Action RPG · PC · PlayStation · Xbox

Elden Ring controls & keybinds

Elden Ring was built for a controller and its keyboard defaults show it: attacks live on the mouse, Space handles both dodge and sprint, and the arrow keys cycle equipment. Most PC players rebind at least the jump and crouch keys.

The keys people look up first

Elden Ring controls at a glance

Default bindings for the actions searched for most. The full lists, the settings that change how they feel and the printable layout are below.

Action	PC	PlayStation	Xbox
Sprint / run	`Space (hold)`	`Circle`	`B`
Crouch	`X`	`L3 (press)`	`LS (press)`
Dodge / roll	`Space (tap)`
Block / parry	`Mouse 2`	`L1`	`LB`
Heavy attack	`Left Shift + Mouse 1`	`R2`	`RT`
Interact	`R`	`Square`	`X`
Inventory	`Escape`
Map	`G`	`Touchpad`	`View`

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Highlighted keys carry a default action; hover or tap a key for every action bound to it.

Action	Default key
Movement
Move	`W / A / S / D`
Dodge roll / backstep	`Space (tap)`
Sprint	`Space (hold)`
Jump	`F`
Crouch	`X`
Lock on / reset cameraScroll to switch targets while locked on.	`Q`
Combat
Attack (right hand)	`Mouse 1`
Strong attack	`Left Shift + Mouse 1`
Guard / left-hand action	`Mouse 2`
Skill (Ash of War)	`Left Shift + Mouse 2`
Two-hand weaponE + Mouse 2 two-hands the left-hand weapon.	`E + Mouse 1`
Use item	`R`
Equipment
Switch right-hand weapon	`Right arrow`
Switch left-hand weapon	`Left arrow`
Switch spell / sorcery	`Up arrow`
Switch quick item	`Down arrow`
Pouch itemsHold E and press an arrow for the four pouch slots.	`E + arrow keys`
Interface
Interact / pick up	`E`
Map	`G`
Menu / inventory	`Escape`
Gestures	`E + G`
Toggle HUD	`H`

Show

Action	PlayStation	Xbox	Switch
Movement
Move	`L3`	`LS`	`L3`
Camera / lock on	`R3 / R3 (press)`	`RS / RS (press)`	`R3 / R3 (press)`
Dodge / backstep / sprint (hold)	`Circle`	`B`	`A`
Jump	`Cross`	`A`	`B`
Crouch	`L3 (press)`	`LS (press)`	`L3 (press)`
Combat
Attack (right hand)	`R1`	`RB`	`R`
Strong attack	`R2`	`RT`	`ZR`
Guard / left-hand action	`L1`	`LB`	`L`
Skill	`L2`	`LT`	`ZL`
Two-hand weapon	`Triangle + R1 / L1`	`Y + RB / LB`	`X + R1 / L1`
Use item	`Square`	`X`	`Y`
Equipment
Switch weapons / spells / items	`D-pad`	`D-pad`	`D-pad`
Pouch	`Triangle + D-pad`	`Y + D-pad`	`X + D-pad`
Interface
Interact	`Triangle`	`Y`	`X`
Map	`Touchpad`	`View`	`Touchpad`
Menu	`Options`	`Menu`	`+`

Switch labels are derived from the PlayStation and Xbox layouts where the game uses the standard mapping; games without a Switch release show the equivalent position only.

Reach check · your keyboard, this game

Can your board actually play Elden Ring?

Every default bind, re-scored against the keyboard you own. Distance is measured from the left hand resting on WASD, because that is where it stays while you play.

W / A / S / D Move
Space (tap) Dodge roll / backstep
Space (hold) Sprint
F Jump
X Crouch
Q Lock on / reset camera
Mouse 1 Attack (right hand)
Left Shift + Mouse 1 Strong attack
Mouse 2 Guard / left-hand action
Left Shift + Mouse 2 Skill (Ash of War)
E + Mouse 1 Two-hand weapon
R Use item
Right arrow Switch right-hand weapon
Left arrow Switch left-hand weapon
Up arrow Switch spell / sorcery
Down arrow Switch quick item
E + arrow keys Pouch items
E Interact / pick up
G Map
Escape Menu / inventory
E + G Gestures
H Toggle HUD

On the keys: your hand is already there
Comfortable: a finger moves, the hand does not
Stretch: the hand lifts, movement wobbles
Off movement: you let go of A and D to press it
Not on this board: the key does not physically exist

Reach uses the same key geometry as BindIQ, which can rebuild the whole layout for you once you know what is out of reach. Mouse buttons always count as reachable — your right hand is already there.

