Monster Hunter Wilds Keyboard Controls & Shortcuts Guide

Hunter Movement & Basic Controls

Movement relies on the standard PC gaming "WASD" layout. The core style in MH Wilds involves keeping your left hand planted on the WASD home row while reaching for adjacent keys as the situation demands.

Hold "Left Shift" to dash (which drains stamina) or to sheathe your drawn weapon. The "Spacebar" is constantly used for emergency evades, jumping off ledges, and crouching—make sure you master pressing it seamlessly while holding WASD so you can react instantly.

Use "F" to gather tracks, ore, and herbs on the field, carve monsters, and talk to NPCs. Press "E" to quickly use items like potions. Note that this differs from a controller setup, where a single button often handles multiple types of interactions.

Combat & Weapon Controls

Combat—specifically weapon controls—is arguably the biggest hurdle when playing Monster Hunter Wilds with a mouse and keyboard.

While basic attacks are tied to mouse clicks like most PC games, Monster Hunter features complex, weapon-specific movesets mapped to Left Click, Right Click, simultaneous clicks, and the Ctrl key.

If you're migrating from a controller, combat actions were likely centralized around your right thumb. With a keyboard and mouse, inputs are split between both hands and rely heavily on modifier keys (like Ctrl) and simultaneous clicks, which can feel quite alien at first.

Memorizing how PC inputs map to standard controller buttons will make your transition much smoother in the beginning.

Additionally, press "C" to equip or remove Mantles, and "X" to instantly swap between your primary and secondary weapons (a new feature in this entry allowing you to carry two weapons).

Slinger & Item Controls

The Slinger—used for triggering environmental traps, gathering materials from afar, and firing ammo—is fired by clicking the Mouse Wheel (Middle Click).

To select items during combat, hold "Left Ctrl" and scroll the mouse wheel up or down to quickly cycle through the item bar. Press "V" to display your custom shortcuts on-screen, and "G" to switch between shortcut palettes. To check your inventory or craft items, press "I" to open your item pouch.

Because Monster Hunter's UI is fundamentally designed for controller users, navigating these item menus on a keyboard can feel slightly clunky.

Seikret & Mount Controls

Here is how to control your Seikret, your vital animal partner in this game.

Press "Tab" (Auto-call / Auto-switch) to have the Seikret automatically track a monster or navigate to a designated target. If you prefer to take the reins and free-roam, press "Q" (Manual-call / Manual-switch).

Use "Z" to slow down or come to a sudden stop while riding. Press "N" to open the Seikret Pouch, allowing you to access extra supplies and backup equipment stored on your mount. Sharpening your weapon or using items while moving works exactly the same as when you are on foot.

Camera, Targeting & UI

Camera management is absolutely critical in Monster Hunter.

On a keyboard and mouse, press "B" to toggle the Target Camera or lock onto a monster. Since "B" is a bit of a stretch from WASD, you may want to rebind this to an easier-to-reach key on your left hand for regular use.

If a hunt goes south or you need backup in multiplayer, you can quickly fire an SOS Flare by pressing "Right Shift".

Press "End" to pause the game. The "O" key opens the Options menu for tweaking keybinds and graphics settings, while the "P" key pulls up your Hunter Profile (this game's equivalent of the Guild Card) to view your hunting record.

Communication & Multiplayer

These shortcuts support coordination and communication between hunters in lobbies and during quests. The ease of typing and chatting is a distinct advantage of the PC version.

Press "Enter" to open the text chat input. If you're using voice chat, Push-to-Talk is activated by holding down the "T" key. You can view the list of hunters currently in your Gathering Hub or quest by pressing "L" to open the Member List.

Furthermore, function keys are mapped to fun communication tools for celebrating successful hunts or hanging out at camp: press "F9" for Stickers, "F10" for Gestures, and "F11" for Pose Sets. This lets you fire off your favorite reactions with a single keystroke.