This guide helps you learn the controls in Elden Ring on PC and consoles and explains how they work and which ones to change!
This guide is up-to-date for Elden Ring Update 1.14
Elden Ring is a continuation of an old tradition for FromSoftware. The Souls games have never been very comfortable to play with a keyboard and mouse. This guide focuses a lot on the PC Controls, but has all the information you need to help you learn what button or gesture does what on your PlayStation and Xbox Controllers!
In this guide and all the tables below I am using letters and symbols, to keep it simple, intuitive and less flashy. Some of you may want to first learn what some of them mean, so here’s a quick summary, especially if you are a PC player, trying to match controller binds to keyboard and mouse:
- RS – Move Right Stick
- LS – Move Left Stick
- RS↓ – Press Right Stick
- LS↓ – Press Left Stick
- ↑↓→← – Arrows on the plus-shaped pad (D-pad) of the consoles controllers
In-Menu Controls in Elden Ring
Everybody starts from the game’s menus first before we get to the gameplay. It makes sense to clear up any confusion about which control does what in the game’s menus. This includes all menus while you play.
As you are about to see the same button may have a different function in different menus. They are always labeled identically in-game, though. So, if you are trying to match the letter or symbol that you see on your screen to whatever keypress it would correspond on PC, you will still find that info in the table below.
| Action | PlayStation | Xbox | PC |
|---|---|---|---|
| OK | ✖ | A | E |
| Back | ⭘ | B | Q |
| Remove | ☐ | X | R |
| Switch View (right) | △ | Y | F |
| Switch display (mid) | ☐ | X | R |
| Simple View | RS↓ | RS↓ | Y |
| Help | TouchPad | Change View | G |
| Defaults | △ | Y | F |
| Close | ⭘ | B | Q |
| Close (alternative) | ESC | ||
| Switch | △ | Y | F |
| Swap Screen | △ | Y | F |
| Hide Helmet | ☐ | X | R |
| Reset | ☐ | X | R |
| Marker | ☐ | X | R |
| Navigate Menu | L1 / R1 | LB / RB | Z / X |
In-Game Consoles Controls in Elden Ring
Here are the default controls for Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox controllers. You can remap most of them if you wish to.
| Action | PlayStation | Xbox |
|---|---|---|
| Skill | L2 | LT |
| Guard (LH Armament) | L1 | LB |
| Movement | LS | LS |
| Crouch / Stand Up | L3 | LS↓ |
| Switch Sorcery / Incantation | ↑ | ↑ |
| Switch Left-Hand Armament | ← | ← |
| Switch Right-Hand Armament | → | → |
| Switch Item | ↓ | ↓ |
| Map | TouchPad | Change View |
| Strong Attack (RH & 2H Armament) | R2 | RT |
| Attack (RH & 2H Armament) | R1 | RB |
| Event Action (Examine, Open etc) | △ | Y |
| Use Item | ☐ | X |
| Backstep / Dodge Roll / Dash | ⭘ | B |
| Jump | ✖ | A |
| Move Camera / Change Target | RS | RS |
| Reset Camera / Lock-On / Remove Target | R3 | RS↓ |
| Main Menu | Options | Options |
Default controls for Playstation 4 and Playstation 5:
Default controls for Xbox One and Xbox Series X
In-Game PC Controls in Elden Ring
This is the list of PC controls. For PC players learning to use keyboard and mouse here might be an even bigger challenge than defeating the first major boss in Elden Ring.
I have provided all defaults keyboard and mouse actions as well as a few suggestions for changes to make your gameplay smoother and more fluent.
Here is an explanation of the PC-specific terms used in the table below:
- LMB – Left Mouse Button
- RMB – Right Mouse Button
- MMB – Middle Mouse Button
After the table, I have a few paragraphs explaining some additional things and sharing some tips.
