67

I have a Virtual Box machine with Ubuntu. I need to send Ctrl+Alt+F1 to guest machine, but when I press them it is captured by host. How can I fix it ?

1

2 Answers 2

91

Right Ctrl+F1 worked for me without going into fullscreen

7
  • 6
    right control f1 didn't work for me, fullscreen or not because my machine grabbed it first, but right control f2 did work and got me to a terminal which is all I wanted.
    – stu
    Dec 9, 2015 at 17:16
  • 11
    This should be marked as the correct answer
    – krispy
    Apr 25, 2016 at 23:01
  • 1
    Just in case anyone needs, if one needs to send Ctrl + Alt to a guest machine (just those two keys together, without a third one), one can simply press Ctrl + Alt (the wanted keys themselves). forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=69058 Jul 11, 2016 at 11:51
  • Right Ctrl + F1 did not seem work for me, but in fact it was because gues OS loaded at 1st vt by default, so it did nothing. Right Ctrl+Fn worked.
    – max630
    Jan 17, 2018 at 21:03
  • 1
    This is not necessarily R-Ctrl + F1, but instead Host + F1, or Host + ? whatever, which sends Ctrl Alt + ?. Jun 14, 2018 at 20:48
37

You can go to fullscreen in the guest OS by pressing Host+F1. The default host key is Right Ctrl.

Once inside the full screen of Guest OS, try sending Ctrl+Alt+F1. It should be captured as desired.

3
  • 15
    i used Host+F to enter fullscreen, but Ctrl+Alt+F1 was still captured by the host
    – Jayen
    Jan 19, 2016 at 1:13
  • 22
    Doing Host + F1 took me to the Ctrl + Alt + F1 screen in the VM!
    – zenw0lf
    May 17, 2017 at 19:07
  • 2
    Doing Host+F1 works indeed, but when the Host key implies another helper key (often labeled fn), one must be careful to release that key before pressing F1, else the host will catch fn+F1, which may be anything, from nothing to suspend host system, turn of wifi/display/audio, and fail to send Ctrl+Alt+F1 to the guest. Releasing Fn after pressing the Host key works wonderfully. Oct 11, 2018 at 17:42

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .