Creating a new command in MPC-HC64 means adding a keyboard shortcut or button that runs an action you choose

MPC-HC64 (Media Player Classic — Home Cinema 64-bit) stores all its commands in a settings file you can edit directly. When you create a new command, you are telling the player to perform a specific action — like jump forward 30 seconds, toggle subtitles, or change the audio track — when you press a key combination you define. This is different from using the built-in shortcuts; you are writing your own.

The process involves opening MPC-HC64's configuration file, finding the commands section, and adding a line that maps your chosen key to an action number. MPC-HC64 recognizes a fixed set of action numbers (each one corresponds to a real function in the player), so you cannot invent new actions — but you can assign any key combination to any of those existing functions.

Key Takeaways

  • MPC-HC64 stores custom commands in a text file called mpc-hc64.ini located in your AppData folder, which Windows hides by default.
  • Each command is a single line pairing a key combination code with an action number that corresponds to a real player function.
  • You must know the action number for what you want to do — common ones include 4001 (play/pause), 4003 (stop), and 4010 (next file).
  • After you edit and save the file, you must close MPC-HC64 completely and reopen it for the new commands to take effect.
  • If you make a syntax error, MPC-HC64 will either ignore the line silently or fail to start; backing up the file first prevents losing your settings.

Finding and opening the MPC-HC64 configuration file

MPC-HC64 keeps its settings in a hidden folder that Windows does not show by default. You need to unhide it first, then navigate to the file.

Step 1: Show hidden files in Windows. Open File Explorer. Click the View tab at the top. Look for a checkbox labeled "Hidden items" and check it. Windows will now display folders and files that start with a dot or have the hidden attribute set.

Step 2: Navigate to the AppData folder. In the address bar of File Explorer, type %appdata% and press Enter. Windows will take you directly to your AppData\Roaming folder. Look for a folder named MPC-HC and double-click it to open it.

Step 3: Locate mpc-hc64.ini. Inside the MPC-HC folder, you will see several files. Find the one named mpc-hc64.ini (or mpc-hc.ini if you are using the 32-bit version). Right-click it and select "Open with" and then choose Notepad. The file will open in a text editor where you can make changes.

Understanding the command syntax and action numbers

Each custom command in MPC-HC64 follows a simple pattern: a key code, an equals sign, and an action number. The key code tells MPC-HC64 which keys you are pressing; the action number tells it what to do.

Key codes are built from modifiers and a base key. Modifiers are numbers that represent Ctrl, Shift, and Alt: Ctrl is 1, Shift is 2, Alt is 4. If you want Ctrl+Shift, you add them: 1 + 2 = 3. The base key is the hexadecimal code for the actual key — for example, the spacebar is 0x20, the letter A is 0x41, and the number 1 is 0x31. A complete key code looks like this: 1 0x20 (Ctrl+Spacebar).

Action numbers are fixed values that MPC-HC64 recognizes. Some of the most common ones are: 4001 (play/pause), 4003 (stop), 4004 (previous file), 4010 (next file), 4012 (increase volume), 4013 (decrease volume), 4016 (mute), 4027 (toggle fullscreen), 4050 (show/hide subtitles), and 4051 (next subtitle track). A full list of action numbers is available in the MPC-HC documentation or in the player's keyboard shortcuts menu under View > Options > Keys.

Finding the commands section in the configuration file

The mpc-hc64.ini file contains many sections, each marked with a name in square brackets. You need to find the section where commands are stored.

Use Ctrl+F to open the Find dialog in Notepad. Search for [commands] (with the square brackets). Notepad will jump to that section. If the section does not exist, you will need to create it yourself by scrolling to the end of the file, pressing Enter to create a new line, and typing [commands].

Below the [commands] header, you will see existing commands (if any) in the format key_code=action_number. This is where you will add your new commands.

Adding your custom command

Once you have found the [commands] section, position your cursor at the end of the last existing command line and press Enter to create a new line. Type your command in the format: modifier_and_key=action_number.

For example, to make Ctrl+1 toggle fullscreen, you would type: 1 0x31=4027. To make Alt+N jump to the next file, you would type: 4 0x4E=4010. Notice that the letter N is uppercase in the hex code (0x4E, not 0x4e) — MPC-HC64 is case-sensitive for hex values.

Do not add spaces around the equals sign. Do not add comments or explanations on the same line. Each command must be on its own line, and each line must follow the exact syntax or MPC-HC64 will skip it.

If you are unsure about the hex code for a key, you can look it up in a standard ASCII/hex table, or you can check MPC-HC64's built-in keyboard shortcuts menu (View > Options > Keys) to see how existing commands are coded.

Saving the file and testing your new command

After you have typed your new command, press Ctrl+S to save the file. Close Notepad.

Now close MPC-HC64 completely — do not just minimize it. If it is running, it may overwrite your changes when it closes. Once the player is fully shut down, reopen it. MPC-HC64 reads the configuration file when it starts, so your new command should now be active.

Test your new command by pressing the key combination you assigned. If nothing happens, check that you typed the syntax correctly: no spaces around the equals sign, the modifier and key code are separated by a space, and the action number is valid. If you made a mistake, close MPC-HC64 again, fix the line in the .ini file, save it, and reopen the player.

Backing up your settings before making changes

Before you edit the mpc-hc64.ini file, make a copy of it as a backup. Right-click the file in File Explorer, select "Copy", then right-click in the same folder and select "Paste". Windows will create a file named something like "mpc-hc64 - Copy.ini". Keep this copy in the same folder.

If you make a mistake and MPC-HC64 will not start or behaves strangely, you can delete the broken mpc-hc64.ini file and rename the backup copy back to mpc-hc64.ini. This will restore your player to the state it was in before you made changes. You can then try again more carefully, or look up the correct syntax for the command you were trying to add.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The most frequent error is using the wrong format for the key code. Remember: modifier first (or nothing if you want no modifier), then a space, then the hex code for the key. 1 0x20 is correct; 1,0x20 or 10x20 or 0x20 1 are all wrong.

Another common mistake is typing the hex code in lowercase when MPC-HC64 expects uppercase, or vice versa. Stick to uppercase for consistency: 0x41 for A, not 0x41. Also, do not confuse the letter O with the number 0 — 0x41 starts with a zero, not the letter O.

If you assign a key combination that MPC-HC64 already uses for something else, your new command will override the old one. This is usually fine, but if you want to keep both, choose a different key combination. You can see all the built-in shortcuts in View > Options > Keys to avoid conflicts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the [commands] section does not exist in my mpc-hc64.ini file?

Create it yourself. Scroll to the end of the file, press Enter to make a new line, and type [commands] on that line. Then add your custom commands below it, one per line. Save the file and restart MPC-HC64.

Can I use the same key combination for multiple commands?

No. Each key combination can only trigger one action. If you assign the same key to two different actions, MPC-HC64 will use whichever one appears last in the file and ignore the first one.

How do I find the hex code for a key I want to use?

Check MPC-HC64's built-in keyboard shortcuts list (View > Options > Keys) to see how other keys are coded, or search online for an ASCII hex table. Common keys: spacebar is 0x20, Enter is 0x0D, arrow keys are 0x25–0x28, and letter keys are 0x41–0x5A (A–Z).

What happens if I make a syntax error in the commands section?

MPC-HC64 will silently skip the line with the error and move on. If the error is severe enough, the player may fail to start. If that happens, restore your backup copy of the mpc-hc64.ini file and try again.

Do I need to restart Windows after adding a new command?

No. You only need to close and reopen MPC-HC64. The player reads its configuration file when it starts, so restarting the application is enough.