Valorant Keyboard Controls & Shortcuts: The Complete List

Valorant is a tactical first-person shooter from Riot Games, available on Windows PC. Every action in the game, from moving and shooting to using an ability or pinging a location, is tied to a default keyboard shortcut. This guide lists every default Valorant keyboard control, explains what each one does, and shows you how to customize or add your own.

Quick Answer: Default Valorant Controls

If you just installed Valorant and want the basics, here they are:

• Move: W (forward), A (left), S (back), D (right)
• Walk quietly: Left Shift (LShift)
• Crouch: Left Ctrl
• Jump: Spacebar
• Reload: R
• Use an object / interact: F
• Abilities: Q, E, C, and X (Ultimate)
• Equip Spike / Plant or Defuse: 4
• Open the map: M (toggle) or Caps Lock (hold)
• Scoreboard: Tab

Everything below covers the full list, including interface and chat shortcuts most guides skip.

What Is LShift in Valorant?

LShift stands for the Left Shift key, the Shift key on the left side of your keyboard, usually located below Caps Lock. In Valorant, LShift is bound to Walk by default.

Holding LShift makes your character move slower and quieter, which reduces the footstep noise enemies can hear through walls and around corners. It is commonly used to peek an angle silently or reposition without giving away your location.

By default, Valorant uses hold-to-walk, meaning you only walk while LShift is held down. You can switch this to toggle-walk in Settings > Controls > Movement if you would rather tap the key once and stay in walk mode until you tap it again. If holding LShift feels uncomfortable, it can be rebound to any other key.

Equipment & Weapon Shortcuts

These shortcuts control your weapons, abilities, and equipped items.

Note: Firing your weapon itself is not a keyboard shortcut. Shooting, aiming down sights, and melee attacks are controlled with the mouse (Left Click to fire, Right Click for alternate fire/ADS on some weapons). The keys above only cover switching, reloading, and using items.

Movement Shortcuts

Jump is always bound to the Spacebar by default; there is no separate jump button elsewhere on the keyboard unless you rebind one yourself.

Crouch, sometimes searched as “how to sit in Valorant,” is bound to Left Ctrl. Holding it lowers your character’s hitbox and reduces footstep noise further than walking alone, though it also slows your movement speed.

Interface Shortcuts

The “Observe Player” and “Toggle Free Camera” shortcuts only apply when you are spectating a match as an observer, not while you’re actively playing.

Communication Shortcuts

These are your in-match chat shortcuts. Note that “V” serves a different purpose in observer mode (free camera toggle) versus in an active match (team voice push to talk); Valorant separates these contexts automatically.

Valorant Controls on a Laptop

Valorant’s default controls work the same on a laptop keyboard, but a few keys can feel cramped depending on your layout:

• Left Ctrl and Left Shift are usually fine, but on compact/travel keyboards they sit close to the edge and can be uncomfortable for extended play. Rebind Crouch or Walk to a nearby key like Z, X, or V if needed.
• F1 (Agent Ability Tooltip) can conflict with laptop function-key shortcuts (brightness, volume, etc.) if Fn Lock isn’t set correctly. Check your laptop’s function-key behavior in Windows settings if F1 doesn’t respond.
• Number row keys (1–4, and 1–9 for observer mode) work normally on laptops and don’t usually need changes.

If your laptop trackpad is your only pointing device, consider using an external mouse. Valorant’s abilities and precise aiming are difficult to play well with a trackpad alone, regardless of keyboard shortcuts.

How to Customize Your Keybinds

You are not required to keep the default layout, and Valorant also lets you set a separate keybind profile for each agent if one ability layout doesn’t suit all of them.

1. Open Valorant and click the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Go to the Controls tab.
3. Use the Actions, Equipment, Communication, and Interface sub-tabs to find the shortcut you want to change.
4. Click the current key next to an action, then press the new key you want to bind.
5. To set up an agent-specific profile, use the agent-profile option near the top of the Actions screen, create a profile for that agent, and copy your default binds into it before adjusting only the keys you want to change for that agent.
6. Valorant will flag any conflicting keybinds. Resolve any conflicts, then test your new binds in the practice Range before using them in a real match.

How to Add a Valorant Shortcut to Your Desktop

If you’re looking to create a desktop icon that launches Valorant directly (rather than an in-game keybind), here’s how:

1. Open the Riot Client or find Valorant in your Windows Start Menu.
2. Right-click on the Valorant entry.
3. Select Open file location (or More > Open file location).
4. In the folder that opens, right-click the Valorant or Riot Client executable file.
5. Select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
6. A shortcut icon will now appear on your desktop that launches Valorant directly.

You can rename the shortcut or change its icon by right-clicking it and selecting Properties.

Download the Free Valorant Shortcut Keys PDF

Want this list on hand while you play? Download the free, printable PDF version of every Valorant keyboard shortcut covered in this guide.

Download Valorant Shortcut Keys PDF

Frequently Asked Questions

What is LShift in Valorant?

LShift is the left Shift key on your keyboard. In Valorant, it is bound to Walk by default, which lets you move quietly at reduced speed.

What are the Valorant controls on a laptop?

The same as on a desktop keyboard: WASD for movement, Left Shift to walk, Left Ctrl to crouch, and Spacebar to jump. If any key feels cramped on your specific laptop layout, you can rebind it in Settings > Controls.

How do I jump in Valorant?

Press the Spacebar. This is the default jump key and cannot be triggered any other way unless you rebind it.

How do I crouch or “sit” in Valorant?

Hold Left Ctrl. This lowers your character’s hitbox and reduces the noise of your footsteps.

How do I shoot in Valorant with the keyboard?

You don’t. Firing your weapon is controlled with the mouse (Left Click to fire), not the keyboard. The keyboard shortcuts in this guide cover movement, reloading, abilities, and switching weapons only.

How do I make a Valorant shortcut on my desktop?

Right-click the Valorant or Riot Client entry in your Start Menu, choose Open file location, then right-click the executable and select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut). See the full steps above.

Can I use different keybinds for each Valorant agent?

Yes. Go to Settings > Controls > Actions and create an agent-specific keybind profile. This lets you assign different ability keys per agent while keeping your movement and weapon controls the same across all of them.

What are the best Valorant keybinds for beginners?

Start with the defaults: WASD to move, Left Shift to walk, Left Ctrl to crouch, Spacebar to jump, R to reload, and Q/E/C/X for abilities. Only change a bind once you notice it’s genuinely slowing you down.

Conclusion

Valorant’s default keyboard controls are built around WASD movement, with Left Shift for walking, Left Ctrl for crouching, and Spacebar for jumping forming the core of every match. Once you add reload, ability keys, and the interface and chat shortcuts covered above, you have everything you need to play without hunting for a key mid-round.

Start with the defaults, get comfortable, and only rebind a key once you notice it’s genuinely slowing you down. If one ability layout doesn’t suit every agent you play, set up an agent-specific profile instead of forcing a single layout to work for all of them. Bookmark this guide or grab the PDF above so you always have the full list on hand.

READ NEXT:

• Pidgin Keyboard Shortcuts
• Alteryx Keyboard Shortcuts
• French Alt Codes
• 1Password Keyboard Shortcuts