Payday 2 Keyboard Controls and Shortcuts Guide
This guide organizes the default keyboard key assignments (movement, combat, actions, UI) for the co-op heist FPS Payday 2 by category. It includes finger placement tips and memorization strategies tailored to in-game flow.
Posted at: 2025.12.23
Movement
Payday 2's movement is built around the standard WASD used in PC FPS games. Combine running (Left Shift) and crouching (Left Ctrl) in many situations, so master these first.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Forward | W |
| Backward | S |
| Left Strafe | A |
| Right Strafe | D |
| Run | Left Shift |
| Jump | Space |
| Crouch | Left Ctrl |
Combat (Weapon Controls)
Combat revolves around the basics of shooting (left click), aiming (right click), and reloading (R). Next, learn weapon switching (C key) and firing mode switching (V key) to reduce accidents. The gadget ON/OFF (Q key) also sees surprisingly high usage, making a difference in light or laser deployment.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Fire | Left Click |
| Aim | Right Click |
| Primary Weapon | 2 |
| Secondary Weapon | 1 |
| Weapon Switch | C |
| Reload | R |
| Weapon Gadget ON/OFF | Q |
| Firing Mode Switch | V |
| Bipod Deployment | 4 |
Actions (Melee, Equipment, Interactions)
Payday 2's action controls center on melee (E key), shouting/interactions (F key), and equipment deployment (G key). F is especially versatile for object manipulation to intimidation, so in cases of uncertainty, press F first—memorize it as "slide index finger from WASD position to F key" for easy mastery.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Melee Attack | E |
| Shout/Interact | F |
| Equipment Deploy/Bag Throw | G |
| Throwable | 3 |
UI (Chat, Selection)
UI controls basics are chat (T key) and confirm/select (Enter key). In random co-op, chat invocation frequency increases especially, so memorize them.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Chat | T |