Overview
inZOI is designed for keyboard and mouse input on PC. The game offers two primary movement styles: direct WASD control and point-and-click navigation. Left-click a spot on the ground and the active Zoi walks there automatically, or hold W/A/S/D to move in real time. Both methods work interchangeably in Live Mode. The game uses different control schemes depending on which mode you are in: Live Mode, Build Mode, Create a Zoi, driving, and Photo Mode each have their own set of keybinds.
Native controller support is not available in the current Early Access build. The development team has confirmed that gamepad support is planned for a future update, coinciding with the eventual PlayStation 5 and Xbox console releases. In the meantime, third-party tools such as Steam Input or community mods can map controller buttons to keyboard actions, though the experience is not fully optimized for gamepad use.
Live Mode Controls
Live Mode is the main gameplay view where you control your Zoi's daily life. The following table lists all confirmed keybinds available during Live Mode.
Key | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
W / A / S / D | Move the active Zoi | Direct WASD control moves the Zoi in real time. Can be used alongside point-and-click. |
Left-click | Point-and-click movement | Click a spot on the ground and the Zoi walks there using pathfinding. |
Shift + W/A/S/D | Run | The Zoi moves at a faster pace while Shift is held during WASD movement. |
Space | Switch Zois | Cycles through all playable Zois in the active household. |
T | Toggle autonomy | When autonomy is on, the Zoi makes their own decisions based on needs, traits, and preferences. When off, they only do what you tell them. |
Tab | Switch camera view | Toggles between shoulder view (close behind the Zoi) and top-down view (overhead perspective). |
Ctrl + Tab | Free camera mode | Detaches the camera from the Zoi entirely. Use Q and E to move the camera up and down in free camera mode. |
F | Focus on active Zoi | Recenters the camera on the active Zoi. Useful after panning away in free camera mode. |
Home / End | Toggle wall visibility | Cycles through full walls, half walls, and no walls so you can see inside buildings. |
Page Up / Page Down | Change floor level | Moves the view between ground floor, upper stories, and basements. |
0 | Pause | Pauses the game simulation entirely. |
1 | 1x speed | Sets the simulation to normal (1x) playback speed. |
2 | 1.5x speed | Sets a slightly faster simulation speed. |
3 | 3x speed | Fast simulation speed. |
4 | 4x speed | Very fast simulation speed. Higher speeds (up to 30x) are available via the speed slider in the bottom-left UI panel. |
M | Open City Map | Opens the City Map for viewing landmarks and selecting destinations for fast travel. |
P | Open Smartphone | Opens the Smartphone interface with access to all phone apps including Pocket Market, Dream Car, and Messages. |
O | Open Zoi Card | Displays the active Zoi's traits, skills, emotions, and personal details. |
R | Open Relationships panel | Shows all known Zois and relationship status. |
I | Enter Build Mode | Switches from Live Mode to Build Mode for editing the current property. |
Esc | Open game menu | Opens the pause menu with access to options, save, and quit. |
Ctrl + Shift + U | Hide UI | Hides all interface elements for an unobstructed view. |
Camera Controls
Camera behavior changes depending on which mode you are in. In Live Mode, the camera follows the active Zoi by default. You can switch between several camera perspectives and pan freely.
Key / Input | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
Left-click + drag | Pan camera | Moves the camera position by dragging across the screen. |
Right-click + drag | Rotate camera | Rotates the camera angle around the current focus. |
Mouse wheel | Zoom in / out | Scrolls to adjust the zoom level. |
Tab | Toggle shoulder / top-down view | Shoulder view sits close behind the Zoi. Top-down view gives an overhead perspective similar to classic life simulation games. |
Ctrl + Tab | Free camera | Detaches the camera from any Zoi. You can fly it freely in 3D space. |
Q / E | Move camera up / down | Only available in free camera mode (Ctrl + Tab). Raises or lowers the camera vertically. |
F | Focus on active Zoi | Snaps the camera back to the currently selected Zoi. |
Home / End | Toggle wall visibility | Cycles through full walls, half walls, and no walls. |
Page Up / Page Down | Switch floor level | Changes which floor of a building is visible. |
In Build Mode and Photo Mode, the camera is always free-floating. Use left-click drag to pan, right-click drag to rotate, and the scroll wheel to zoom.
Build Mode Controls
Build Mode is where you place and edit furniture, walls, floors, and other objects on your Zoi's property. You can enter Build Mode by pressing I during Live Mode or by clicking the Build Mode icon in the lower-right corner of the screen.
