Keyboard Controls for Games: WASD, Arrows, Space and Mouse
Updated
Many browser games on a computer use the same layout: WASD or the arrow keys to move, Space to jump or act, Shift to run or boost, and the mouse to aim or look around. Esc pauses many games, and it is also the browser's key for freeing a locked mouse cursor and leaving full screen. Where a game lists its own controls, read them before you start.
Common keyboard controls for games
| Key | What it usually does | Example from a game's own controls |
|---|---|---|
| W, A, S, D | Move forward, left, back and right | Zombie Drift: Steel Rage (W throttle, S brake and reverse, A and D steer) |
| Arrow keys | Move, often as an alternative to WASD | Grass Rush Adventure (WASD or arrow keys to move) |
| Space | Jump, fire or a special move | Fragbyte (Space to jump and double-jump) |
| Shift | Run, sprint or boost | Space Rover (Shift for the nitro boost) |
| Ctrl or C | Crouch | Fragbyte (Ctrl or C to crouch-slide) |
| Mouse | Aim, look around, click to shoot | Zombie Survival : Last Stand (left click to shoot, right click to scope) |
| 1 to 4, mouse wheel | Switch weapons or powers | Legiontide Army Runner (1 to 4 for class powers), Scrap Arms Neo (mouse wheel to switch weapons) |
| R | Reload or reset | Zombie Quell 3D (R to reload), Space Rover (R to reset the rover) |
| E or F | Pick up or interact | Zombie Quell 3D (E to pick up a weapon) |
| Esc or P | Pause | Drive Zone (Esc), Scrap Arms Neo (P) |
WASD or arrow keys: which is better?
WASD puts your left hand on the keyboard and leaves the right one on the mouse, which is why shooters and 3D games use it. Shift, Space, Ctrl, Q, E, R and the number keys 1 to 4 all sit within reach of the same hand. The arrow keys suit games you play with the keyboard alone.
Many games accept both. Grass Rush Adventure, Zombie Quell 3D and Neon City Drift Racing list WASD and the arrows side by side, so use whichever your hand prefers.
With two players on one keyboard, games split it: one player takes WASD or a single letter, the other takes the arrow keys or a letter on the far side.
| Game | Player 1 | Player 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Cars : Hexagon | Arrow keys | WASD |
| Ragdoll Gangs | WASD, V to punch, B to kick, left Shift to run | Arrow keys, O to punch, P to kick, right Shift to run |
| Stick Duel : Medieval Wars | A and D | Left and right arrows |
| 12 MiniBattles | A | L |
| Basket Random | W | Up arrow |
More games for two people at one keyboard are in 2 player games, and 2 player games on one keyboard covers the usual key splits.
If the keys do nothing, or Space and the arrows scroll the page instead, click inside the game once. Until the game has focus, your key presses go to the page and not to the game.
Mouse look and the locked cursor
In first-person shooting games the mouse turns the camera. To do that, the game hides the cursor and locks it to the game, so you can keep moving the mouse without the pointer reaching the edge of the screen. Browsers call this pointer lock, and a game usually asks for it when you click inside it.
To get the cursor back, press Esc. Some games add a key of their own, listed in their controls: Zombie Survival : Last Stand uses Z to lock the cursor and Esc to release it, and Ragdoll Gangs switches the lock on and off with L. Mozilla's developer documentation on pointer lock has the technical details.
Esc: pause, cursor and full screen
Esc has up to three jobs. Many games open their pause menu with it, and the browser uses it to free a locked cursor and to leave full screen. In Chrome, if a quick press does not leave full screen, press and hold Esc.
Some games pause on P instead, such as Scrap Arms Neo, and Zombie Drift: Steel Rage accepts both Esc and P. For the full screen side of things, see how to make a browser game full screen, and for the special keys on a Chromebook's top row, see games to play on a Chromebook.
Touch controls on phones and tablets
On a phone there is no keyboard, so games that support touch put their controls on the screen. These are the usual swaps, taken from each game's own instructions.
| On a computer | On a touch screen | Example |
|---|---|---|
| WASD or arrows to move | A virtual joystick on the left | Grave Blast: left joystick to move |
| Mouse to aim, click to fire | A button on the right that you tap or hold | Grave Blast: tap or hold the right button to shoot |
| WASD or arrows to move, mouse wheel to switch weapons | Drag to move, tap a weapon slot | Scrap Arms Neo |
| Mouse to aim, click to lock the aim, click again to shoot | Drag to aim, tap to lock, tap again to shoot | 9 Ball Pool 3D |
| Space or a click to lock the aim, then again to throw | Two taps | Dart Duell: Timing Champion |
| W, A, S and D to drive | On-screen controls | Drive Zone |
A game whose instructions mention only keys may have no touch controls at all. On a phone, pick one whose controls mention tap, drag or a joystick.
Frequently asked questions
What does WASD mean in games?
W, A, S and D work as a second set of arrow keys: W moves forward, A left, S back and D right. They sit under the left hand, so the right hand stays on the mouse.
Is WASD or arrow keys better?
For games you play with a mouse, WASD. For keyboard-only games, use whichever feels natural; many games accept both.
How do I get out of mouse lock?
Press Esc. If a game uses its own key to lock and release the cursor, it is usually listed in the game's controls.
Are there keyboard controls for mobile games?
Browser games on a phone use touch instead: an on-screen joystick, buttons, taps and drags. The game's instructions say which.
When a game lists its own controls, those are the ones to follow.
