How to Customize mpv Keyboard Shortcuts with input.conf?

The mpv media player is highly praised for its minimalist interface and powerful command-line foundations, allowing users to deeply personalize their viewing experience. By utilizing the input.conf configuration file, you can easily remap existing hotkeys, create brand-new shortcuts, and bind complex commands to single keystrokes. This guide will walk you through locating your configuration directory, creating the file, and writing custom key bindings to take full control of your mpv playback.

Locating or Creating the input.conf File

Before you can add your custom shortcuts, you need to place the input.conf file in the correct configuration directory. The location varies depending on your operating system:

Windows: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\mpv\ or inside a folder named portable_config in the same directory as your mpv.exe if you are using a portable installation.
macOS: /Users/YourUsername/.config/mpv/
Linux: /home/YourUsername/.config/mpv/

Note: If the input.conf file does not exist in that folder, simply create a new blank text file, rename it to input.conf, and ensure the file extension is .conf and not .txt.

Syntax for Customizing Shortcuts

The syntax inside input.conf is straightforward. Each line represents a single shortcut and follows a strict pattern: Key Command. You can also use the # symbol to add comments for organizing your file.

# Syntax template:
[KEY] [COMMAND] [ARGUMENTS]

Common Examples of Custom Key Bindings

To give you an idea of how to structure your file, here are some popular modifications you can copy and paste directly into your input.conf:

Desired Action	Key to Bind	Line to Add to input.conf
Skip forward 5 seconds	Right Arrow	`RIGHT seek 5`
Skip backward 5 seconds	Left Arrow	`LEFT seek -5`
Increase volume by 2%	Mouse Wheel Up	`WHEEL_UP add volume 2`
Decrease volume by 2%	Mouse Wheel Down	`WHEEL_DOWN add volume -2`
Cycle through subtitle tracks	‘s’ Key	`s cycle sub`
Toggle fullscreen	Double Click	`MBTN_LEFT_DBL cycle fullscreen`

Advanced Customization and Multi-command Adjustments

You can also bind keys to specific absolute values or chain commands together using the ; separator. For instance, if you want a key that instantly resets the playback speed back to normal and displays a message, you can write:

SHAPE speed set 1.0; show-text "Speed reset to normal"

Once you have finished adding your desired shortcuts, save the input.conf file and restart mpv. Your new custom keyboard shortcuts will immediately take effect.