Best Escape from Tarkov key binds for healing, reloading & more

Using the best key binds in Escape from Tarkov will make certain actions like healing and reloading so much easier, while opening up new opportunities as well.

Harry Boulton

08th Nov 2023 10:03

Images via Battlestate Games

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Mastering all of the different key binds in Escape from Tarkov will make surviving raids a whole lot easier, as they simplify and combine actions so that you don't have to frantically search for a combination best suited to healing and reloading in the heat of the moment.

Escape from Tarkov is probably one of the most hardcore first-person shooters that you can play right now, and a big part of that is the sheer number of different actions that you can perform. With the right key binds, you can do a whole lot - and you might be surprised at just how many are already implemented in the game that are easily missed.

Best custom key binds in Escape from Tarkov

To help in surviving raids and winning more gunfights in Escape from Tarkov, you'll absolutely need to use all of the custom key binds listed below, as they dramatically speed up key actions like healing, reloading, and clearing weapon jams - letting you get back to the action quicker:

Key bind name	Custom bind	Action
Removing quick reload	Change 'Reload' to 'Double Press', then back to 'Press'	Removes the double press delay to ensure a quicker reload
Removing sidearm quick swap	Change 'Sidearm' to 'Double Press', then back to 'Press'	Removes the delay when switching to your secondary
Dual med bind	Bind 'Slot 4' to 4 as 'Release', then bind 'Slot 5' to 4 as 'Press'	Lets you have two meds on one button, like CALOK-B on 'Press' and Salewa on 'Release'
Always hold breath	Bind 'Hold Breath' to RMB as 'Release', then bind 'Aim' to RMB as 'Press'	Ensures that you're holding your breath as soon as you scope in
Easy magnification switch	Bind 'Change scope magnification' to Mouse 4 or Mouse 5	Lets you quickly switch between magnification levels with one press
Easy tactical device switch	Bind 'Toggle tactical device' to Mouse 4 or Mouse 5	Lets you quickly turn flashlights or lasers on and off with one press
Quick exit check	Unbind 'Check time' and then set 'Check time and exits' to single instead of double	Lets you check both time and exit locations with a single button press
Gun malfunction combo	Bind 'Check chamber/fix malfunction' to L on press, then 'Inspect current weapon' L on release	Lets you fix any gun jam by double-pressing L

It might take a little time to memorise these key binds and integrate them into your standard play, but they are genuinely game-changing in nearly every raid you'll enter. By far the most important of the bunch is the gun malfunction combo shown below, as this has saved my life more times than I can count when playing.

Screenshot showing the gun malfunction combo in the settings menu of Escape From Tarkov

I've always found the default process for removing a weapon jam to be far too convoluted, so the fact that you're able to get rid of it and get back to firing by double-tapping the L key makes a world of a difference.

The dual med bind is also incredibly handy when playing, saving you the trouble of checking if you have a heavy bleed. If you do have one, it'll prioritise that over replenishing your HP, as that's a far more pressing issue. If there's no heavy bleed, it will instead skip over the initial bind and go straight to healing your parts up - neat, right?

Best pre-existing key binds

Image of key binds in Escape from Tarkov

There are also a fair amount of handy key binds that are already set in Escape from Tarkov that you might have missed, so check out the table below to pick up a few new tricks:

Name	Key bind	Action
Quick transfer	CTRL + LMB	Quickly transfer items to your backpack/rig
Quick equip	ALT + LMB	Quickly equips items to your PMC
Quick walk	Caps Lock	Quickly switch to the slowest movement speed
Crouch adjust	C + Scroll up/down	Adjust the crouch height of your PMC
Quick Stash scroll	Page Up/Page Down	Quickly hops to the top/bottom of your stash
Free Look	Middle mouse button + mouse movement	Look independently of your movement direction
Smooth lean	ALT + Q/E	Slowly lean in either direction for finer adjustments
Smooth step	ALT + A/D	Slowly step left or right
Blind fire	ALT + W/S	Hold your gun above/to the right to fire around cover
Magazine select	R + Scroll up/down	Choose the next or previous magazine in your rig for more precision
Quick melee hit	Double tap V	Use your melee weapon without having to bring it out
Backpack drop	Double tap Z	Quickly drop your backpack for more movement in fights
Change tactical device	CTRL + T	Switch your tactical device's setting
Switch scopes	CTRL + RMB	Switch between multiple scopes on a weapon
Switch magnification/reticule	ALT + RMB	Change level of magnification on a scope
Check ammo	ALT + T	Check ammo type and level in loaded magazine
Identify	Middle mouse button	Quickly identify items
Change fire mode	B	Change between single-fire, burst, and fully-automatic fire modes
Check fire mode	ALT + B	Check your current fire mode
Quick full auto	Double tap B	Quickly switch to fully automatic firing mode
Scope zeroing	Page Up/Page Down	Change the scope zero level when zoomed in
Split item stack	CTRL + LMB	Split the items in an item stack - useful for ammo
Discard	Delete key	Quickly discard items
Rotate	R	Rotate items in stash or bags

It's highly likely that you know at least a few of these, but memorising every single one of this list is essential if you're a new player in Tarkov, as they will more often than not help you out in everything through to organising your stash.

The backpack drop, for example, is an essential piece of in-game tech that you can use to enhance your movement in gunfights. If you've got a lot of loot weighing you down and suddenly find yourself in a fight, make sure to double-press Z to dump your bag and have the freedom of weightless movement once again.

About The Author

Harry Boulton

Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.

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