Knife Arena Controls & Settings Guide (January 2026)

Spent my first 10 matches not knowing there was a heavy attack. Just spamming light attacks like an idiot while everyone else was one-shotting me. Turns out the controls aren’t obvious, especially if you’re coming from other Roblox shooters.

This guide covers every control on every platform, plus the settings that actually matter for competitive play. The default settings are fine for casual play, but if you want to climb the leaderboard, you’ll need to tweak some things.

Already know the controls? Check out the Knife Arena Beginner Guide for gameplay tips.

PC Controls

PC is the best platform for Knife Arena. Mouse aiming is more precise than controller or touch, and you have access to all keybinds.

Movement

Action	Key
Move Forward	W
Move Backward	S
Move Left	A
Move Right	D
Sprint	Shift (hold)
Crouch	Ctrl or C
Slide	Ctrl or C (while sprinting)
Jump	Space

Combat

Action	Key
Light Attack	Left Mouse Button (LMB)
Heavy Attack	Right Mouse Button (RMB)
Inspect Knife	V

Light vs Heavy Attack

This is the most important thing to understand.

Light Attack (LMB): Fast throw, lower damage. Good for finishing weakened enemies or when you need quick follow-up shots. Shorter cooldown between throws.

Heavy Attack (RMB): Slower wind-up, higher damage. Can one-shot on headshots with most knives. Longer cooldown but devastating when it lands.

Most new players spam light attacks. Good players use heavy attacks for opening shots and light attacks for cleanup. The wind-up on heavy attacks is noticeable, so you need to predict where enemies will be, not where they are.

Sliding

Sliding is underrated. Sprint + Crouch makes you slide, which:

• Makes you harder to hit
• Maintains momentum
• Lets you duck under throws

I started incorporating slides after getting destroyed by someone who was impossible to hit. Turns out they were slide-canceling constantly. Now I do the same.

Mobile Controls

Mobile has auto-aim assist, which helps compensate for touch controls. It’s playable but you’re at a disadvantage against PC players.

Default Layout

Action	Control
Move	Left virtual joystick
Look	Right side of screen (drag)
Light Attack	Auto-attack when aimed
Heavy Attack	Heavy attack button
Crouch	Crouch button
Jump	Jump button

Auto-Lock Feature

Mobile has an auto-lock feature that helps you track enemies. When enabled, your aim will stick to nearby enemies slightly. This is huge for mobile players because precise aiming with touch is hard.

To enable: Settings > Gameplay > Auto-Lock > On

I tested mobile for about 2 hours. The auto-lock helps but it’s not magic. You still need to lead targets and predict movement. It just makes tracking easier.

Mobile Tips

Use two thumbs. One for movement, one for aiming. Don’t try to do both with one hand.

Increase sensitivity. Default mobile sensitivity is too low. Bump it up until you can do a 180 comfortably.

Play on WiFi. Mobile data latency will get you killed. The game requires quick reactions.

Consider a controller. If you’re serious about mobile play, connect a Bluetooth controller. It’s a massive upgrade.

Xbox Controls

Xbox uses the standard Roblox controller layout with some Knife Arena specific bindings.

Movement

Action	Button
Move	Left Stick
Look	Right Stick
Sprint	Left Stick (click)
Crouch/Slide	B
Jump	A

Combat

Action	Button
Light Attack	RT (Right Trigger)
Heavy Attack	LT (Left Trigger)
Inspect Knife	Y

Xbox Tips

Adjust stick sensitivity. The default is usually too high. Go to Settings > Controls and lower it until your aim feels smooth.

Use the triggers properly. RT for quick throws, LT for power shots. Don’t mash RT constantly.

Aim assist exists. Console has slight aim assist built in. It’s not as strong as mobile auto-lock but it helps.

PlayStation Controls

PlayStation 5 is supported with similar controls to Xbox.

