Guide coverage: patches through 1.0.9
Controls
The tables below list the default keyboard and mouse controls. The same mouse button performs different actions depending on what you are holding, so fishing, combat, eating, and radar controls are explained separately.
All controls can be changed in Settings → Controls. The game also supports controllers and displays the matching button icons. If your controls differ from this page, use the bindings currently shown in the game.
Movement and interaction
| Action | Default control | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Move | WASD | Move forward, left, backward, and right. |
| Look around | Move mouse | Controls the camera direction. |
| Jump / skip cutscene | Space | Jumps during play; also skips a cutscene when skipping is available. |
| Sprint | Shift | Hold while moving to run faster. |
| Crouch | Ctrl | Hold the left Ctrl key to crouch. |
| Interact / pick up | E | Talk to NPCs, buy items, pick up objects, or start driving a boat. |
| Throw / drop | Q | Throws the held item. Use it to sell to an NPC, hand in a quest item, or place something on the boat. |
| Unequip held item | X | Puts away the current item and returns to empty hands. |
| Creature journal | Tab | Opens Thinking mode to view killed creatures and collection progress. |
| Pause / close menu | Esc | Opens the pause menu or closes the current menu. |
Items and inventory
| Action | Default control | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Select inventory slot | 1–9 | Equips the item stored in that numbered slot. |
| Previous / next inventory slot | Mouse wheel | Scrolls through the items in your inventory. |
| Change bait | B | Cycles through the bait you own while holding a fishing rod. |
| Inspect held item | F | Shows information such as weight, current sale value, cooking multiplier, and killscore. |
| Reload gun | R | Reloads the gun you are holding. |
| Previous / next cosmetic skin | Z / C | Changes the cosmetic skin of the held item or boat. It does not change the installed sight. |
| Push to talk | V | Hold while speaking when voice chat uses push-to-talk. |
Mouse controls by context
| What you are holding | Control | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Empty hands or melee weapon | Left mouse | Punches or performs a melee attack. |
| Fishing rod: casting | Hold left mouse, then release | Hold to charge the cast and release to throw the hook. |
| Fishing rod: a creature has bitten | Hold or repeatedly click left mouse | Reels the creature toward you. Bait marked “Reeling required” also needs movement through the water before a bite. |
| Fishing rod: creature on the hook | Right mouse | Removes the creature from the hook and drops it. |
| Edible creature | Hold left mouse | Eats the creature and restores fullness. |
| Gun | Left mouse / right mouse | Left mouse fires; right mouse aims down the sight. |
| Radar | Left mouse / right mouse | Changes the radar zoom while it is held. |