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Controls and Keybindings - Version 13 vs Version 14
Apr 27, 2026, 04:30 PM
Cleaned punctuation and AI-style phrasing (2026-04-27)
May 23, 2026, 02:48 PM
Removed duplicate in-body wikilinks
11Overview22Starsand Island supports keyboard and mouse as well as controller input. All keybindings are remappable through the in-game settings menu, though some limitations exist during Early Access (see Remapping below). Controller users get additional options for rumble intensity, per-axis camera sensitivity, gyroscope controls, and auto-aim. There is no dedicated dodge or roll mechanic; players avoid attacks by strafing and circling enemies.44Keyboard and Mouse66Movement88KeyActionW / A / S / DMove forward / left / backward / rightLeft ShiftSprint (hold to run faster)Left CtrlToggle walk/run speedSpaceJump1010Menus and Interface1111KeyActionEscBack / open settings menuTabOpen phone menu (main menu hub)BOpen bag (inventory / backpack)MOpen mapJOpen journal / quest logCEnter build mode (on your farm)ROpen garage (summon vehicles and mounts)PEnter photo modeVShow quest navigation markerEOpen emotes wheel / switch rightQSwitch leftRight AltOpen tool wheel / enter toolbar1313Interaction and Tools1414InputActionFInteract with objects, NPCs, and stationsLeft ClickUse equipped tool or itemHold Left ClickCharged strike (stronger hit with wider area)Right ClickSwitch targets / open backpack submenuMouse WheelScroll through quickbar items / zoomZPut away held item1 through 0Select quickbar slot directlyAlt + Mouse WheelSwap between the two hotbar rows1616Combat (Slingshot and Bow)1717InputActionMouseAim (crosshair at center of screen)Left ClickFire projectileHold Left ClickCharged shot (release for increased damage)Right ClickSwitch ammo type (Simple Pellets, Bomb Pellets, etc.)1919Fishing2020InputActionHold Left ClickAim cast (longer hold = further cast); also reel in while hookedRelease Left ClickRelease the line into the water; relax tension when line is red2222The fishing minigame requires alternating between reeling (hold) and releasing (let go) based on line color. White means safe to reel. Red means stop or the line snaps. This rhythm of hold, release, hold is the core fishing mechanic.2323Vehicles and Skateboard2525InputActionW / A / S / DMove while ridingMouseAdjust camera angleSpaceJump (while on skateboard)Left ClickMount / dismount vehicleShiftSpeed boost (during Offshore Racing events)2727Skateboards handle Parkour Puzzles better than the standard jump. Players report they work well for platforming sections due to the skateboard jump's height and distance.2828Build Mode3030InputActionCEnter build mode (must be on your farm)Click item, then XPick up / remove placed furniture3232Photo Mode3333InputActionPEnter photo modeTabHide UI (removes camera lens and HUD for clean screenshots)3535Xbox Controller3636Xbox controllers are fully supported with on-screen button prompts that update automatically. Many buttons are context-sensitive: they change function depending on whether you are exploring, in combat, fishing, or using a menu.3838Basic Controls4040InputActionLeft StickMoveRight StickCamera / aimLeft Stick Press (L3)Switch targetsRight Stick Press (R3)Show quest navigation markerAInteract / selectBJump / backXPut away itemYOpen phone menuLT (Left Trigger)Use tool or item / open emotes wheel (hold + stick to select)RT (Right Trigger)Run / sprintLB (Left Bumper)Open tool wheel / enter toolbarRB (Right Bumper)Switch targetsD-Pad UpOpen bag (inventory)D-Pad RightOpen settings menuD-Pad DownOpen garage (vehicles and mounts)D-Pad LeftEnter photo modeView Button (two squares)Open mapMenu Button (three lines)Settings / save and exit4242Controller Combat4343When using a Slingshot or bow, the controller switches to combat mode with different button functions:4545InputActionRT (Right Trigger)Fire / shootHold RTCharged shot (release for increased damage)ASwitch ammo type4747Controller Hotbar Navigation4848InputActionLB + D-Pad Left / RightSwitch between hotbar itemsLB + D-Pad DownSwitch between the two hotbar rows5050Controller Photo Mode5151InputActionD-Pad LeftEnter photo mode (from normal gameplay)YHide UI in photo mode5353PlayStation and Other Controllers5454PlayStation controllers work through Steam Input but display Xbox button labels. This is a known cosmetic issue; button positions are mapped correctly (Cross acts as A, Circle as B, etc.). Third-party controllers require Steam Input to be enabled in Steam settings. The GuliKit ES Pro and Elves 2 controllers have special editions created in collaboration with the game. PS5 vibration feedback is supported (added in patch 0.3.2537 for fish harvesting).5656Controller Settings5858The following controller-specific settings are available in the options menu:6060Rumble intensity adjustmentSeparate X-axis and Y-axis camera sensitivityAim mode sensitivity (separate from normal camera sensitivity)Gyroscope sensitivity controls (pitch, yaw, roll)Auto-aim toggleY-axis and X-axis inversion options6262Remapping6464All keyboard, mouse, and controller bindings can be changed through the in-game settings menu. Movement, interaction, navigation, vehicle access, photo mode, build mode, and combat controls are all individually configurable. However, during Early Access, remapping has some known limitations:6666WASD movement keys cannot be rebound through the in-game menu.Some remapped keys have caused overlapping functions and bugs, especially on controller.Patch 0.3.3595 fixed abnormal key remapping behavior for the Map and Quest buttons.Patch 0.3.3595 also fixed an issue where fishing rods and projectile tools could not be used after remapping.Workarounds for WASD rebinding include Steam Input remapping, AutoHotkey, or programmable keyboards.6868Non-Obvious Controls7070A few controls that are easy to miss:7272Alt + Mouse Wheel swaps between two hotbar rows. Most players do not discover this until hours into the game.Right Click switches Slingshot ammo types. Without this, you might not realize you can swap between Simple Pellets and Bomb Pellets mid-fight.Left Ctrl toggles walk/run speed. This is critical for bug catching. Insects flee when you run toward them; toggle to walking speed to sneak up.B opens the bag directly without going through the phone menu. Much faster for inventory checks.V shows the quest navigation marker, pointing you toward your current objective.Z puts away your held item, freeing your hands.Tool-specific button prompts appear above the hotbar when a tool is equipped. This shows contextual actions.On controller, LB + D-Pad Down is the only way to switch hotbar rows. There is no single-button shortcut for this.7474Known Issues (Early Access)7676Jumping feels inconsistent in some areas, with reports of invisible walls mid-air during platforming.No dedicated single-button map shortcut on controller (keyboard has M; controller requires the View button or navigating through the phone menu).PlayStation controllers show Xbox button labels regardless of controller brand.Default controller sensitivity for Slingshot aiming is too high for most players. Try lowering it to 30 to 40 in the controller settings.Some Steam Deck users report only joysticks working initially. Enabling Steam Input in Steam settings resolves this. The Steam Deck LCD hotkey is LB + D-Pad Up.WASD cannot be rebound through the in-game menu. Use Steam Input or external tools as a workaround.7878Related Articles8080System RequirementsGetting StartedBug NetFishingSlingshotSkateboardPhoto Mode
