What are the controls of The Binding of Isaac?

What are all the keys used in The Binding of Isaac?

I'm going to configure my joystick using one of the tools suggested at How to setup the joypad for Binding of Isaac? (Xpadder, JoyToKey, QJoyPad, etc.), and for this reason I wish to know beforehand what are all the keys used in this game, so I can configure them before playing and won't need to configure more keys mid-game.

I know the first in-game level shows the controls, but that screen is not complete. There are at least two more keys (Q and P) that are not listed there. This is the reason I'm asking this question: I want to know the complete list of all controls.


Here are all the keys you need to control the game:

  • w, a, s, d - Move up, left, down or right, respectively.

  • , , , - Shoot up, left, down or right, respectively.

  • Mouse clicks - Shoot up, left, down or right.

  • space - Use current activated item (such as Lemon Mishap, Teleport!, etc.).

  • shift, e - Place bomb.

  • q - Use single use item, either a tarot card or a pill.

  • p, esc - Pause the game. Note that when paused, p resumes while esc offers to quit.

  • m - Turn off the music.

  • f - Toggle fullscreen (only works while paused or in the main menu)

  • tab - Holding will expand the mini-map. Tapping will toggle it's corner size.

This is all I personally require to control the game properly, though I admit there may be some additional obscure keys I am unaware of.