Keyboard Controls and Shortcuts Guide for "The Forest"

Basic Controls

The basic controls for the avatar in The Forest use standard first-person shooter (FPS) inputs such as WASD movement, jumping, dashing, and crouching, so anyone familiar with FPS games will be able to pick them up quickly.

Inventory and Menus

In The Forest, switching between the inventory and the survival guide happens very frequently, so it is essential to master the two key assignments I (inventory) and B (guidebook). It is also useful to remember the M key (map) together with them.

Actions and Interactions

Actions such as interacting, placing items, saving, and sleeping are laid out on the C, E, Z, and G keys. Because these keys are close to WASD, mistypes can happen easily, but the game displays the key prompts when something is in focus, so they will become familiar through use.

Items and Equipment

Shortcuts related to visibility and status checks are very important for nighttime exploration and combat preparation. Combining the L key for lighting, the P key for the pedometer, the backslash key for checking the condition of the arm, and the Q key for voice chat makes exploration and multiplayer sessions much more comfortable.

Item Slots and Hotkeys

Assigning frequently used weapons and tools to 1 through 4 allows instant switching without opening the inventory, which not only makes gameplay smoother but also reduces stress. Which items to set is best determined by experimenting as the game progresses.

In-Game Controls

The frequency of using guidebook page turns, reloads, and tertiary actions varies depending on the situation, but knowing them helps small operations feel smoother. Reloading and page turning are particularly useful for combat preparation and checking crafting recipes, so it is reassuring to get used to them together with mouse controls.