Elden Ring control lab

What the keyboard costs you

Elden Ring was laid out for a thumb. Every action a controller gives its own button, the keyboard either turns into a two-key chord or moves to the far right of the board — where your mouse hand cannot reach it. This is why keyboard players describe the game as fighting them, and it is a layout problem rather than a difficulty one.

Action	Controller	Keyboard	What it costs you
Jump	`Cross / A`	`F`	A thumb button becomes an index finger that has to leave D
Strong attack	`R2 / RT`	`Left Shift + Mouse 1`	Its own trigger becomes a chord you hold under pressure
Skill (Ash of War)	`L2 / LT`	`Left Shift + Mouse 2`	Same chord, same hand, competing with the one above
Two-hand weapon	`Triangle + R1`	`E + Mouse 1`	Two hands to do what one thumb does
Switch spell or item	`D-pad, four directions`	`Arrow keys`	The real problem: your right hand is on the mouse, so you cannot switch while aiming
Pouch items	`D-pad held`	`E + arrow keys`	A chord, then a reach across the whole board
Dodge and sprint	`Circle / B — tap or hold`	`Space — tap or hold`	The one place parity holds, and it is still an overloaded key

Four of the game's most-used actions are chords on keyboard and a fifth sits on the arrow keys, so the standard advice — move the pouch onto 1 to 4, jump onto Space, dodge onto Shift or a mouse button — is not preference, it is undoing a controller layout. Do that and the keyboard is competitive. Leave it and you are playing a pad game with the wrong hands, which is what most "Elden Ring keyboard is unplayable" posts are actually describing.

One line per question

How to do the things people search for in Elden Ring

Generated from the default bindings above, so an action and its key can never disagree.

How to sprint in Elden Ring on PC and controller?

To sprint in Elden Ring, press Space (hold) on PC, Circle on PlayStation and B on Xbox.

How to crouch in Elden Ring on PC and controller?

To crouch in Elden Ring, press X on PC, L3 (press) on PlayStation and LS (press) on Xbox.

How to dodge in Elden Ring on PC?

To dodge in Elden Ring, press Space (tap) on PC.

How to block or parry in Elden Ring on PC and controller?

To block or parry in Elden Ring, press Mouse 2 on PC, L1 on PlayStation and LB on Xbox.

How to do a heavy attack in Elden Ring on PC and controller?

To do a heavy attack in Elden Ring, press Left Shift + Mouse 1 on PC, R2 on PlayStation and RT on Xbox.

How to interact or pick things up in Elden Ring on PC and controller?

To interact or pick things up in Elden Ring, press R on PC, Square on PlayStation and X on Xbox.

How to open the inventory in Elden Ring on PC?

To open the inventory in Elden Ring, press Escape on PC.

How to open the map in Elden Ring on PC and controller?

To open the map in Elden Ring, press G on PC, Touchpad on PlayStation and View on Xbox.

Quick answers

How do I jump in Elden Ring on PC?

Press F. Space is dodge and sprint, not jump, which trips up players coming from other games; many rebind Jump to Space and Dodge to a mouse side button.

How do I two-hand a weapon?

Hold E and press Mouse 1 for the right-hand weapon or Mouse 2 for the left-hand one. On controller hold Triangle/Y and press R1/RB or L1/LB.

How do I use a Spirit Ash or flask quickly?

Put them in the quick item slots and cycle with the Down arrow, then press R. Pouch items are faster: hold E and press an arrow key.

How do I summon Torrent?

Use the Spectral Steed Whistle from the quick items or pouch (hold E + an arrow), then press R. It only works in open areas.

Is Elden Ring better with a controller?

The defaults assume one, but keyboard and mouse works well after rebinding jump, crouch and the item shortcuts. Test your pad in the gamepad tester if inputs feel late.

Where to go from here

Next steps for Elden Ring

Mouse DPI analyzerMeasure the DPI your mouse really delivers before you change anything in game.Controller deadzone tunerFind the smallest deadzone that hides drift without swallowing slow aim in ER.Stick drift testFive-second resting sample, so a wandering camera is not blamed on the game.Keyboard ghosting testCheck the combinations ER holds down at once actually reach the game.