code to two different commands, MPC-HC64 will use whichever one appears last in the [Commands] section. The first one will be ignored. If you want multiple actions from one key, you will need to use different modifier combinations — for example, P for play, Ctrl+P for pause, and Alt+P for stop.

What if I want to use a key that does not have an obvious code, like the media play button?

Media keys have their own codes, but they vary by keyboard and are harder to find. Your best option is to use a combination of common keys instead — Ctrl+Alt+P for play, for example. If you really need media key support, check the MPC-HC forums or documentation for your specific keyboard model.

Will my custom shortcuts survive if I update MPC-HC64?

Usually yes, but it depends on how you update. If you use an installer that overwrites your existing installation, your mpc-hc.ini file should be preserved. If you manually delete the old version and install the new one fresh, you will lose your settings. To be safe, back up your mpc-hc.ini file before any update, then copy it back afterward if needed.

Can I share my custom shortcuts with someone else?

Yes. Copy your mpc-hc.ini file and send it to them. They can paste it into their own MPC-HC folder (after backing up their current version first). Their custom shortcuts will now match yours. This is useful if you have set up a configuration you like and want to use it on multiple computers.

What happens if I make a typo in the command ID?

MPC-HC64 will ignore the line silently. The key you assigned will do nothing. Check your spelling carefully — ID_PLAY_FORWARD is different from ID_SEEK_FORWARD, and a single letter wrong will break the whole line. If a shortcut is not working, go back to the ini file and verify the command ID character by character against a working example.