Controls

for Windows uses the standard control scheme of mouse and keyboard controls as input. The game cannot be played using only a mouse or only a keyboard using the default control scheme. The controls menu is located in the Options setting.

Non-configurable controls
''Note: On many notebook computers and most Macs, "Function keys" (briefly "F-keys") do not operate in their default configuration. The player can often get around this by pressing the ' key or sometimes the ' key while they press an F-key. To make F-keys work in macOS, go to the Apple menu → System Preferences → Keyboard and mouse and check the "Use, etc. as normal keys." If the player choose the first option, they can then use the  key to switch F-keys back to actions they used to do (e.g. play/pause music, etc.). The player can also use the F-keys by holding the button while pressing them.

Java Edition uses a combination of the mouse and keyboard for controls, generically known as "mouselook/keymove." Many prior games (such as DOOM and Quake) have used such a scheme, but those who have not played such a game before, may need practice to get around effectively. Creative mode or Peaceful survival mode are helpful for a player to gain familiarity with the controls.

Semi-configurable controls
While aspects of these controls can be modified to an extent, full control over them is not possible

Configurable controls
These are controls that a user may change at their preference.

Keyboard & Mouse
The "Keyboard & Mouse" controls are similar to, with a few differences. These controls can be changed in the Options. Keyboard controls are unavailable on the Nintendo Switch and are normally unavailable on Android, iOS, and iPadOS, but possible to use from connected external keyboards. Mouse controls are available only on Windows, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Xbox, and PlayStation; however, the controls can be configured to the keyboard on other platforms by enabling "Full Keyboard Gameplay".


 * Non-configurable controls


 * Configurable controls

If "Full Keyboard Gameplay" is enabled, the following inputs are made available/used instead.

Controller
The "Controller" controls for gamepads are similar to the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 editions, with some differences. All of these controls, except the stick controls, can be changed in the Options. The Nintendo Switch version can be played with a pair of Joy-Con controllers, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or the Nintendo Switch Lite. It cannot be played with a single Joy-Con, as it does not have enough buttons or control sticks. If the gamepad has control sticks, then the left stick (////) would be used for moving and the right stick (////) would be used for looking. The blank spaces mean that the function is, by default, left unassigned and it is up to the player to assign a button to it. All platforms support gamepads.

Touch
"Touch" controls for touchscreen devices use controls shown on the screen. Split-touch controls displays a cross hair, which can be set in Settings. Touch controls are available on devices that is touch-enabled except Nintendo Switch, where the touchscreen can only be used to interact with the hotbar, inventory, and menus.

Legacy Versions
These versions have either been discontinued or long forgotten about. However, their controls are documented here for historical purposes.

All of the controls in the Pi Edition are fixed and cannot be changed.

: Xperia Play
Note: For Xperia Play owners using the gamepad, while in creative mode, the lowest two rows of items are beneath the screen, and one cannot scroll down to see them. They are still accessible, but it requires either remembering how many times one has to press the directional buttons to access them, or trial-and-error. This is most prominent in the 4.0 update, as the amount of items has increased, and now sixteen items are hidden. The only way to see them is to turn on the option to use touch controls in the options menu.

All of the controls in the New Nintendo 3DS Edition are fixed and cannot be changed.

Old Keys
Below are the list of keys which are no longer usable in the current versions of the game.

Debugging controls
These controls are used for debugging and were unintentionally left in-game in the following versions: Beta 1.8 Pre-release (pre-reupload only), Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5 and snapshot 12w08a. The controls are called the "deadmau5 camera".