Quick Start
Open media, control playback, navigate UI
This guide gets you playing video in under a minute.
Play Your First File
Launch CineWindows
Double-click the CineWindows icon. The Start Page appears with a welcome screen and recent files list.
Open a media file
Do one of the following:
- Press Ctrl + O to open the file dialog
- Drag a video or audio file from File Explorer onto the CineWindows window
- Double-click a supported media file in Explorer if you set file associations during installation
Control playback
Use the Space key to toggle play and pause, or click the play/pause button on the Control Bar. The seek bar at the bottom shows your progress — click anywhere on it to jump to that position.
Adjust the volume
Scroll the mouse wheel over the video area to adjust volume, or drag the volume slider next to the Control Bar. A small overlay shows the current level.
Enter fullscreen
Press F11 or double-click the video area to enter fullscreen mode. The Control Bar and Header Bar auto-hide after a moment of inactivity. Move the mouse to reveal them again. Press Esc or F11 to exit fullscreen.
Basic Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Play / Pause |
| Ctrl + O | Open file |
| Ctrl + I | Open file via path input |
| F11 | Toggle fullscreen |
| Left / Right | Seek backward / forward 5 seconds |
| Up / Down | Volume up / down |
| Ctrl + Left / Right | Seek backward / forward 30 seconds |
| Shift + Left / Right | Seek backward / forward 1 minute |
| M | Mute / unmute |
| F | Toggle fit-to-window (video zoom modes) |
| N | Next file in playlist |
| P | Previous file in playlist |
| Ctrl + S | Toggle A-B loop |
| Ctrl + Z | Reset A-B loop |
| S | Take screenshot |
| Ctrl + Q | Quit |
| Esc | Exit fullscreen / close dialog |
| Tab | Cycle focus between UI sections |
| Ctrl + H | Toggle Media Hub sidebar |