shortcut to switch between virtual machine and host operating system?

Question

okay so I have windows 8 and am running Lubuntu as a VM using vmplayer. I have my laptop hooked up to an external monitor so I have the VM full screen on my laptop and windows 8 on the monitor. What I want is, suppose I have a word document opened up in windows 8 but I'm typing in my VM right now and I want to quickly switch to the word document in windows 8, is there a keyboard shortcut / way to create a keyboard shortcut to switch between the VM and host operating system? Because moving the mouse and clicking between the VM and host operating system is getting a bit annoying.

Solution

You can use CTRL + ALT to escape the VM and use ALT + TAB to switch to it again. To let the VM grab your input, try pressing CTRL + g when VMware Player is focused (this at least works in VMware Workstation).

Comments

[user2719875]

Hm okay thanks, and how would I be able to go from the host operating system to the VM?

[terdon]

@user2719875 with ALT+TAB, just cycle through the open windows.

[wullxz]

yep, that's what I meant with "to switch to it again" ;)

[user2719875]

Hm right, okay got it. Thanks! I posted the comment above because even when I use ALT+TAB, it does switch the the vmplayer window but I have to again go and actually click inside the vmplayer screen to use the VM.. I will try installing vmware tools and see if that fixes the problem.

[wullxz]

I've edited my answer. Try to press CTRL+g after switching to VMware Player.

[user2719875]

Perfect, worked really nicely!