Server Version#: 1.13.9.5456
Player Version#: 2.21.0.914-4839cbf2
A few versions ago, the behaviour of the F11 key was changed. While in PlexWeb mode, F11 would take you full screen to TV mode. Pressing F11 again would take you back to PlexWeb mode (maximized). Some people didn’t like the fact that F11 did not restore the window back to the original size when returning to PlexWeb mode. This is what I believe prompted the change to the F11 behaviour.
Now, when in TV mode, F11 toggles between full screen and windowed TV mode. It no longer returns you to PlexWeb mode (some people also call this server mode I think).
Once in TV mode, the result of the new F11 key behaviour means that there is no hot key that will return you to PlexWeb mode (at least, none that I’ve been able to figure out). So if there is hotkey for this, would love to know what it is. Otherwise, consider this a request to fix the problem. The mouse method to return to PlexWeb mode (where you click the disappearing icon in the upper right) doesn’t work if you’re using a remote. A hot key is really needed here.
Can you check the hotkey behavior is working as documented in this support article?
Apologies… I don’t have a Windows system at hand – the macOS shortcuts/keys appear to be working as listed.
Yes, I had tried all the keys in that article before I posted. As I said, F11 does not return you to Windowed Desktop mode. It only returns you to Windowed TV mode – even though windowed TV mode doesn’t really even make sense – who would even want that? There is no way to return to Desktop mode (windowed or otherwise) with the keyboard. It’s a bug that has existed for a few versions now. I didn’t report it because I just figured someone would notice.
The desktop mode requires a mouse. Therefore it is in my mind only logical, not to offer a hotkey and to force the use of a mouse to switch the mode.
Because on HTPCs without a mouse, accidentally hitting the hotkey could inconvenience users.
The key is documented. If you press F11 accidentally and return to desktop mode, just press F11 again to return to TV mode.
This was working until just a few updates ago. How does the current behaviour even make sense – who would even want Windowed TV mode which is what F11 does now.
Also, there is a common use case that you have not thought of. If you want to force an update to the latest version, you have to switch from Desktop mode to TV mode. Then use the keyboard to navigate to the menus and choose the Check For Updates option on the settings. But then you cannot return to Desktop mode with the keyboard.
In the living room, the computer hooked up to the TV does have a mouse but there really isn’t much space to use it properly. So I use the keyboard and/or remote almost 100% of the time. Sometimes, you want to return to desktop mode – for example, you can see a lot more information at once on the screen. Not being able to use the keyboard/remote to return to desktop mode is frustrating.
You can say this is not a bug. But the documentation says otherwise and as works as documented on the mac, according to Tom80H.
F11 trraditionally the key to switch from windowed to full screen and back.
Only in the past, this switch to fullscreen was linked to the change to tv mode.
This has now been reverted because it was confusing for many users.
Therefore the documentation is now outdated.
I will file an update request.
The desktop mode use is useless without a mouse. If you don’t have a mouse you don’t need, nor want, to switch to desktop mode.
What do you need the hotkey for? You can use the mouse.
Come on. Why does anyone ever need a hotkey? Because you’d rather use the keyboard (especially if you don’t have the mouse handy). The desktop mode can show a lot more info about the current program at once. If you can switch to TV mode with a hotkey, you should be able to reverse that with a hotkey as well. It doesn’t have to be F11. Could be F12, for example.
Forums to report bugs always follow the same predictable pattern. Are you sure it doesn’t work (so that if you don’t respond, it can be ignored)? Why do you need that (even though it worked before)? What you want doesn’t really make sense …
Bottom line is that hotkeys are valid needs/wants. Something was taken away from the windows version, but not for mac. Why? Current behaviour doesn’t even make sense – again, windowed TV mode – who even wants that?
I want to be able to return to desktop mode with my remote, like I could before. It’s not unreasonable.
Sorry, if I’m a bit hot headed here. I’m a new lifetime plex holder pass for 3 days now so that I could use TV/DVR features. Given the continuing problems with the EPG updates and inability to use what I paid for, I’m just not feeling overly positive about PLEX at the moment.
Hey @MovieWiz I’m working on this over at https://github.com/plexinc/plex-media-player/issues/799. We had separate keyboard shortcuts specified for toggling between fullscreen/windowed and desktop/tv layouts. Although… the desktop/tv layout shortcuts were broken (and the documentation was outdated).
Once the changes above are fixed we’ll get the documentation to reflect the shortcuts used by the code. Here’s a glimpse at them:
Thank you. So if I’m understanding correctly, in the windows plex media player, F11 will continue to toggle between full screen and windowed like it does now and Ctrl-Shift-F will toggle between TV and Desktop modes. Ctrl-Shift-F doesn’t work right now but I think you were saying that this is a current bug that is in the process of being fixed.
