Open world action · PC · PlayStation · Xbox

Grand Theft Auto V controls & keybinds

GTA V has separate layouts on foot, in vehicles and on the phone, and the same key often does different jobs in each. The defaults below are the on-foot and driving keys most searched for.

The keys people look up first

Grand Theft Auto V 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	`Left Shift`	`Cross (tap)`	`A (tap)`
Jump	`Space`	`Square`	`X`
Melee	`R`
Reload	`R`
Aim / ADS	`Mouse 2`	`L2`	`LT`
Interact	`E`
Map	`Escape`
Mount / vehicle	`F`	`Triangle`	`Y`

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

Action	Default key
On foot
Move	`W / A / S / D`
SprintTap repeatedly to sprint faster on older builds; hold on current.	`Left Shift`
Jump / climb	`Space`
Take cover	`Q`
Fire	`Mouse 1`
Aim	`Mouse 2`
Reload	`R`
Weapon wheelHold to open, scroll to pick.	`Tab`
MeleeWith no weapon or a melee weapon equipped.	`R`
Interact / talk	`E`
Enter / exit vehicle	`F`
Special ability	`Caps Lock`
Switch characterHold for the character wheel.	`Left Alt`
Interface
Phone	`Up arrow`
Change camera	`V`
Interaction menu (Online)	`M`
Pause / mapZ shows the expanded minimap briefly.	`Escape`
Push to talk	`N`
Driving
Accelerate	`W`
Brake / reverse	`S`
Steer	`A / D`
Handbrake	`Space`
Horn	`E`
Look behind	`C`
Headlights	`H`
Radio (cycle)Hold Q for the radio wheel.	`Q`
Cinematic camera	`R`

Show

Action	PlayStation	Xbox	Switch
On foot
Move	`L3`	`LS`	`L3`
Sprint	`Cross (tap)`	`A (tap)`	`Cross (tap)`
Jump / climb	`Square`	`X`	`Y`
Take cover	`R1`	`RB`	`R`
Fire	`R2`	`RT`	`ZR`
Aim	`L2`	`LT`	`ZL`
Weapon wheel	`L1 (hold)`	`LB (hold)`	`L1 (hold)`
Enter / exit vehicle	`Triangle`	`Y`	`X`
Special ability	`L3 + R3`	`LS + RS`	`L3 + R3`
Character wheel	`D-pad Down (hold)`	`D-pad Down (hold)`	`D-pad Down (hold)`
Driving
Accelerate / brake	`R2 / L2`	`RT / LT`	`R2 / L2`
Handbrake	`R1`	`RB`	`R`
Horn	`L3 (press)`	`LS (press)`	`L3 (press)`
Look behind	`R3 (press)`	`RS (press)`	`R3 (press)`
Radio	`D-pad Left / Right`	`D-pad Left / Right`	`D-pad Left / Right`
Interface
Phone	`D-pad Up`	`D-pad Up`	`D-pad Up`
Change camera	`Touchpad`	`View`	`Touchpad`
Interaction menu (Online)	`Touchpad (hold)`	`View (hold)`	`Touchpad (hold)`

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 Grand Theft Auto V?

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
Left Shift Sprint
Space Jump / climb
Q Take cover
Mouse 1 Fire
Mouse 2 Aim
R Reload
Tab Weapon wheel
R Melee
E Interact / talk
F Enter / exit vehicle
Caps Lock Special ability
Left Alt Switch character
Up arrow Phone
W Accelerate
S Brake / reverse
A / D Steer
Space Handbrake
E Horn
C Look behind
H Headlights
Q Radio (cycle)
R Cinematic camera
V Change camera
M Interaction menu (Online)
Escape Pause / map
N Push to talk

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.

Grand Theft Auto V control lab

A controller layout, translated key by key

GTA V's PC controls read strangely because they are not a PC design. Each console input was mapped to whatever keyboard key was free at the time, so a two-stick click became Caps Lock and a d-pad direction became an arrow key. Once you see the pairing, the odd binds stop looking arbitrary — and it becomes obvious which three are worth moving.

