First-person shooter · PC · PlayStation · Xbox · Switch

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 controls & keybinds

Modern Warfare 4 uses the shared Call of Duty layout everyone tested in the August open beta: WASD with a separate slide and dive, tactical sprint on a thumb key, the Default and Tactical controller presets. Checked against the launch build on 23 October 2026: melee moved from the beta’s E to V, and push to talk is no longer on V; every other key checked kept its beta binding.

The keys people look up first

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 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`	`L3 (click) · click twice`	`LS (click) · click twice`
Crouch	`C`	`Circle`	`B`
Prone	`Left Ctrl`	`Circle (hold)`	`B (hold)`
Jump	`Space`	`Cross`	`A`
Melee	`V`	`R3 (click)`	`RS (click)`
Reload	`R`	`Square`	`X`
Aim / ADS	`Mouse 2`	`L2`	`LT`
Grenade	`G`	`R1`	`RB`

The rest of this game, drawn

This is the reference you look a binding up in; the others measure the hand pressing it, the day it unlocks and the machine it has to run on. Every figure below is counted from what each page holds.

39 bindings keyboard21controller18settings18 MW4 controls You are here 3 inputs keyboardyescontrolleryestouchscreenyes MW4 input lab Reads where your sticks rest and how far they reach to fill in all six dead zones of MW4’s Controller tab, shows what the Default and Tactical presets really move, times your tactical-sprint double press and carries your sensitivity over from any game. 4 platforms milestones9questions13editions3 MW4 launch When it came out, the editions and the platforms, dated from the publisher. 3 tiers ray tracingoptionalmemory8 GBgraphics cards9 Can you run MW4? Reads your graphics card and places it against the publisher’s own tiers.

LMBFireRMBAim down sightsMMBPingM4unboundM5unboundScroll ↑unboundScroll ↓unbound

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`
SprintTactical sprint on a second press or a dedicated bind.	`Left Shift`
Jump / mantle · hang and shimmy on ledgesMW4 adds ledge hanging and shimmying to the mantle.	`Space`
Crouch / slideSlide and dive are separate binds in the MW4 beta.	`C`
Prone / dive	`Left Ctrl`
Combat
FireHip-fire bloom is removed in MW4, so the reticle spread is the real spread.	`Mouse 1`
Aim down sights	`Mouse 2`
Reload	`R`
Switch weapon	`1 / 2 / Scroll`
MeleeV in the launch build; the open beta had melee on E.	`V`
Lethal equipment	`G`
Tactical equipment	`Q`
Field upgrade	`X`
Use / interact	`F`
Weapon mount	`Z`
Fire mode / stance	`B`
Killstreaks 1–3	`3 / 4 / 5`
Interface
Ping	`Mouse 3`
Tac map	`M`
Scoreboard	`Tab`
Menu	`Escape`

Show

Action	PlayStation	Xbox	Switch
Movement
Move / look	`L3 / R3`	`LS / RS`	`L3 / R3`
Sprint · tactical sprintSprint Assist settings can automate both.	`L3 (click) · click twice`	`LS (click) · click twice`	`L3 (click) · click twice`
Jump / mantle	`Cross`	`A`	`B`
Crouch / slide (Default preset)Tactical preset moves crouch/slide to R3 and melee to Circle/B.	`Circle`	`B`	`A`
Prone / dive	`Circle (hold)`	`B (hold)`	`A (hold)`
Combat
Fire	`R2`	`RT`	`ZR`
Aim down sights	`L2`	`LT`	`ZL`
Reload / interactSet Interact/Reload Behavior to Tap to Reload.	`Square`	`X`	`Y`
Switch weapon	`Triangle`	`Y`	`X`
Melee (Default preset)	`R3 (click)`	`RS (click)`	`R3 (click)`
Lethal equipment	`R1`	`RB`	`R`
Tactical equipment	`L1`	`LB`	`L`
Field upgrade	`L1 + R1`	`LB + RB`	`L + R`
Weapon mountWith Weapon Mount Activation set to ADS + Melee.	`L2 + R3`	`LT + RS`	`ZL + R3`
Killstreaks	`D-pad Left / Right / Down`	`D-pad Left / Right / Down`	`D-pad Left / Right / Down`
Interface
Ping	`D-pad Up`	`D-pad Up`	`D-pad Up`
Tac map / scoreboard	`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.

