39 Marathon Keyboard Shortcuts & Controls
Marathon is a first-person PvPvE extraction shooter developed by Bungie the studio behind Halo and Destiny released on March 5, 2026 for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Set on the derelict colony of Tau Ceti IV in the year 2893, players take on the role of bio-cybernetic mercenaries called Runners, infiltrating hostile zones to scavenge loot and extract alive. Every item you bring into a run is at risk die before extraction and you lose everything.
Whether you’re playing solo or as part of a three-player squad, mastering Marathon’s keyboard shortcuts and PC controls is non-negotiable. In a game where a split-second Melee or a mistimed Ability activation can cost you the entire run, knowing your keybinds by muscle memory is just as important as knowing the map. This guide covers every default keyboard shortcut in Marathon organized by category plus how to customize your bindings and pro tips to optimize your layout for competitive play.
Movement Controls
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move Forward | W |
| Strafe Left | A |
| Move Backward | S |
| Strafe Right | D |
| Jump | Spacebar |
| Crouch Toggle | Ctrl |
Combat & Weapon Controls
| Action | Keybinds |
|---|---|
| Primary Fire | Left Mouse Click |
| Alternative Fire | Right Mouse Click |
| Aim Down Sights (hold) | Right Mouse Click |
| Reload Weapon | R |
| Weapon Action Toggle | Z |
| Select Weapon 1 | 1 |
| Select Weapon 2 | 2 |
| Pull Out Knife | 3 |
| Cycle Weapon | ` |
| Next / Previous Weapon | Mouse Scroll |
| Melee Attack | C |
| Inspect Weapon | 7 |
Abilities & Equipment
| Action | Marathon Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Use Prime Ability | Q |
| Use Tactical Ability | F |
| Use Trait Ability | V |
| Trigger Equipment | G |
| Equipment Radial Menu | 5 |
| Consumable Radial Menu | 4 |
UI & Navigation
| Action | Marathon Controls |
|---|---|
| Open Loadout Menu | Tab |
| Display Map | M |
| Capture Screenshot | Print Screen |
| Interaction | E |
| Secondary Interaction | X |
Crafting Controls
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Crafting Primary Action | F |
| Crafting Secondary Action | V |
| Close Crafting Menu | E |
Vehicle & Communication Controls
| Action | Marathon Controls |
|---|---|
| Flying Craft Ascend | Spacebar |
| Flying Craft Descend | Shift |
| Switch Comms Radial | Spacebar |
| Voice Chat Push-to-Talk | T |
| Proximity Voice Broadcast | Y |
| Text Chat | Enter |
| Respond to Whisper | P |
Above are all default keyboard shortcuts in Marathon, organized by function. These reflect the default PC keybinds as of the v1.0.5 patch (March 20, 2026).
How to Change Keybindings in Marathon
Not happy with the default controls? Marathon lets you fully customize every keybind from the settings menu. Here’s exactly how to do it:
- Launch Marathon and wait until you reach the main menu.
- Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Navigate to the Keyboard & Mouse tab at the top of the Settings menu.
- Scroll to find the action you want to rebind and click on it to highlight it.
- Press your desired new key or mouse button the new binding will appear immediately.
- If a conflict is detected, Marathon will warn you. Resolve it by rebinding the conflicting action first.
- Click Apply in the bottom-right corner to save your changes.
Important: Keybindings cannot be changed during an active run. Always configure your controls before queuing into a match.
Reset to defaults: If you want to revert all changes, click Restore Defaults at the bottom of the Keyboard & Mouse settings page.
Best Keybind Recommendations for Marathon
The default keybindings work fine for casual play, but if you’re going deep into extraction runs especially solo a few tweaks can make a meaningful difference to your reaction speed and survival rate. Here are our top recommendations:
Watch out — Spacebar conflict
Spacebar is bound to three actions by default: Jump, Flying Craft Ascend, and Switch Comms Radial. While these don’t overlap in context, it can create confusion during high-pressure moments. Consider rebinding Switch Comms Radial to a dedicated thumb button on your mouse if available.
Melee is too far from WASD
The default Melee Attack key is C, which requires you to curl your left hand significantly mid-movement. Rebinding it to a mouse side button (Mouse 4 or Mouse 5) keeps your fingers on WASD and dramatically improves melee timing in close-quarters fights.
Crouch Toggle on Ctrl is risky
Left Ctrl is difficult to hold while simultaneously pressing WASD. For aggressive crouching mid-strafe, rebind Crouch Toggle to Left Alt or Caps Lock both are far more accessible without breaking your movement grip.
Lock in your Ability keys early
Prime Ability (Q), Tactical Ability (F), and Trait Ability (V) are well-placed by default, but F is shared with Crafting Primary Action. If you use the crafting station frequently, consider moving one of these to avoid accidental activations.
Ultimately, the best keybind layout is the one you’ve trained with consistently. Make changes before ranked sessions and give yourself at least 2–3 casual runs to build new muscle memory before judging whether a rebind works for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Press M to display the map during an active run. The map can be opened at any time outside of cutscenes or menus.
Hold Right Mouse Click (RMB) to aim down sights. Tapping RMB without holding will trigger the weapon’s alternative fire mode instead a key distinction depending on your equipped weapon.
No. Keybindings can only be changed from the main menu under Settings → Keyboard & Mouse. Changes cannot be applied during an active run, so always configure controls before queuing.
The default Melee Attack key is C. Many competitive players rebind this to a mouse side button for faster access during combat.
Press and hold T to activate Voice Chat Push-to-Talk. For proximity broadcasting to all nearby players (including enemies), press Y instead.
Press Tab to open the Loadout Menu, where you can review and manage your equipped weapons, gear, and consumables between extraction phases.
About This Guide
Last verified: March 20, 2026 · Marathon patch v1.0.5
This guide is updated every time Bungie releases a patch that changes default keybindings or adds new control options. All shortcuts listed above have been verified in-game on PC (Steam version). If you notice a keybind change after a patch update, let us know in the comments and we’ll verify and update within 24 hours.
Platform: PC (Windows) · Developer: Bungie · Genre: PvPvE Extraction Shooter · Release: March 5, 2026
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