# Plexamp desktop keyboard control **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Labs\ **Tags:** plexamp\ **Created:** [October 10, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330 "2026-10-10T19:04:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![B0RIT0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@B0RIT0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/B0RIT0)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/1 "2026-10-10T19:04:10Z")
First of all, thank you so much for all those recent updates and improvements. It would be really great if you could implement keyboard navigation on Plexamp desktop, like arrow keys to navigate grids and lists, enter to select or play items, etc. Maybe even let users define custom keyboard shortcuts. Plexamp desktop is running on my server which is connected to my receiver and TV via HDMI. Controlling Plexamp or Caldera via iPad or iPhone is great, especially when the TV is off. I have a Flirc attached to the server and when the TV is on and Plexamp is on full screen it would be much nicer to be able to use the actual remote control instead. ---
**Author:** ![Preston.f22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Preston.f22](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Preston.f22)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 9:00am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/2 "2026-10-11T09:00:49Z")
![Screenshot (483)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/4/e/b/4eb58f45863514e3574f05b3b50dff750b9145dd.png) This already exists to a degree but I’m assuming you are looking to move around the UI with a keyboard. I feel like Plexamp would need to be redesigned just for that like having it’s own HTPC app at that point, it would make more sense to port Caldera TV for Desktop or combine it with Caldera amp. Or just use the Plex HTPC app, personally i do use that for listening to Dolby atmos music since the codec is anyway available to play with video files while Plexamp is never really going to get support of it cause of licencing issues. ---
**Author:** ![elan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/elan/32/5_2.png) [@elan](https://forums.plex.tv/u/elan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 8:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/3 "2026-10-12T08:24:46Z")
Arrow keys, Enter, M for the menu, and Esc to go back are in 4.50.20-beta.23 on the desktop beta channel. Curious how it gets on with the Flirc. ---
**Author:** ![B0RIT0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@B0RIT0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/B0RIT0)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 1:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/4 "2026-10-12T13:40:25Z")
Wow, that was fast! Thank you! It’s working nicely so far with the Flirc. I noticed a couple of minor issues though (M1 macOS Sequoia). - After initially launching Plexamp, keyboard control does not work. No keystrokes are registered by the app until you mouse-click the application window. It doesn’t matter if Plexamp is full screen or windowed. It also makes no difference if you launch it via dock, spotlight or launchpad. - When using escape to go back, Plexamp goes out of full screen mode and loses focus, resulting in any subsequent key strokes not getting registered by the app until you reactivate the window by mouse-clicking it. ~~This only happens when Plexamp is full screen, when windowed esc works as expected~~. Edit: It also happens when Plexamp is windowed, but the behavior is not as consistent as it is when the app is full screen. When windowed it just happens once in a while and I haven’t been able to see a logical pattern yet. - The alphabetical navigation on the right side of the artist or album page is not accessible using the arrow keys. It would be great if one could make use of it similar to how accessing the left side bar works. - In settings, items with a toggle button are not accessible with arrow keys. Other than that it’s working smoothly and I can’t thank you enough for implementing this. It’s a massive improvement for those occasions when you want to have that media center experience while playing music. What I’d love to see: - In addition to the general library shortcut it would be great to be able to define shortcuts to individual library categories like e.g. Artists or Albums. - An option to hide the mouse cursor when in full screen. ---
**Author:** ![B0RIT0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@B0RIT0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/B0RIT0)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 3:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/6 "2026-10-12T15:43:38Z")
After further experimentation I can confirm: when Plexamp is initially started, no keystrokes are registered by the app until the window gets activated by a mouse click. Selecting “Always on top” in settings makes no difference. ---
**Author:** ![elan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/elan/32/5_2.png) [@elan](https://forums.plex.tv/u/elan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/7 "2026-10-12T23:43:42Z")
Thanks, that was a really useful list. In 4.50.20-beta.24 the arrows work straight after launch without a click, Esc only takes over when there’s somewhere to go back to (so it stops knocking you out of full screen), and Backspace goes back too. Shift plus a letter jumps a grid to that letter, the letters down the side can be reached with the arrows, and settings switches work from the keyboard. Hiding the cursor and per-section shortcuts are on the list. ---
**Author:** ![B0RIT0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@B0RIT0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/B0RIT0)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 11:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/8 "2026-10-13T11:40:22Z")
Brilliant! Thank you so much for your effort. I also very much appreciate the letter jump feature. I already had my Flirc set up to use the remote’s number buttons as shift+letters, so this comes in handy. ---
**Author:** ![B0RIT0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@B0RIT0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/B0RIT0)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plexamp-desktop-keyboard-control/944330/9 "2026-10-13T13:06:06Z")
So I played around a little with beta24. - After launch, Plexamp still initially receives no keystrokes until you mouse-click the application window. - ESC still kicks Plexamp out of full screen and un-focus it, resulting in all subsequent keystrokes not getting recognized by Plexamp until you mouse-click the application window. ESC actually successfully takes you back to a previous page and kicks the app out of full screen simultaneously. - Backspace to return works, but not for menus. When a menu is open and you hit backspace, instead of the menu getting closed you’re taken back to the previous screen with the menu remaining visible. - The letter jump feature works nicely. - Right side alphabetical navigation is accessible and navigable with arrow keys flawlessly. - Toggle switches in settings are accessible with arrow keys flawlessly. Some minor general stuff I noticed: - Right side alphabetical navigation is only available on certain screens like Artists, Albums and Tracks. It is not present on Compilations or Soundtracks. This seems kind of inconsistent. - There are scroll bars on the sidebar (when font size is set to Mega) and on the right side of certain screens (Home, Soundtracks, Artist Genres, Settings). I think it would look a lot sleeker if they would auto-hide. But that’s just a personal preference.