VirtualBox how to disable hotkey

Question

I'd like to know how to re-assign or disable the hotkeys for the virtualbox. I'd like to type a replacement key combination for CTRL+Alt+Del.

Answer 1

There is not much you can do outside of modifying the Hostkey to create/edit any of the command shortcuts such as Ctrl-Alt-Del or Ctrl-Alt-Backspace. Hostkey-Del or using the "Insert Ctrl+Alt+Delete" options under the Machines menu are the only ways to send Ctrl-Alt-Del to the virtual machine.

For more information, see the Typing Special Characters section of Keyboard and mouse support in virtual machines in the Virtualbox manual.

Host operating systems reserve certain key combinations for themselves. For example, it is impossible to enter the Ctrl+Alt+Delete combination if you want to reboot the guest operating system in your virtual machine, because this key combination is usually hard-wired into the host OS (both Windows and Linux intercept this), and pressing this key combination will therefore reboot your host.

It goes on to say:

If, instead, you want to send these key combinations to the guest operating system in the virtual machine, you will need to use one of the following methods:

Use the items in the "Machine" menu of the virtual machine window. There you will find "Insert Ctrl+Alt+Delete" and "Ctrl+Alt+Backspace"; the latter will only have an effect with Linux or Solaris guests, however.

Press special key combinations with the Host key (normally the right Control key), which VirtualBox will then translate for the virtual machine:

Host key + Del to send Ctrl+Alt+Del (to reboot the guest);

I think the short version is that the only way you can change the hotkey needed for Ctrl-Alt-Del is via changing the Hostkey and using Hostkey-Del (as said in the other response). The only command that is "customizable" is the use of Alt-Tab and that is limited to be able to choose which machine (host or virtual) the Alt-Tab command affects.

Outside of that, unless there is a Addon for Virtualbox to give this support, I think we will just have to wait for that sort of support to be included in future releases.

Answer 2

As far as I know it's only possible to modify the Host key from File -> Preferences -> Input. If there's a way to modify other shortcuts, I'm interested in that, too.