Controls

7 Days to Die uses a fairly standard first-person control scheme on PC, with most keys rebindable through the options menu. The defaults below cover the actions you will use most while surviving, building, and fighting.

Movement

• W, A, S, D move your character forward, left, back, and right.
• Shift sprints, draining stamina.
• Space jumps; hold it repeatedly or use it with movement to climb obstacles.
• C or Ctrl crouches, which reduces noise and helps you sneak past or ambush zombies.

Interaction and Combat

• Left mouse button attacks or uses the equipped item.
• Right mouse button aims, blocks, or performs a secondary action depending on the tool or weapon.
• E interacts with doors, containers, workstations, and NPCs.
• R reloads firearms.
• The number keys 1 through 0 select toolbelt slots, and the mouse wheel cycles through them.

Inventory and Crafting

• I or Tab opens your inventory and crafting menu.
• Hold R (or the interact key) over an item for radial or context options in some menus.
• Drag items between your backpack and containers, or use quick-transfer buttons to move stacks fast.

Building

• When holding a building block, R rotates it to change orientation before placing.
• Left click places the block; you can then upgrade it with the right tool such as a stone axe or nailgun.

Other Useful Keys

• M opens the map.
• F toggles your flashlight if one is equipped.
• Q drops the currently held item.
• Esc opens the menu and options, where you can view and remap every control, including for controllers.

Because nearly all bindings can be customized, check the Controls section of the options menu to tailor the layout to your preferences, especially if you play with a gamepad.

Updates Needed

This page is community-maintained and may be incomplete or out of date. Spotted something wrong, or know a detail we missed? Sign in and hit Edit to propose changes — approved edits go live and help every survivor who reads this after you. Fresh tips, updated numbers for the latest patch, and clearer step-by-step guides are always welcome.