Settings that change how the bindings feel

Recommended starting settings

Values the beta's best players converged on, for controller and for mouse, and the PC graphics options Activision published for launch. They are starting points: the layout matters more than the exact number, and every number here can be tuned in one evening.

Button layout Tactical

Crouch and slide on the stick click keeps your thumb on the aim stick while dropping. Controller

Stick sensitivity 1.6 horizontal / 1.6 vertical

The beta crowd sat between 1.5 and 1.8; ADS sensitivity multiplier 1.0. Controller

Deadzones Your own pad’s numbers, not the default 15

The launch build ships Left Stick Min at 15 and both maximums at 99; the MW4 settings lab reads where your sticks actually rest. Controller

Aim response curve Dynamic

Standard is more linear near the centre if Dynamic feels floaty. Controller

Target aim assist On

Keep the default type until you have played a week. Controller

Vibration · trigger effect Off

Adaptive triggers add travel before the shot registers. Controller

Sprint Assist · Tactical Sprint Activation Tactical Sprint Assist · Single Tap Sprint

Removes the double click from tactical sprint. Controller

Slide/Dive Behavior · Slide Maintains Sprint Tap to Slide · On

Dive stays on the hold. Controller

ADS Behavior · Interact/Reload Hold · Tap to Reload

Prevents a reload when you meant to pick up a plate. Controller

Mouse raw input On

Acceleration, filtering and smoothing off. PC

Sensitivity 30–45 cm/360 at 800 DPI

ADS multiplier 1.0, Monitor Distance Coefficient 1.0; use the converter with the MW4 model. PC

Binds Slide and dive on separate keys, tactical sprint on a thumb key

Crouch on a side button keeps the pinky free for sprint. PC

TPM 2.0 · Secure Boot On

Required on PC. Windows Security › Device security shows both; if either is off, switch it on in the motherboard's UEFI settings before the download finishes. PC

Graphics driver AMD 26.7.1 · NVIDIA 616.56 · Intel 32.0.101.8974

Activision's recommended versions. NVIDIA's driver for the game's anti-cheat is due on 21 October, before launch. PC

Shader preloading Let it finish before the first match

It compiles the shaders ahead of play, which is what keeps the first matches from stuttering. PC

Upscaling Your card's own: DLSS 4.5, FSR Redstone or XeSS 3

Filmic SMAA T2X is the option without upscaling. Activision's ray tracing tier is measured at 4K upscaled. PC

Frame generation Off in multiplayer

It adds frames, not responsiveness: a generated frame is not a new reading of your mouse. Keep it for the campaign. PC

Enhanced FOV On

PC only. It widens the view through a lens model instead of a plain wider angle, so targets do not shrink with it. PC

Reach check · your keyboard, this game

Can your board actually play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4?

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.

A 60% board has every key Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 asks for. 2 of its 21 default binds still need the left hand to leave WASD, so the board is not what holds you back here — the layout is. How that compares with every other game.

W / A / S / D Move
Left Shift Sprint
Space Jump / mantle · hang and shimmy on ledges
C Crouch / slide
Left Ctrl Prone / dive
Mouse 1 Fire
Mouse 2 Aim down sights
R Reload
1 / 2 / Scroll Switch weapon
V Melee
G Lethal equipment
Q Tactical equipment
X Field upgrade
F Use / interact
Z Weapon mount
B Fire mode / stance
3 / 4 / 5 Killstreaks 1–3
Mouse 3 Ping
M Tac map
Tab Scoreboard
Escape Menu

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.

How that compares

0 keys missing 60%2 far65%all theretenkeylessall there 60% keyboard check 25 of the 70 games we score lose a key on a 60%. This is not one of them.

One line per question

How to do the things people search for in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

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

How to sprint in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To sprint in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press Left Shift on PC, L3 (click) · click twice on PlayStation and LS (click) · click twice on Xbox. Tactical sprint on a second press or a dedicated bind.

How to crouch in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To crouch in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press C on PC, Circle on PlayStation and B on Xbox. Slide and dive are separate binds in the MW4 beta.

How to go prone in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To go prone in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press Left Ctrl on PC, Circle (hold) on PlayStation and B (hold) on Xbox.

How to jump in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To jump in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press Space on PC, Cross on PlayStation and A on Xbox. MW4 adds ledge hanging and shimmying to the mantle.

