Changes

Once VirtualBox has been installed on the host computer system , it is ready to run using a number of default preference settings. Whilst these settings are suitable for most situations, VirtualBox provides the ability to modify a number of preference settings. These preference settings differ from virtual machine settings in that they apply to the entire VirtualBox environment, as opposed to being specific to a singe single virtual machine.

When the ''Input'' option of the VirtualBox preferences screen is selected, settings relating to keyboard input and focus are displayed as follows:

Once the focus has been assigned to a virtual machine window, focus is returned to the host desktop by pressing the a key known as the ''Host Key''. By default, this key is the ''Ctrl'' key positioned on the right hand side of the host keyboard. To change the host key , simply click with the mouse in the host key text box to highlight the current selection and press the desired key. The current setting will then change to reflect the key which was pressed. Note that not all keys on the keyboard are eligible to act as host keys. If the current setting does not change when the key is pressed it is likely that the selected key is not a suitable choice (for example arrow keys are not able to act as a host key).

The VirtualBox Update preferences screen (illustrated below) define defines if and how frequently VirtualBox checks the Sun Microsystems servers for updates to the VirtualBox software. When the ''Check for updates'' check box is selected the frequency of update checks can be configured from as infrequently as once a day month to as often as once a monthevery day.

The final option allows the language of the user interface to be changed. The currently selected language is displayed in bold type. To change the language, make a selection from the list and click on the ''OK'' button to commit the change. All labels and text within the user interface will change to reflect the new language choice.