Tip: Using the keyboard to access useful functionality in Windows Virtual PC

When you use a Virtual Machine (VM) created using Windows® Virtual PC (WVPC), following keyboard shortcuts would be very useful to make life simple without using the mouse:

Press this key

To do this

CTRL+ALT+Left Arrow

Release the mouse from the virtual machine’s (VM) window (required only when the integration features are not installed or are disabled). You can also use this shortcut to release the keyboard and move focus to the toolbar on the VM’s window.

CTRL+ALT+END

Send the CTRL+ALT+DEL command to a VM. This shortcut is also available while running virtual applications, when the focus is on such an application.

Windows logo key +UP Arrow

Switch from window mode to full-screen mode.

CTRL+ALT+PAUSE BREAK

Switch from full-screen mode to window mode.

ALT+F4

Close a VM.

CTRL+ALT +Plus key

Capture a print screen of the VM display output.

CTRL+ALT +Minus key

Capture a print screen of the window in the VM that has focus.

TAB + Right Arrow

Move to the Help menu from other menus on the VM toolbar. Before you can use this shortcut, you would need to press CTRL+ALT+Left Arrow to bring the focus on to the VM’s window.

TAB + Left arrow

Move from the Help menu to other menus on the VM toolbar. Before you can use this shortcut, you would need to press CTRL+ALT+Left Arrow to bring the focus on to the VM’s window.

ALT+B

Open the USB menu of the VM window. Before you can use this shortcut, you would need to press CTRL+ALT+Left Arrow to bring the focus on to the VM’s window.

ALT+P

Make the VM to go to a Sleep state. Before you can use this shortcut, you would need to press CTRL+ALT+Left Arrow to bring the focus on to the VM’s window.

ALT+U

Wake up the VM from sleep state.

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Rahul Razdan

Program Manager

Microsoft Virtualization Team