Your daily fix of iTunes Plugins, Tips and Scripts for Windows XP and Vista
mmKeys.dll – Use a multimedia keyboard with iTunes
Tags: Keyboard
Added On: 4th Jan 08
Links: [site] [download]
Makes your multimedia keyboard buttons work with iTunes when the program isn’t currently in focus, or is minimised.
It is common to find that, when it’s not maximised, iTunes will not recognise your media or gaming keyboard shortcuts as commands to play, pause, skip song, etc. This simple plugin fixes the problem in most cases. It saves you having to bring iTunes up on screen each time you want to use the keys.
To use this plugin, simply copy the mmKeys.dll file into your plugins folder.
- For XP Users, this is found in “C:\Program Files\iTunes\Plug-ins”
- For Vista Users, it’s “C:\Users\your_username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes Plug-ins” and you may have to show hidden files (or use the search) in order to see the AppData folder. One commenter also reported that it works when put in “C:\Users\your_username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes Plug-ins”.
- For Windows 7 Users: follow Vista instructions above.
- For linux+wine Users: This reportedly doesn’t work. Most likely a Wine bug though… what are you using iTunes for anyway?!
- In each case, you have to create this folder if it doesn’t already exist.
You also need to restart iTunes to load the dll. Some commenters have also reported a short delay after the button-press. I’m not sure why this could be..
Other Notes:
+ You still need to install the correct drivers for most keyboards in order to use the MultiMedia keys in the first place. This dll does NOT replace those drivers.
+ There’s also a reported glitch where the windows maximises, on both Windows 7 and Vista… anyone care to confirm this, or list what other apps they have running at the time? Also reportedly doesn’t work again until iTunes is restarted.. OR only pops up with PLAY and PAUSE, but not NEXT_TRACK… Please give more info in your comments!
+ This may be achievable using a registry hack. See this comment.
+ Some users have issues while playing full-screen games, where the keys no longer work. Please elaborate on this problem in the comments too.
+ If it’s not working, try killing “ituneshelper.exe” from within Task Manager. (press Ctrl+Alt+Delete)
+ If when you press a multimedia key, Windows Media Player (WMP) pops up, you need to make sure that iTunes is your default media player [how?].
+ Apparently the issue was fixed in an early version of iTunes 7, but with the later releases the problem has re-surfaced.
+ This plugin is great if you want your multi-media keyboard to be able to control iTunes when it’s behind another window or hidden in the system tray.
+ Apparently, this works in all flavours of Windows XP, Vista and 7, and both 32- and 64-bit varieties!
* Updated to reflect comments * – Please keep the comments rolling in!
Perfect. Cheers.
Thanks guys, but I my keys don’t work in fullscreen games as already noticed above
this is awsome thanks
thanks, worked for windows 7 =D
thx much,at 1st i didnt have a ”plug-ins” folder,just needed to cre8 one,Tq
Man thank you so much your dll was pefect. I was forced to use logitech software just to use my mm keys on full screen games for itunes and it was annoying. i hate logitech software, but you made their product so much better thanks :)
Thanks a lot, bro!
Works perfectly. In game, out of game, whatever. No problems whatsoever. ;)
I did notice that there is a SILGHT delay, but it’s pretty much negligible.
Worked great! Thanks. Went from XP to Windows 7 64-bit with iTunes and MS Digital Media Pro Keyboard. Keyboard controlled iTunes fine in XP, but not in Windows 7 unless iTunes had the keyboard focus. This fixes the Windows 7 issue.
Many Thanks. Works perfectly. I had the “lagging” between song. but after enabling the plugin in iTunes, View > Visualiser > Global MultiMedia Keys. The lag seems to have gone.
[...] my phone. By default, iTunes will only respond to Play/Pause if iTunes is in focus. Download this great little hack, mmKeys.dll, to control iTunes from any [...]
notice to anyone who is having difficulty with this as i did…
make sure that C:\Users\your_username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes and all of its contents are NOT HIDDEN, for me the .dll wouldnt work no matter what i did, unhid that folder and all of its contents and bam, worked right away
(vista 32 bit)
Awesome, works fine with Logitech G110 & W7 64Bit & no noticable delays…. tks…
THANKSSSS!!! it WORKS GREAT on hp hdx-16 1140us and Windows 7 ultimate x64. i didn’t know how to show hidden files.
Windows 7 64-bit: I found it didn’t work in the recommended folder, but works fine if I put it in C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\Plug-Ins\ instead.
Thx! Works on Vista!
hallo,
ich hoffe hier im Forum kann mir jemand helfen!
Ich habe versehentlich sehr viele wichtige bilder von meinem Handy gelöscht. Leider sind die Files nicht mehr im meinem Papierkorb.
Die Files waren sehr wichtig für mich! Ich würde die gerne retten.
