# Cannot change hotkey in retroarch

**URL:** <https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/cannot-change-hotkey-in-retroarch/4597>\
**Category:** Emulators\
**Tags:** retroarch\
**Created:** [September 23, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/cannot-change-hotkey-in-retroarch/4597 "2019-09-23T20:53:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sawyer\_1030](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@sawyer\_1030](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/sawyer_1030)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/cannot-change-hotkey-in-retroarch/4597/1 "2019-09-23T20:53:24Z")

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> **[5a690a67-4c61-4049-94d8-804da5652acc.MP4 (video)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uY0B2AcpUERy3DLZndNlQ3_NjqFJIU_L/view?usp=sharing)**
>
> Google Drive file.

Please check the link above,  
I can reset and clear the hotkey, but cannot remapping the hotkey.  
Does anyone know the solution?

Many thanks.

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**Author:** ![javelinface](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/javelinface/32/3079_2.png) [@javelinface](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/javelinface)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/cannot-change-hotkey-in-retroarch/4597/2 "2019-09-23T23:04:00Z")

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There’s a few solutions. I’ve covered some of them in this post: (you can search for things in future too! :))

> [@Retroarch cant bind inputs](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/retroarch-cant-bind-inputs/2921/7):
>
> If you’re talking about binding keys by selecting them, and trying to push the appropriate key, I think this is something to do with the arduino keyboard not technically being a HID device, but literally a keyboard. What’s strange is that in the menu, it still is referred to as a Retropad. One “workaround” that I’ve been using is using the quick menu in RetroArch. Assuming you’ve got a workable setup, and just want to remap keys; Load up a ROM that uses RetroArch, ie not a standalone emulato…

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**Author:** ![Yan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/yan/32/2719_2.png) [@Yan](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/Yan)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 2:55am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/cannot-change-hotkey-in-retroarch/4597/3 "2019-09-24T02:55:14Z")

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Change the .cfg file on your pc and replace it

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**Author:** ![javelinface](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/javelinface/32/3079_2.png) [@javelinface](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/javelinface)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/cannot-change-hotkey-in-retroarch/4597/4 "2019-09-24T03:18:09Z")

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Yup. Hopefully, by following my steps above, you can save yourself the trouble of SSHing in every time you want to change your key bindings.

But if you do decide to manually do it via editing the cfg file as @yan has suggested, (that is located in the hidden .config/retroarch directory within the cpi home directory), you will need to know what each key on the keyboard corresponds to.

Here’s a post that has it laid out for you:

> [@Can keymaps be changed?](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/can-keymaps-be-changed/2737):
>
> These are the default key bindings: The way it is by default doesn’t make sense considering we have only a few buttons. The lightkey module only repeats keys that are used with the shift key on the front. LK3 it’s only a shift button, which we already have at the front. So, is there a way to put completely new key bindings to the lighkey module (apart from shift+LK1,LK2,LK4 & LK5)? and why does it come with this key bindings by default? face_with_monocle