Basic Controls for Minecraft on PC

Keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for playing on PC

By
Scott Marriott
Scott Marriott
Writer
    Former Lifewire writer Scott Alan Marriott covered simulation video games, and was also the senior editor for Allgame.com. His work has appeared in Classic Gamer Magazine and others.
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    Updated on April 22, 2020

    While you can play Minecraft using a PC gaming controller, keyboard shortcuts make it easier to jump on top of things, sneak up on people, and perform other actions. Learn how to take full advantage of keyboard and mouse controls for Minecraft on PC.

    Information in this article applies to all PC versions of Minecraft for Windows and Mac.

    Minecraft
     Allinonemovie

    Movement Controls for Minecraft on PC

    The basic controls for Minecraft are similar to most other PC games that use a qwerty keyboard:

    Key Action
    W Move forward
    A Sidestep left
    S Move backward
    D Sidestep right
    Left or Right Shift Stack
    Left Shift (Hold) Sneak
    Left Control or W (Double-tap) Sprint
    Space Bar Jump or swim

    In Minecraft Creative game mode, tap the space bar twice to fly. While flying, press the space bar again to move higher up and press Shift to move down.

    Minecraft PC controls visual guide for QWERTY keyboards
    Gamepedia Minecraft Wiki 

    Minecraft Mouse Controls

    Most action commands are executed with the mouse.

    Mouse Command Action
    Move Mouse Look around
    Left Mouse Button (click) Attack or use the item in your main hand
    Left Mouse Button (hold) Break nearby blocks
    Left Mouse Button (hold and drag) Split a stack evenly
    Left Mouse Button (double-click) Sort loose items into a single stack
    Right Mouse Button (click) Place a block, interact with objects
    Right Mouse Button (hold and drag) Put one item from a stack in each inventory slot
    Mouse Scroll Wheel (scroll) Switch items in the inventory toolbar, scroll through the quick-bar and chat when opened
    Mouse Scroll Wheel (click) Switch to the block you're currently looking at, as long as it's in your inventory

    If you're playing on a laptop with a track-pad, it may be easier to use an external gaming mouse.

    Inventory Controls

    A few simple keyboard shortcuts will let you view and control your inventory faster.

    Key Action
    E Open inventory
    1-9 Select a hotbar item
    F Swap the items between hands
    Q Drop the item in your hand
    Control + Q Drop a stack of items

    Multiplayer Controls

    If you're playing Minecraft with friends, these controls can help you stay connected.

    Key Action
    T Open the chat menu
    Tab List all players
    / Open the chat window

    Minecraft Shift Commands

    Using the Shift key with the mouse buttons or other keys has different effects depending on the situation:

    Key Context Action
    Shift + Left Click In the inventory screen Move items between your inventory and the hotbar
    Shift + Left Click In front of an open container Move an item into your inventory
    Shift + Left Click While crafting Craft the max possible number of an item
    Shift + Up or Down In the multiplayer server selection menu Change the order of servers

    Miscellaneous Controls

    These controls don't fit into any of the categories above, but that doesn't mean they're not useful. Give them a try, you may find the make Minecraft even more fun to play.

    Key Action
    L Open the Advancements screen
    Escape Pause, open the Options menu
    F1 Hide the heads-up display
    F2 Take an in-game screenshot
    F3 View the debug display to show the character's coordinates and other information
    F4 Disable shaders
    F5 Toggle between first-person (default) and third-person perspective
    F6 Toggle stream on/off
    F7 Pause stream
    F8 Improve mouse sensitivity
    F11 Switch between full-screen and windowed displays
    Control + B Toggle the narrator on/off
    C + # Save the current toolbar to the specified number
    X + # Load the specified tool bar

    You can change the controls for Minecraft in the Options menu.

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