Wer kennt ne Seite auf der ich Infos dazu finde, wie ich die Daten retten kann??
Vielen Dank schonmal für eure Antworten
danke
[...] unless the iTunes window has focus. This seemed a bit strange, but a very quick Google finds a very useful plugin that fixes this issue. Thanks to the author.. whoever they [...]
First off, i do not have any folder in the appdata\roaming folder named “apple computer”… and when i try to download the file an error message comes up saying i don’t have a program to open this file and it wont even let me download…. i’m not computer smart so HELP!
I have windows 7 x64 with MS Wireless comfort keyboard with latest drivers. Could not for the life of me, get this plugin to work. Best solution, and pretty reliable, was using this.
http://www.maximized.com/freeware/scriptsforitunes/
Once the scripts are installed… they’ll be found in your program files (x86)\apple\scripts folder. In your microsoft keyboard utility, run the VBS file as an application launch. Works for me, FINALLY.
its not working for me…
i tryied bascailly everything out.. and i’m thinking that its the hp keyboard’s problem…
excellent fix for this! works with the mediasmart buttons on my hp laptop =)
great work
Works great on win 7 to me too! Thanks!
Great post
Very helpful!
[...] a little bit of googling I found out this post and his solution works… This is what you have to do to fix this [...]
cheeers M8TE !!!!! :D thx a lot
Thank You soooooo much, it was so annoying having to exit fullscreen programs just to change a song or pause, now i can use the keyboard to its ful extent
It doesnt work on my ASUS g60vx laptop. Could it be because the multimedia keys on the computer are a function on the arrow keys(i have to push Fn and the arrow key with the control i want)?
This is not working for me :( [apparently I'm the only one]
I have the following:
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 v1.0
Windows 7 Enterprise 64 Edition
Laptop HP 8530w
I placed the mmkeys.dll into the C:\Users\myuser\Music\iTunes\Plug-ins folder.. however whenever I press the “play” button it does not work:
- if itunes is closed it doesnt do anything
- if it is open but minimized it just pops-up to the front (and doesn’t do anything)
- if it is opened and at the front it doesn’t do anything
Any help will be really appreciated!!! :)
Thanks!!!
Finally it worked for me… I stopped the itype.exe process and then launched itunes; and seemed to do the trick :)
Damn itype.exe!!! Anyhow, thanks a lot!
si tienes windows xp debes ir a la ruta C:\Archivos de programa\iTunes\Plug-Ins, pero como he de suponer la carpeta Plug-Ins talvez no exista entonces deberas crearla y colocar dentro la mmKeys.dll
una vez hecho esto debes reiniciar itunes y listo debe ya funcionar los botones de quick lunch buttons.
Hey,
Thanks a million for this plugin. I couldn’t use the media keys on my XPS M1330 since I upgraded to windows 7 and it was driving me nuts. Dropped your plugin into the folder and the media keys now work like clockwork. Cheers :D
Thanks alot guys. Worked for me, Windows 7. Never knew there was a fix :)
THANK YOU. This saved me another click of my life. :D
Thank you. This worked like a charm.
Thx. This really works, and it isnt hard to do or restart the iTunes when you are done:D.
FYI, this also worked for Zune. I’m running Win7 64bit and added the plug-ins folder under my Zune PF folder. Thanks
Very nice bro. Took me a few googles but finally someone just answered the question and fixed the problem quickly. You are a gentleman and a scholar lol…
Perfect!!! =D
I found a fix. I was having a problem with my Mircosoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 4000. I couldn’t use the play/pause key to pause iTunes. I tried putting the file in iTunes plug in, but nothing happened. And then Dan said he stoped iType.exe, and that worked. But unless iTunes was the front window it wouldn’t pause. So what I did was put the file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software Update\plugins and it seemed to work, even if iTunes wasn’t the front window.
Just did it on my computer and it seems to be working fine :) thanks for this
It’s possible I’ve just missed a step, as I can be quite forgetful, but I get an error message when I open iTunes after placing the plugin in the indicated folder. Message as follows:
Window name: QuickTime Handler Window: iTunes.exe – Bad Image
C:\Users\Jacob\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iTunes Plug-ins\mmkeys.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Trying installing the program again using the original installation media or contact… etc.
Running Vista 32bit, System Admin, help appreciated.
Worked great on the touch-sensitive controls on my Dell Studio XPS. Thanks for the help!
Stopped working after iTunes 9 update. Running Windows 7 x64. I tried putting it all 3 locations suggested. Any other suggestions?
Also, I accidentally assigned dll files to be opened to iTunes- is that a problem, and how do I undo it?
I have a similar problem as Janice, I assigned .dll files to be opened with Notepad (don’t ask), and haven’t bothered to undo it yet. Could that create problems?