If you are new to Apex Legends you are probably unfamiliar with the basic controls. You might have played a round or two, but it takes much more than that to figure out a game that’s as big as this one.

With the help of this article, you’ll be able to cut that time significantly. You’ll learn all of the basic control, including how to aim and throw a grenade, and get a few helpful tips that will improve your overall gameplay.
Basic Controls
All Battle Royale games have similar core controls, so if you’ve played this type of games before, you’ll learn the basics much faster. Besides that, Apex Legends has an intuitive user interface that shows simple on-screen instructions each time you come across interactive in-game elements.
If you’ve just started Apex Legends and haven’t changed any settings, use the information from the following tables to locate your core controls. The controls themselves depend on the platform that you’re using.
Apex Legends: PC
Movement | Mouse and Keyboard |
Move Forward | W |
Move Back | S |
Move Left | A |
Move Right | D |
Sprint | Left Shift |
Jump | Space |
Crouch | C (Toggle) |
Crouch | Left Ctrl (Hold) |
Weapons and Abilities | Mouse and Keyboard |
Tactical Ability | Q |
Ultimate Ability | Z |
Interact / Pickup | E |
Alternate Interact | X |
Attack | Left Mouse Button |
Aim Down Sight | Right Mouse Button (Toggle) |
Melee | V |
Reload | R |
Open Map | M (Toggle) |
Cycle Weapon | Mouse Scroll Wheel |
Equip Grenade | G |
Inventory | TAB (Toggle) |
Communication | Mouse and Keyboard |
Ping | Mouse Wheel Click |
Ping – Enemy Here | F |
Message Team | ENTER |
Push to Talk | T (Hold) |
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
If you’re using a controller, there are a few control settings categories that you should know about. The categories are: Default, Bumper Jumper, Button Puncher, Evolved, Grenadier, and Ninja. Select the category for your controller based on what feels comfortable. Most people have their controllers set to the Default option.
Default Category | Controller |
Cycle Weapon | Y |
Crouch | B (Toggle) |
Jump | A |
Interact/Reload/Pickup | X |
Melee | Right Stick |
Sprint | Left Stick |
Aim Down Sight | LT (Hold) |
Attack | RT |
Equip Grenade | Right Control Button (Hold) |
Toggle Fire Mode | Left Control Button (Hold) |
Extra Character Action | Down Control Button (Hold) |
Use Health/Shield Kit | Up Control Button (Hold) |
Tactical Ability | LB |
When it comes to other categories, certain controls are set to different buttons:
Bumper Jumper
a) Jump is on LB
b) Tactical Ability is on A
This category allows you to jump without sacrificing view agility.
Button Puncher
a) Melee is on B
b) Crouch is on R
Evolved
a) Melee is on B
b) Tactical Ability is on A
c) Crouch is on the Right stick
d) Jump is on LB
This category allows you to jump, slide, duck, and drop from walls without sacrificing view agility.
Grenadier
a) Equip Grenade/Grenade Wheel is on RB
b) Ping/Ping Wheel is on the Up Control button
c) Use Health/Shield Kit is on the Right Control button
Ninja
a) Tactical Ability is on B
b) Ping/Ping Wheel is on A
c) Jump is on LB
How to Aim and Throw Grenades
If you’re playing Apex Legends on your PC, press the Right Mouse Button. Your character will zoom in on the scope that you have equipped, and you’ll be able to aim.
To throw a grenade, press G to equip it and then press the Left Mouse Button. There are three types of grenades and to select the grenade that you want to throw, hold G to toggle the Grenade Wheel. Then, simply select the grenade that you want and press the Left Mouse Button to throw it.
If you’re playing Apex Legends on your PlayStation 4 or Xbox One console, these actions depend on the controller category that you’ve selected. Since you’re new to the game, your controller is probably set to the Default category.
In that case, you can aim by holding your controller’s LT button. To throw a grenade, press the Right Control Button to equip it, and RT to throw it. You can choose the bomb that you want to throw by pressing and holding the Right Control Button.
Practice Mode
Apex Legends has an included Practice mode that all players can use to hone their skills. The Practice Mode is extremely helpful to newbie players that have just figured out the basic controls.
So, before starting your next Apex Legends game, enter Practice mode and check all of the controls. You can practice throwing grenades, aiming, shooting, sliding, jumping, etc.
To enter Practice mode, click on the Play Apex button. A new menu will show up, where you should pick the Alternative Practice option.
You can select the drills and how long they’ll last. Each drill has certain objectives that you need to accomplish during your training session.
For example, the Headshots drill is designed to turn you into a sharpshooter. You’ll have 6 dummies placed in front of each gun type. The main goal is to make it through the targets without missing a shot.
This drill is an excellent way of testing each gun while practicing your aim.
And there’s more where that came from, as there are many drills for you to go through.
We advise that you to set your timer to 5 or 6 minutes for each drill as that will keep things interesting and you won’t lose focus on the objective.
Your Next Apex Legends Adventure Awaits
Now that you are familiar with the basic Apex Legends controls settings, you are ready to put your knowledge to the test. If this is your first time playing the game, follow our advice and test the Practice mode first.
After a few sessions, you’ll learn how the mechanics work for each character and be able to compete for the ultimate victory.
What platform are you playing Apex Legends on? Have you tried the Practice mode? Tell us in the comments below.
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