Key / Input | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
Z | Rotate object left | Rotates the selected object 45 degrees counterclockwise. |
C | Rotate object right | Rotates the selected object 45 degrees clockwise. |
Right-click | Rotate object | Also rotates objects in 45-degree increments, same as Z/C. |
Alt (hold) | Free placement | Ignores the snap grid. The object can be positioned at any angle and location within lot boundaries. Holding Alt while rotating also allows fine-tuned rotation angles instead of 45-degree snapping. |
Shift + click | Continuous placement | Places multiple copies of the same object without reselecting it from the catalog each time. |
V | Select individual furniture | Click on a placed item to select it for moving, rotating, or deleting. |
R | Room selection mode | Click a room to select all furniture and surfaces in that room at once. |
G | Toggle grid visibility | Shows or hides the placement grid overlay. |
Delete | Remove selected object | Deletes the currently selected object. The Meow spent on it is refunded. |
Ctrl + Z | Undo | Reverts the last action in Build Mode. |
Ctrl + Shift + Z | Redo | Reapplies a previously undone action. |
Page Up / Page Down | Switch floor levels | Moves between ground floor, upper stories, and basements while building. |
Home / End | Toggle wall visibility | Cycles through wall display options so you can see furniture placement inside rooms. |
Mouse scroll | Zoom in / out | Adjusts the camera zoom level. |
Left-click + drag | Move camera | Pans the camera position across the lot. |
Right-click + drag | Rotate camera | Rotates the camera angle in Build Mode. |
Esc | Deselect or cancel | Deselects the current object or exits the active tool. |
Ctrl + Shift + U | Hide UI | Removes all interface elements for a clean view of the property. |
Create a Zoi Controls
The Create a Zoi editor (also called the Character Creator) uses mouse-driven controls for sculpting your Zoi's appearance. You select body parts and facial features with the mouse, then drag to adjust their size, shape, or position.
Input | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
Left-click | Select body parts and menu options | Click on facial features, body regions, hairstyles, clothing items, or UI buttons to select them. |
Left-click + drag | Adjust features | Drag on selected body parts to change their size, shape, or position. For example, drag on cheeks to widen them, drag on the nose to reshape it, or drag on limbs to adjust proportions. |
Right-click + drag | Rotate the camera | Rotates the camera around the Zoi model so you can inspect them from all angles. |
Mouse wheel | Zoom in / out | Zooms closer to or further from the Zoi model for detailed editing or a full-body view. |
Ctrl + Shift + U | Hide UI | Removes all UI elements for an unobstructed view of the character. |
The editor also supports AI-powered face generation, which lets you upload a reference photo and have the system approximate facial features automatically. From there you can fine-tune every detail by hand using the drag controls described above.
Driving Controls
When manually driving a car or scooter, the control scheme switches to vehicle-specific keybinds. Manual driving must first be enabled in the settings: go to Esc > Options > Gameplay > Driving and toggle Enable Manual Driving to On.
Key / Input | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
W | Accelerate | Hold to maintain speed. The vehicle speeds up gradually. |
S | Brake / Reverse | Hold to slow down. If already stopped, press to reverse. |
A / D | Steer left / right | Turns the vehicle in the corresponding direction. |
Left-click | Honk the horn | Sounds the vehicle's horn. |
Tab | Switch camera perspective | Toggles between behind-vehicle, overhead, and interior (first-person) views. |
Manual driving locks the game at 1x playback speed until the Zoi exits the vehicle. You have full steering control, but collisions and accidents are possible.
Auto-drive is the default driving behavior. When your Zoi needs to travel, you can open the City Map (M key), select a destination, and click "Drive Here." The Zoi handles all steering automatically. Auto-drive is available for cars but not for scooters, which must be driven manually. During auto-drive, the game's speed controls (0-4 keys, speed slider) function normally.
Only Zois at the Teen age group or older can drive. Child Zois cannot sit in the driver's seat. Each household can own one vehicle at a time, purchased through the Dream Car app on the Smartphone.
Photo Mode Controls
Photo Mode gives you a free-flying camera for capturing screenshots. You can access it from the camera icon in the top menu during Live Mode, from the Create a Zoi menu, from Character Studio, or from Build Mode.
