Rust keybinds & console commands
Rust ships with sensible defaults, but the players who win fights have their binds sorted before wipe day. This page lists the default keys, the exact console syntax for making your own binds, and the command set worth pasting into the F1 console the first time you connect to a Rust server.
Rust keybinds are set in the F1 console with the command bind <key> <action>. Useful examples are bind f1 consoletoggle, bind mouse3 +voice, bind x gestures.wave and bind p combatlog. Binds save automatically to your config, so they survive wipes and only need to be entered once.
How binds work
Press F1 to open the console, type a command, hit enter. Binds are stored in your client config, so you enter them once and they persist across wipes and servers. The syntax is always the same:
- bind <key> <command> — assign a command to a key.
- bind <key> "cmd1;cmd2" — chain several commands on one key.
- unbind <key> — remove a bind you no longer want.
- A leading + (as in +voice) means hold-to-use; the action stops when you release the key.
Default Rust keybinds
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| W A S D | Move |
| Shift | Sprint |
| Ctrl | Crouch |
| Space | Jump |
| E | Use / interact (hold for the radial menu) |
| Q | Auto-run |
| R | Reload |
| F | Attack with your hands / inspect |
| Tab | Inventory |
| V | Voice chat (hold) |
| T | Chat |
| 1-6 | Hotbar slots |
| F1 | Console |
| F7 | Report a player |
Binds worth adding
Paste these into the F1 console one line at a time. They are quality-of-life binds — none of them automate combat, and all of them are allowed on RustMates servers.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| bind mouse3 +voice | Push-to-talk on the mouse wheel button, freeing V |
| bind x gestures.wave | Instant wave — the cheapest way to avoid a needless fight |
| bind p combatlog | Print your last fights to console to check for desync or cheats |
| bind n noclip | Only works with admin rights; harmless on public servers |
| bind c "attack;forward" | Hold to auto-farm a node so you can look at the horizon while gathering |
| bind mouse4 +duck | Crouch on a thumb button — much faster than Ctrl in a fight |
| bind h swapseats | Swap seats in vehicles without exiting |
| bind t "chat.say /remove" | Opens the remover tool where the plugin is enabled on the server |
Console commands for performance and clarity
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| fps.limit 144 | Cap frames to your monitor; reduces stutter and heat |
| grass.displacement false | Cheap FPS win on lower-end machines |
| gc.buffer 2048 | Fewer garbage-collection hitches on 16 GB+ systems |
| graphics.vm_fov_scale false | Stops the viewmodel FOV warping when you sprint |
| audio.master 0.6 | Lower master audio so footsteps stay readable |
| client.lookatradius 0.1 | Tighter interaction cursor — fewer misclicks in bases |
| perf 5 | On-screen performance overlay for diagnosing frame drops |
Connecting straight to a server
The fastest way onto a Rust server is the console. Press F1 and type client.connect IP:PORT — no browser search, no filtering. Every RustMates server card copies its own connect string to your clipboard, so you can paste it directly. The full walkthrough lives in how to join.
Frequently asked
How do I bind a key in Rust?
Press F1 to open the console and type bind <key> <command>, for example bind mouse3 +voice. The bind is saved to your client config automatically and stays active across servers and wipes until you unbind it.
Where are Rust keybinds saved?
Binds are written to your Rust client configuration (cfg/keys.cfg in the game folder). You do not need to re-enter them after a wipe or after joining a different Rust server.
Are Rust bind scripts bannable?
Quality-of-life binds such as push-to-talk, crouch or gestures are fine. Scripts that automate firing, reduce recoil or aim for you are cheats, detected by Easy Anti-Cheat, and permanently banned on RustMates.
How do I reset a Rust keybind?
Type unbind <key> in the F1 console to remove a single bind, or use the in-game Options > Controls screen to restore the default key layout.