| Action | PC Defaults | Change to |
|---|---|---|
| Movement Speed Control | ALT | Z |
| Move Forwards | W | |
| Move Backwards | S | |
| Move Left | A | |
| Move Right | D | |
| Backstep / Dodge Roll / Dash | SPACE | ALT |
| Jump | F | SPACE |
| Crouch / Stand Up | X | C |
| Move Camera / Change Target (Up) | SHIFT+↑ | |
| Move Camera / Change Target (Down) | SHIFT+↓ | |
| Move Camera / Change Target (Left) | SHIFT+← | |
| Move Camera / Change Target (Right) | SHIIFT+→ | |
| Reset Camera / Lock-On / Remove Target | Q / MMB | |
| Switch Sorcery / Incantation | ↑ | 1 |
| Switch Item | ↓ | 2 |
| Switch Right-Hand Armament | → / SHIFT+SCROLL↑ | 3 |
| Switch Left-Hand Armament | ← / SHIFT+SCROLL↓ | 4 |
| Attack (RH & 2H Armament) | LMB | |
| Strong Attack (LH Armament) | SHIFT+LMB | |
| Guard | RMB | |
| Skill | SHIFT+RMB | |
| Use Item | R | |
| Event Action (Talk, Examine, Open etc) | E | |
| Map | G | |
| Switch RH 1H & 2H | E+LMB | |
| Switch LH 1H & 2H | E+RMB | |
| Sprint | Hold SPACE |
Hidden PC Controls and special Tips
Here are a few clarifications for some of the actions you can perform that may not be immediately clear to PC players using keyboard and mouse:
Switch RH 1H & 2H
If you hold E+LeftMouseButton, you will switch your right-hand armament from 1-handed style to 2-handed style. This is your primary weapon slot.
Switch LH 1H & 2H
If you hold E+RightMouseButton, you will switch your left-hand armament from 1-handed style to 2-handed style. This is typically a shield or a secondary weapon if you dual-wield.
How to navigate the Map
The Map can be opened and closed with the key “G” and this keybind cannot be changed for some reason (for now, at least). While in the map, you need to move with WASD to actually navigate around. The mouse cursor does not seem to do much. You can zoom in and out with the mouse wheel. The circle is what determines where you can place markers and/or waypoints.
What is Middle Mouse Button (MMB)
This refers to the middle mouse button. Regular mice have scroll wheels. The middle mouse button is activated by pressing the wheel down on your mouse.
How to Skip NPC Lines
If you press “E” while an NPC is talking to you, you will skip to the next line immediately.
How to Sprint
By holding the “Dash” key, your character will start sprinting. You can do the same while mounted on Torrent, your spectral steed. Running uses stamina.
Pouch Items
To use items from your Pouch slots, press and hold E, then the corresponding arrow (left, right, up or down) to activate the item that is in that specific slot. While you are holding “E”, on the lower left end of your screen you will see the four pouch slots. If you have remapped the default keybinds from arrows to something else (I recommend 1-4), then these buttons will act together with “E” for your pouch.
Move Camera / Change Target (Up, Down, Left, Right)
These are not bound by default. Depending on your keyboard and mouse setup, you may want to bind them. On PC it is less relevant to do so because you use your mouse to turn around. While locked onto a target, you could use these to quickly switch from one target to another.
Skill usage
The Skills keybind refers to the special skill you can assign to your armament. You use that skill by holding SHIFT and clicking on the Right Mouse Button (RMB). You can also hold the RMB for a continuous animation. When performing a Skill, you spend FP (Focus Points)
Quickly Switch to Item
If you click on the ↓ arrow and hold the key, you will quickly go to your “default” item. The default item is the one you place first in your Items’ slot.
I spent a very long time testing, comparing, researching and confirming the controls for all three platforms. Hopefully, I didn’t miss or mess up anything for the controllers specifically. If you want to share your own tips or suggestions, please, leave a comment.
How to display PC keybinds in Menus
By default, Elden Ring shows you the Xbox controller keybinds. If you play with a mouse and keyboard, you can switch to see the appropriate keybinds by going to “Sound and Display” tab in the main game menu and changing the “Device for On-Screen Prompts” setting to “Keyboard and Mouse”.
This will start showing the appropriate buttons that you actually use both in menus and in the game. And if you have remapped any of them (I recommend you do), you will see the button that you have chosen.
Now that you have learned the controls for Elden Ring on your favorite platform, I recommend you check out these two beginner-friendly guides:
When you reach the Shadow Realm, part of the DLC, you will likely find a big step up in terms of challenge and difficulty of the enemy encounters there. We have an excellent guide to making Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree easier. No cheats, no cheap tricks, no hacks. And the best part is, many of the recommendations also apply to the base game!
Take a look at the Elden Ring Guides section or follow the Elden Ring News as Bandai Namco strives to improve the game’s performance. We know that Ray Tracing is coming, but… who knows… one day, maybe… we may even get Ultrawide support on PC.
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