// OPENBOX DOCS
Keyboard & Controller Shortcuts
Complete hotkey and gamepad bindings for the library, the tools menu, and Big Box kiosk mode.
OpenBox is designed for seamless navigation whether you are sitting at a desktop with a mechanical keyboard or holding a Steam Deck on the couch.
Interactive Controller & Hotkey Reference
Gamepad navigation mappings for Steam Deck, handhelds, and desktop keyboard
Spawns the selected title or enters submenu
Returns to previous view or exits Big Box
Pins or unpins game from Favorites collection
Jumps to a random title in the current list
Moves selection through cards and carousel
Rapidly pages backward and forward through library
Opens running session pause, resume, and kill menu
Opens quick platform, playlist, and sort filter menu
Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + , | Settings | Opens the global settings dialog (scrapers, integrations, backups, themes). |
| Ctrl / Cmd + K | Command palette | Searches games and opens actions, settings, and What's New discovery. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Q | Random Game | Picks a random title from the active collection and focuses it. |
| Ctrl + Alt + R | Random Game (Alt) | Alternative hotkey for random game picker. |
| M | Capture Moment | Captures a note/screenshot for the running or selected game; state capture is added only when the adapter supports Quick Resume. |
| F | Favorite | Toggles the focused game's Favorite flag in the library grid or list. |
| F11 | Fullscreen | Toggles borderless fullscreen window mode. |
| Escape | Dismiss | Closes active dialog, tools menu, or context popup. |
Library Grid Keyboard Navigation
These move the focus in the library grid and list once nothing is typing and no dialog is open.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ArrowRight / ArrowLeft | Next / previous game |
| ArrowDown / ArrowUp | Move one row (by the current column count) |
| PageDown / PageUp | Move one screen of games |
| Home / End | Jump to the first / last game |
| Escape | Clear the current selection and blur the grid |
Command Palette Navigation
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ArrowDown / ArrowUp | Move through palette results |
| Enter | Run the highlighted result |
| Escape | Close the palette |
Arcade Room Keyboard Navigation
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ArrowLeft / ArrowRight | Move between cabinets |
| ArrowUp / ArrowDown | Move between zones within a cabinet |
| Home / End | Jump to the first / last entry |
| Enter | Show the current game |
| Space / P | Launch the current game |
| Escape / Backspace | Leave Arcade Room |
Tools Menu Keyboard Navigation (WAI-ARIA)
| Shortcut | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ArrowDown / ArrowUp | Navigate Items | Cycles through tools dropdown items with circular wrapping. |
| Home / End | First / Last | Jumps focus to the first or last tools menu option. |
| Escape | Close Menu | Dismisses the menu and returns focus to the Tools trigger button. |
| Tab | Exit Focus | Closes the menu when tabbing away. |
Big Box Keyboard Navigation
| Shortcut | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ArrowLeft / ArrowUp | Previous | Moves back through the cover flow. |
| ArrowRight / ArrowDown | Next | Moves forward through the cover flow. |
| Enter | Launch / Confirm | Launches the selected game, confirms a screensaver pick, or applies the focused menu action. |
| P | Session Control | Opens the running session control overlay (pause, resume, kill). Only acts when a session is running. |
| M | Filter Menu | Opens the Big Box platform, playlist, and sort filter menu. |
| R | Shuffle | Jumps to a random title in the current list. |
| F | Favorite | Toggles the Favorite flag on the active title. |
| Escape | Back / Exit | Blurs the Big Box search field, closes the filter menu or the pause overlay, or exits Big Box mode. |
| Backspace | Back / Exit | Same as Escape inside the filter menu. |
1.11 deep-link shortcuts
The CLI can dispatch openbox://resume/<id>, openbox://moment/<id>, and openbox://clip/<id> for the current release; openbox://launch/<id> is also available for direct play. Arcade Room has no registered URI action: open it from Tools or the Ctrl/Cmd-K palette. See Command line and deep links for token, server, and stable-id details.
Context menu
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ContextMenu (or Shift + F10) | Open the context menu for the focused game |
| ArrowDown / ArrowUp / Home / End | Move through context menu items |
| Escape / Tab | Close the context menu |
Big Box Gamepad Bindings
OpenBox maps standard gamepad inputs (customizable via Settings for button indices 0–31):
| Button | Default Index | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0 (play) | Launch / Confirm | Launch centered game / confirm selection |
| B | 1 (back) | Back / Exit | Return to menu / exit Big Box mode |
| X | 2 (favorite) | Toggle Favorite | Toggle Favorite flag for current game |
| Y | 3 (random) | Random Shuffle | Jump to a random game |
| LB / RB | 4 / 5 (page_left / page_right) | Page Scroll | Rapidly page backward and forward through library |
| Select / View | 8 (pause) | Session Control | Open running session pause and management overlay |
| Start / Menu | 9 (menu) | Quick Menu | Open Big Box platform filter and sort menu |
| D-Pad / Stick | Axes / Hats | Directional Navigation | Move focus across game cards and carousel |