Keyboard Controls for Elden Ring

Mastering the controls of a game like Elden Ring can make a significant difference in one’s gameplay experience. On PC, players use a combination of keyboard and mouse to travel through the game world, combat foes, and interact with items and NPCs. Familiarity with the control scheme can greatly enhance player performance and enjoyment.

For those transitioning from gamepads to keyboard and mouse, understanding how each key and mouse movement contributes to one’s journey through the Lands Between is crucial. While a gamepad may offer intuitive design for gameplay, the keyboard and mouse setup on PC requires a specific grasp of keybindings to effectively manage the array of actions available to the player.

Mastering Elden Ring’s Keyboard & Mouse Controls on PC

While Elden Ring was originally designed with controller gameplay in mind, PC players using a keyboard and mouse aren’t left behind. In fact, with the right tweaks and understanding of the control scheme, you can make the Lands Between feel just as natural under your fingers as it does under a thumbstick. Whether you’re rolling through bosses, casting incantations, or simply trying to make your way without falling off a cliff, knowing how to use — and customize — your controls makes a huge difference.

Default Keyboard & Mouse Controls

FromSoftware’s default keyboard and mouse layout can feel a bit clunky at first — especially if you’re used to standard PC gaming conventions. But once you know the mappings, it starts to make sense. Here’s how the default layout breaks down:

Movement & Navigation

• WASD: Movement (forward, backward, strafe left/right)
• Spacebar: Dodge roll / Dash (when moving)
• F: Jump
• X: Crouch / Stand Up
• Q: Lock-on target / Reset camera
• Mouse Movement: Camera control

Combat Actions

• Left Mouse Button: Light Attack (Right-hand weapon or two-handed)
• Shift + Left Mouse Button: Heavy Attack
• Right Mouse Button: Guard with Left-hand weapon
• Shift + Right Mouse Button: Weapon Skill / Ash of War

Items & Magic

• R: Use selected item
• Arrow Keys: Cycle through quick items, weapons, and magic
• E + Arrow Key: Switch category (e.g. magic or items)

Customizing Your Key Bindings

The real strength of playing Elden Ring on PC lies in how easily you can rebind controls. This lets you set up your playstyle in a way that’s more comfortable and reactive — crucial when dodging a one-shot grab attack or nailing the perfect parry.

To customize your bindings:

1. Open the main menu and head to the System tab.
2. Navigate to Keyboard and Mouse Settings.
3. Select Key Bindings and start rebinding actions based on your preferences.

Many players rebind Dodge from Space to something like Left Alt or a side mouse button. Similarly, assigning Jump to Space or F can make platforming sections much smoother. Some prefer moving weapon skills to Mouse Button 4/5 to free up their left hand for movement and dodging.

Fixing the On-Screen Prompts

One of the most frustrating things about using a keyboard in Elden Ring is that the game often defaults to controller-based prompts (e.g., “Press △” instead of “Press E”). Thankfully, there’s a simple fix:

1. Go to the System menu.
2. Select the Sound and Display tab.
3. Change Device for On-Screen Prompts to Keyboard and Mouse.

Now all prompts — including interactions, tutorials, and UI elements — will show the correct keyboard keys.

Making Keyboard and Mouse Feel Great

Let’s be honest: even after tweaking the layout, Elden Ring’s default keyboard and mouse controls can still feel a bit off, especially compared to fast-paced action games built natively for PC. But the community has come up with several ways to elevate the experience:

Use a High-DPI Mouse

Mouse sensitivity in Elden Ring doesn’t scale well by default. A higher DPI setting in your mouse software often results in smoother camera control, especially when locked onto fast-moving enemies.

Remap Mouse Buttons

If you have a gaming mouse with extra buttons, put them to use. Popular custom binds include:

• Mouse Button 4: Dodge / Roll
• Mouse Button 5: Use Item or Jump
• Middle Click: Lock-On / Reset Camera

Use External Rebinding Tools (With Caution)

Advanced users sometimes use tools like AutoHotKey or software bundled with gaming keyboards to create macros or more complex bindings. While these can enhance comfort, avoid scripts that automate gameplay — FromSoftware’s anti-cheat may flag them.

Keyboard vs. Controller: Is One Better?

While a controller still provides smoother analog movement and more natural camera control in Elden Ring, the keyboard and mouse combo offers faster item switching, precise aiming for ranged builds, and more intuitive hotkey access for utility spells. With enough customization, many players find that using the keyboard actually improves their reaction speed in high-pressure fights.

If you’re running a pure mage or archer build, keyboard and mouse might even feel better than a controller thanks to mouse aiming precision. For melee-heavy builds, however, you’ll want to invest time in mastering the dodge, lock-on, and attack timings to overcome the slightly less fluid movement.

Final Tips for PC Players

• Disable Mouse Acceleration: Elden Ring sometimes feels floaty with it enabled — you can disable it in the settings or through your mouse software.
• Turn Off Steam Input: Some players report smoother inputs by disabling Steam’s controller emulation for Elden Ring in the game’s properties.
• Practice Menu Navigation: Inventory and map navigation with a keyboard can be clumsy at first — but once memorized, it’s lightning fast.

In the end, success with keyboard and mouse in Elden Ring isn’t just about comfort — it’s about control, speed, and confidence. The flexibility of PC lets you make the experience your own. Once you’ve tuned your setup to match your style, you might just find you don’t need that controller after all.

Key Takeaways

• Elden Ring PC controls are integral to gameplay.
• Keyboard and mouse setup requires learning specific keybindings.
• Familiarity with controls enhances player performance.

Basic Mechanics and Navigation

Elden Ring’s gameplay requires mastery of keyboard controls for smooth navigation and combat. Understanding keybindings for movement and fighting is essential.

Movement and Camera Controls

Players move their character with the W, A, S, D keys. W makes the character move forward, while S is for moving backward. Sidestepping to the left uses A, and moving to the right is done with D. To crouch or sneak, players usually press the Ctrl key. Jumping, which can help players reach different areas or dodge, is often assigned to the Spacebar. For a quick dash or a dodge roll to avoid enemy attacks, players typically use the Alt key.

The camera is controlled with the mouse. Simple movements of the mouse adjust the camera angle, providing a full view of the character’s surroundings.

Combat and Actions

To perform a basic attack, players use the left mouse button. For a strong attack, which deals more damage, the shift key is held in conjunction with the left mouse button. The right mouse button is used to block or guard against incoming attacks. Combining the shift key with the right mouse button allows the character to use a skill.

Using an item is often bound to a specific hotkey, such as E or R, and it is critical to set these for quick access during battle. Lock-on to a target is crucial in combat for focus and precision, and players generally use the Q key or press the mouse wheel to activate this feature.

Casting a sorcery or an incantation involves a separate set of keybinds which players must familiarize themselves with to effectively use magic in combat. These keybindings can usually be customized in the game’s menu according to player preference.