How to melee in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To melee in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press V on PC, R3 (click) on PlayStation and RS (click) on Xbox. V in the launch build; the open beta had melee on E.

How to reload in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To reload in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press R on PC, Square on PlayStation and X on Xbox. Set Interact/Reload Behavior to Tap to Reload.

How to aim down sights in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To aim down sights in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press Mouse 2 on PC, L2 on PlayStation and LT on Xbox.

How to throw a grenade in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To throw a grenade in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press G on PC, R1 on PlayStation and RB on Xbox.

How to switch weapons in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC and controller?

To switch weapons in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press 1 / 2 / Scroll on PC, Triangle on PlayStation and Y on Xbox.

How to interact or pick things up in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC?

To interact or pick things up in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, press F on PC.

Quick answers

What are the default MW4 controls on PC?

WASD to move, Left Shift to sprint, Space to jump and mantle, C to crouch and slide, Left Ctrl for prone and dive, left mouse to fire, right mouse to aim, R to reload, V for melee, G and Q for lethal and tactical equipment, X for the field upgrade, F to interact, Z to mount, 3 to 5 for killstreaks and M for the tac map. Slide and dive are separate binds in MW4.

What are the best MW4 controller settings?

Tactical button layout, 1.6 sensitivity on both axes, Dynamic aim response curve, minimum deadzones set just above where your own sticks rest rather than the launch default of 15, maximums at 99, trigger deadzones 0, target aim assist on, vibration and trigger effect off, Tactical Sprint Assist with Single Tap Sprint, Tap to Slide with Slide Maintains Sprint on, ADS on hold and Tap to Reload.

What are the best MW4 graphics settings on PC?

Start from the upscaler your card makes — DLSS 4.5, FSR Redstone or XeSS 3 — and leave frame generation off in multiplayer, where it adds frames but not responsiveness. Turn on Enhanced FOV, a PC-only option that widens the view without shrinking targets, and let shader preloading finish before your first match. Activision targets 90 fps in multiplayer at High on an RTX 3060 Ti, RX 6600 XT or Arc B580.

Is the MW4 layout the same as Black Ops 6 and Warzone?

Almost: the bindings follow the same shared Call of Duty scheme, so a profile carries over, except that the launch build puts melee on V. What changed is under the hood: hip-fire bloom is gone, you can hang and shimmy on ledges, slide and dive are split, and DMZ returns as a 20-squad extraction mode.

When does Modern Warfare 4 release?

23 October 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Digital pre-orders get the campaign from 16 October. The open beta ran from 21 August to 1 September.

Did the controls change at launch?

A little. In the launch build Melee/Finishing Move is on V, where the open beta had E, and push to talk is no longer on V; fire, aim, reload, fire mode, tactical equipment, field upgrade, scoreboard, map, sprint and movement kept their beta keys. The launch build also ships Left Stick Min at 15 and both maximums at 99.

Similar games

Controls for similar games

Battlefield 6First-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 & WarzoneFirst-person shooter Left 4 Dead 2First-person shooter Team Fortress 2First-person shooter Apex LegendsBattle royale ARC RaidersExtraction shooter

Where to go from here

Next steps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

MW4 settings labAll six dead zones read from your own controller, Default vs Tactical, and your sensitivity carried over.TPM 2.0 & Secure Boot checkMW4 needs both for every online mode — read three Windows screens, fix them in order.MW4 launch hub & countdownCampaign early access on 16 October, launch on 23 October, editions and what is confirmed.Sensitivity converter (MW4 model)Carry your CS2, Valorant or Apex distance into MW4.Controller checkSet your deadzone from a measurement, not a YouTube number.Black Ops 6 & Warzone controlsThe current shared layout for comparison.

Call of Duty Lab

The whole Call of Duty family

Every Call of Duty page on Keymap, each built for one job.

Help more players find this

Every Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 binding in one place, dated, with the notes the in-game menu leaves out

Control pages are the kind of thing people look for once and then look for again. Posting it once helps the next person find it.

Your post · keymap.io

Every Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 binding in one place — dated, sourced, and free to read

https://keymap.io/controls/modern-warfare-4/

Post it on Reddit

Opens Reddit’s own submit page with the title and link filled in. Nothing is posted from here, your draft never leaves this browser, and you pick the community yourself — this site will not guess at one it cannot verify. We count that the button was clicked, never what the post said.