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I used to be able to build and run my console applications by hitting Ctrl + F5 in visual studio. This no longer works. I looked everywhere. Does anyone know how to re-enable this command?

Jasper
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  • I'm having this issue, my F-Lock is set correctly, I've reset my settings, I can see in the Debug menu that CTRL+F5 is assigned. F5 works. Other key combinations using CTRL work. But CTRL+F5, as of the last hour, just does not work. I just don't get it. :-| – BrainSlugs83 Mar 20 '14 at 23:48
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    If you don't have an f-lock, and resetting your keybindings doesn't fix it, and you happen to be pretty new to Visual Studio and programming in C++, perhaps you are accustomed to creating a "Win32 Console Application" when creating your projects, and instead selected something else, such as "Empty Project" when you created this one. – orfdorf Jan 01 '15 at 20:07
  • I had a similar issue. When hitting Ctrl + F5 the process of my application started but the command line (it was a console application) didn't show up. Restarting Visual Studio did the job for me. – croxy Jun 28 '17 at 08:00

13 Answers13

74

Might be a ridiculous suggestion but does your keyboard have some kind of "F Lock" key? Happened to me after I got a new keyboard and accidentally hit it. Didn't even know it was there :)

rtn
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  • This has happened to me as well a number of times. I wish I could get rid of that damn F lock key.... – Curtis May 27 '09 at 15:54
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    Use something sharp and remove it. You just inspired me to do it myself! :) – rtn May 27 '09 at 16:28
  • in my case my keyboard has two keys that need to be pressed together to toggle F lock mode (Fn + Esc) - which is nice since it prevents accidentally switching the mode, but it took me a bit to figure it out – solo Jul 15 '20 at 06:04
  • Funny, but the little light on my keyboard has to be on by pressing the F Lock key. I thought the light had to be off. With light on, my beloved Ctrl + F5 and F5 work. F10 and F11 too. – JustJohn Aug 12 '20 at 01:36
13

Before you trash all your settings, consider just resetting the Keyboard preferences:

In Tools / Options / Environment / Keyboard there's a drop-down for your Keyboard scheme and next to it a Reset button. Make sure the mapping scheme is set to whatever you want then hit the Reset button.

stuartd
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8

I have had a similar problem where some of my shortcuts (such as the Alt+Shift+F10 intellisense shortcut) stopped working...

I fixed it by going to Tools -> Import and Export Settings -> Reset all settings.

I was able to reimport my saved settings after I had reset them also but only with out the broken short cuts!

10 Rep
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    This didn't help me with a similar issue (F9 key doesn't toggle a breakpoint), but this did some harm by resetting my window layout in VS2013 Express. – Serge Rogatch Aug 22 '15 at 12:44
5

I had a similar question, and reading this thread led me to an answer which is similar to the f-Lock key answer. I'm using a new laptop, and re-introducing myself to programming. When the book said press Ctrl-F5 I did so and the only thing that happened was that my monitor got slightly dimmer, though it returned to normal brightness as soon as I clicked on a few other things. What I noticed after reading this thread is that this new-fangled keyboard has a blue Fn key, and all the function key names are printed in blue. In other words, to get the function key functionality you have to be holding down the blue Fn key when you tap the actual function key. So F5 becomes Fn-F5 and Ctrl-F5 becomes Ctrl-Fn-F5. This is on a Dell Inspiron 1564. This is not quite as egregious as a F-Lock key, so I hope I'll get used to it soon.

Larry
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5

I fixed this by pressing Fn + F5, this is right next to the Windows Button.

hyeomans
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  • That sounds like you're not actually doing CTRL+F5, but just F5 (like F5 is a key you need to press Fn to get to) -- Try pressing CTRL+Fn+F5 to run without debugging (versus Fn+F5 which, for you, will run with debugging). – BrainSlugs83 Mar 20 '14 at 23:53
  • Ah. My F5 and Ctrl + F5 wasn't working in VS 2013 and this answer solved my problem in an indirect way. I found the "F Lock" key on my MS keyboard and pressed it, probably turning it off even though a little light came on at the bottom of the keyboard where NumLock and CapLock lights come on. So now, app starts up – JustJohn Aug 12 '15 at 17:29
  • the first comment in this answer by @BrainSlugs83 that suggests using CTRL+Fn+F5 should be promoted as an answer to the above question. thanks BrainSlugs83 – Chidi-Nwaneto Dec 15 '20 at 10:25
2

One day it happened to me when I made some changes to the project and solution files in my ASP .NET project. When I opened it in Visual Studio, it allowed me to rebuild but not to run nor debug (the menu option didn't appear and the Ctrl + F5 didn't work).

What I did to make it work again was right-click over the solution, into the Visual Studio "Solution Explorer" tree tab in the right, where all the files of your project appear, and select properties.

Then, select there a project, and put it as start project.

Perhaps this is your problem here. If not, I hope it can help someone in the future.

JYelton
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0

It happend to me something similar, but only with one project, and the others running right with CTRL + F5, so i will post here my problem and solution because it could help people searching for the same problem, as i was :)

I was opening in Visual Studio 2012 a solution created with Visual Studio 2013, and it didn't run with CTRL + F5. I open the solution file with notepad, and i change the following section:

GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
    Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
    Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
EndGlobalSection

with this other:

GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
    Debug_x86|Any CPU = Debug_x86|Any CPU
    Debug_x86|x86 = Debug_x86|x86
    Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
    Debug|x86 = Debug|x86
    PruebaRelease|Any CPU = PruebaRelease|Any CPU
    PruebaRelease|x86 = PruebaRelease|x86
    Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
    Release|x86 = Release|x86
EndGlobalSection

That solves the problem for me.

tomasofen
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This keyboard shortcut is set by default in os x, you need to disable it to use ctrl+F5. Have a look at http://www.daniellewis.me.uk/2015/07/01/ctrl-f5-not-working-in-a-windows-vm-running-on-parallels/ to fix. I can run without debugging now in my VM.

Bruce Atkinson
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I had a similar problem with Alt+F7 (Find Usages in Resharper). Turns out the GeForce Experience was taking the shortcut for it's Sharing functionality. Uninstalled GE and all is good.

Phil Haselden
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I had the same problem. In my case, I just deleted the folder containing my project and created a new one. Everything went well.

Ali Mahdian
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Hello from the future.

Mac 2021 M1:

Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
Click Keyboard.
Select "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys".

Not sure how it changed to begin with (probably happy fingers on my part)

c3ad-io
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Chances are you changed your default settings. Go to Tools->Import and Export Settings... Select 'Reset all', Click 'Next' and choose the 'Visual C# Development Settings' option.

Matthew Vines
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-1

should check for Fn + f5, which between window button and the left crtl

Hùng Cường
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