Key / Input | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
W / A / S / D | Move camera | Moves the free camera forward, left, backward, and right in 3D space. |
Q / E | Move camera up / down | Raises or lowers the camera vertically. |
Left-click + drag | Fine-tune camera position | Adjusts the camera position with more precision than WASD. |
Right-click + drag | Rotate camera angle | Rotates the camera's viewing angle for composition. |
Mouse wheel | Zoom in / out | Adjusts the zoom level. |
Home / End | Toggle wall visibility | Shows or hides walls for interior shots. |
Ctrl + Shift + U | Hide UI | Removes all interface elements for a clean screenshot. |
Photo Mode Settings
In addition to camera movement, Photo Mode offers several settings accessible through the Camera Options panel in the bottom-right corner of the screen:
Setting | Description |
|---|---|
Field of View (FOV) | Adjusts the camera's field of view, which functions similarly to optical zoom. Lower FOV values create a tighter, more telephoto look; higher values produce a wider angle. |
Depth of Field (DOF) | Controls background blur to create a shallow focus effect. Useful for portrait shots where you want the background softened. |
Time of Day | A slider in the top-right corner lets you change the lighting conditions by adjusting the time of day for the shot without affecting the actual simulation time. |
Portrait / Landscape Mode | Portrait mode focuses the camera on the Zoi, while Landscape mode zooms out to include a larger scope of the background. |
Background Removal | You can remove the environment background entirely to isolate your Zoi against a clean backdrop. |
Poses and Expressions | Select from a library of preset poses and facial expressions. Poses and expressions can be combined simultaneously. |
Filters | Nine built-in filters are available: Realistic, Cartoon, B&W Cartoon, Diorama, Lovely, Fisheye Lens, Mono, Retro, and Thriller. Each applies a distinct color grading and visual effect. |
Pause / Play | The pause button at the bottom-left freezes all movement in the scene, letting you capture a precise moment. Press play to resume activity. |
Photos are saved locally to Documents/inZOI/Photo on your computer.
Cheat Shortcuts
With cheats enabled, the following keyboard shortcuts become available:
Key / Combination | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl + Shift + C | Open / close cheat console | Toggles the text input field where you type cheat commands. |
Ctrl + T, then right-click | Teleport Zoi | After pressing Ctrl + T, right-click on any location to instantly teleport the active Zoi there. |
The cheat console also supports text commands such as motherlode (adds 100,000 Meow), freebuild (place objects outside lot boundaries), and hidefx [true/false] (removes all post-processing effects for clean screenshots). See the full Cheats and Console Commands article for the complete list.
Custom Keymapping
Keyboard customization was one of the most requested features during Early Access. The initial March 2025 launch shipped with fixed keybinds and no way to remap controls, which was a significant pain point for players using non-QWERTY keyboard layouts (such as AZERTY or QWERTZ) and for players who preferred alternative key arrangements.
The March 2026 Update (Anniversary Update, version 0.7.0) introduced a full custom keymapping feature. Players can now change hotkeys and reassign actions to different keys on their keyboard and mouse. To access the rebinding menu, press Esc to open the Game Menu, then navigate to Options > Controls. From there, click on any action to highlight it, then press the new key you want to assign. The change takes effect immediately.
Most gameplay actions can be reassigned, including movement, camera controls, and mode-specific shortcuts. Some system-level shortcuts (such as Ctrl + Shift + C for the cheat console) cannot be rebound. If a key conflict arises when assigning a new binding, the game warns you and lets you resolve the overlap.
Tips
Point-and-click movement is useful when you want to multitask: click a destination for your Zoi, then pan the camera elsewhere to check on household members or queue up interactions while the Zoi walks.
In free camera mode (Ctrl + Tab), you can explore the entire neighborhood without your Zoi moving. Press F to snap back to the active Zoi when you are done.
The speed slider in the bottom-left panel allows speeds up to 30x, far beyond what the number keys (1-4) offer. Drag the slider to the right for maximum fast-forward during sleep hours or work shifts.
When placing furniture in Build Mode, hold Alt to ignore grid snapping. This is essential for positioning decorative items at angles or fitting objects into tight spaces that the grid does not accommodate.
Use Shift + click in Build Mode to place multiple copies of the same item quickly (for example, lining up fence segments or placing matching chairs around a table).
In Photo Mode, try combining the Pause button with Time of Day adjustments to capture dramatic golden hour or nighttime shots without waiting for the simulation clock.
If you play on a non-QWERTY keyboard layout, use the custom keymapping feature (Esc > Options > Controls) added in the March 2026 update to remap movement and camera keys to your preferred positions.
During manual driving, the game locks at 1x speed. If you want to travel quickly without driving yourself, use auto-drive via the City Map (M) instead.