Movement

Action	Button
Move	Left Stick
Look	Right Stick
Sprint	L3 (Left Stick click)
Crouch/Slide	Circle
Jump	X

Combat

Action	Button
Light Attack	R2
Heavy Attack	L2
Inspect Knife	Triangle

PlayStation Tips

Same as Xbox. Adjust sensitivity, use triggers correctly, and take advantage of aim assist.

Optimal Settings

Default settings work, but these tweaks will improve your gameplay.

Sensitivity

This is personal preference, but here’s a starting point:

PC (Mouse):

• Start at 0.5 sensitivity
• Adjust until you can track a moving target smoothly
• Lower is usually better for precision

Console (Controller):

• Start at 4-5 sensitivity
• Increase if you can’t turn fast enough
• Decrease if you’re overshooting targets

Mobile (Touch):

• Start at 60-70% sensitivity
• Higher than PC/console because touch is less precise
• Adjust based on screen size

My Settings

After a lot of testing, here’s what I use on PC:

Setting	Value
Mouse Sensitivity	0.4
FOV	90
Graphics Quality	4 (medium)
Master Volume	80%
Music Volume	20%
SFX Volume	100%

The low sensitivity helps with precision. The medium graphics keep FPS stable. The audio settings let me hear footsteps clearly without music distracting me.

Graphics Settings

Lower graphics = higher FPS = smoother gameplay. Unless you have a beast PC, consider lowering graphics for competitive play.

Setting	Recommended
Graphics Quality	4-6
Shadows	Off or Low
Particles	Low

The visual difference between max and medium graphics is minimal. The performance difference is significant.

Audio Settings

Sound matters in Knife Arena. Footsteps tell you where enemies are before you see them.

Setting	Recommended
Master Volume	70-100%
Music Volume	0-30%
SFX Volume	100%

Turn music down or off. It’s nice but it covers footstep audio. SFX at max so you hear everything.

FOV (Field of View)

Higher FOV lets you see more of the map but makes targets smaller. Lower FOV zooms in but limits peripheral vision.

Recommended: 85-95

I use 90 as a balance. Some players go higher (100+) for awareness, some go lower (80) for easier aiming. Experiment and find what works for you.

Advanced Control Tips

Keybind Customization

Roblox lets you rebind some keys. Consider:

• Crouch to a mouse button if you have extra buttons. Easier to slide while moving.
• Sprint toggle vs hold. Toggle is easier on your pinky for long sessions.

Crosshair Placement

Not a setting, but a habit. Keep your crosshair at head height while moving. When an enemy appears, you only need to adjust horizontally. This cuts reaction time significantly.

Pre-Aiming

Before peeking a corner, aim where you expect enemies to be. Don’t peek and then aim. Aim and then peek.

Movement While Throwing

You can move while throwing. Use this. Strafe left or right during your throw animation to make yourself harder to hit.

Platform Comparison

Platform	Pros	Cons
PC	Best aim precision, all keybinds	Requires good hardware
Mobile	Auto-lock assist, play anywhere	Touch controls are imprecise
Xbox	Controller comfort, aim assist	Less precise than mouse
PlayStation	Same as Xbox	Same as Xbox

If you’re serious about climbing the leaderboard, PC is the way to go. Mobile and console are fine for casual play.

Troubleshooting

Input Lag

If your inputs feel delayed:

1. Lower graphics settings
2. Close background applications
3. Check your internet connection
4. Try wired connection instead of WiFi

Sensitivity Feels Wrong

If sensitivity changes aren’t working:

1. Restart the game after changing settings
2. Check if Roblox has its own sensitivity setting overriding the game
3. On console, check system-level sensitivity settings

Controls Not Responding

If buttons aren’t working:

1. Make sure the game window is focused (PC)
2. Reconnect your controller
3. Check for Roblox updates
4. Restart Roblox entirely

Related Content

• Knife Arena Codes for free rewards
• Knife Arena Beginner Guide for gameplay tips
• Knife Arena Knife Tier List for best knives
• Knife Arena Maps Guide for map strategies