Action	Controller	Keyboard	What it costs you
Special ability	`L3 + R3`	`Caps Lock`	Clicking both sticks had no keyboard equivalent, so it landed on the one key nobody else uses — and the one push-to-talk software often claims
Phone	`D-pad Up`	`Up arrow`	A thumb direction became an arrow key at the far right, so answering a call means letting go of movement
Character wheel	`D-pad Down, held`	`Left Alt, held`	A held key that Windows also wants; releasing it over the wrong slice switches you to Trevor mid-mission
Weapon wheel	`L1, held`	`Tab, held`	A bumper your finger rests on became a key your left hand must hold while still steering with WASD
Melee and reload	`Circle and R2 — two separate buttons`	`R for both`	Two console buttons collapsed into one PC key, decided by whether a gun is equipped
Horn	`L3 press`	`E`	Shares interact and talk, which is why you sound the horn when you meant to speak to someone
Handbrake	`R1`	`Space`	Jump and handbrake on one key, separated only by whether you are in a car

Three are worth changing and the rest are fine once you know the pairing. Special ability off Caps Lock, because voice software steals it and because it is a long reach in a firefight. Phone off the arrow keys, onto something your left hand owns. Melee off R, if you play on foot often — sharing a key with reload means an empty magazine turns a punch into a reload at exactly the wrong moment. Leave the wheels on Tab and Alt; they are held, not tapped, and moving them tends to create new conflicts.

One line per question

How to do the things people search for in Grand Theft Auto V

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

How to sprint in Grand Theft Auto V on PC and controller?

To sprint in Grand Theft Auto V, press Left Shift on PC, Cross (tap) on PlayStation and A (tap) on Xbox. Tap repeatedly to sprint faster on older builds; hold on current.

How to jump in Grand Theft Auto V on PC and controller?

To jump in Grand Theft Auto V, press Space on PC, Square on PlayStation and X on Xbox.

How to melee in Grand Theft Auto V on PC?

To melee in Grand Theft Auto V, press R on PC. With no weapon or a melee weapon equipped.

How to reload in Grand Theft Auto V on PC?

To reload in Grand Theft Auto V, press R on PC.

How to aim in Grand Theft Auto V on PC and controller?

To aim in Grand Theft Auto V, press Mouse 2 on PC, L2 on PlayStation and LT on Xbox.

How to interact or pick things up in Grand Theft Auto V on PC?

To interact or pick things up in Grand Theft Auto V, press E on PC.

How to open the map in Grand Theft Auto V on PC?

To open the map in Grand Theft Auto V, press Escape on PC. Z shows the expanded minimap briefly.

How to get on a mount or into a vehicle in Grand Theft Auto V on PC and controller?

To get on a mount or into a vehicle in Grand Theft Auto V, press F on PC, Triangle on PlayStation and Y on Xbox.

How to open chat in Grand Theft Auto V on PC?

To open chat in Grand Theft Auto V, press N on PC.

Quick answers

How do I switch characters in GTA V on PC?

Hold Left Alt to open the character wheel, move the mouse to Michael, Franklin or Trevor and release. In Online the same wheel opens the player and settings shortcuts.

What key opens the Interaction Menu in GTA Online?

M on keyboard; on controller hold the touchpad or View button. It holds outfits, vehicle access and organisation options.

How do I use the special ability?

Press Caps Lock on PC or push both sticks in on controller when the ability bar is charged. Each character has a different one.

How do I open the weapon wheel?

Hold Tab (PC) or LB/L1 (controller); the game slows while the wheel is open, scroll or move the stick to choose, release to equip.

Why is my radio key also the cover key?

Q is context sensitive: cover on foot, radio in a vehicle. Most on-foot keys change meaning when you are driving, which is why the table separates the two.

Where to go from here

Next steps for Grand Theft Auto V

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 GTA V.Stick drift testFive-second resting sample, so a wandering camera is not blamed on the game.Keyboard ghosting testCheck the combinations GTA V holds down at once actually reach the game.