Game controls

The default game controls are listed below. These can be changed from the Controls menu in settings on the title screen. While in-game, they can be accessed by opening the inventory, selecting "Settings", and navigating to "Controls".
== Desktop / Console Versions ==
=== Gameplay Controls ===
Action	Wiki Icon	PC (mouse & keyboard)	PC (controller)	Playstation	Xbox	Wii U	Nintendo Switch	Notes
===Map Controls===
Action	Wiki Icon	PC (mouse & keyboard)	PC (controller)	Playstation	Xbox	Wii U	Nintendo Switch	Notes
===Hotbar Controls===
Action	Wiki Icon	PC (mouse & keyboard)	PC (controller)	Playstation	Xbox	Wii U	Nintendo Switch	Notes
===Others===
Action	Wiki Icon	PC (mouse & keyboard)	PC (controller)	Playstation	Xbox	Wii U	Nintendo Switch	Notes
===Inventory===
* To remove one item from a stack, right click on it. Hold down the right mouse button to increase the number of items to be removed from the stack.
*To place objects directly from your inventory, left click to select the item, then left click to place it or right click to throw it.
*To place objects directly from your inventory into the Trash Can, hold Ctrl down while clicking the item. This can be used to quickly free up space in your inventory. 
**This setting can be changed on the main menu under Settings > Controls > Left Shift Quick Trash. Enabling the option will have quick trash use Shift instead.
*To quickly move objects from your inventory into an open container, or vice versa, hold Shift down while clicking the item.
*To place objects directly from an open container into the Trash Can, hold Ctrl down while clicking an item.
**If Left Shift Quick Trash is enabled, this feature will not work.
*To favorite an item (making it unable to be quick stacked, quick trashed, thrown, or deposited), hold Alt down clicking the item. A border should appear letting you know that the item is favorited. Do note that placing favorited equipment onto your equipment slots and placing them back in your inventory will remove the favorite status on the equipment, in which case you are going to need to Alt + Left Click again.
===NPC===
*To interact with an NPC, move close enough that a speech bubble appears when you move the mouse cursor over it (or, on , when a speech bubble simply appears). Then, use the control.
*When buying items from an NPC, hold down the right mouse button/Right Trigger/Buy Button to increase the number of items purchased.
===Equipment===
*Right-clicking on a piece of equipment, including one located in a Social slot, will swap it with its corresponding Armor or Accessory slot.
===Miscellaneous===
*To read a sign, tombstone, or the name of a chest, hover your cursor over it.
*When crafting, hold down the right mouse button to rapidly craft a number of items (the speed increases as long as you hold down the button).
=== Nintendo Switch Version ===
==== Touch controls====
The of the game utilizes the touch screen in handheld mode to make playing easier. Most of the controls are very similar to controls from the of the game, but some are entirely new. Some of these controls include:
*The ability to double tap the hotbar to open the inventory.
*The ability to double tap accessories in the inventory to toggle accessory visibility.
*Tapping the minimap to access the full size map.
Unlike the mobile version, however, pinching the screen to zoom in and out uses the selected item.
==Mobile Version ==
Action 	Touch 	MFi Controller 	Notes
Use item 	Tap and hold (swing/fire weapons) / Single tap (consume potion, summon mount/minion summon item, etc.)	R2 	Attack using held weapon, consume held potion, summon using held mount/minion summon item, etc.
Interact 	Single tap 	 	Open a door or chest, activate switch, talk to NPC, edit a sign/tombstone, etc.
Jump 	 	Left analog stick
/	
*Makes your character jump. Continue holding the stick for a higher jump.
*Holding the button/thumpad up with Wings armed will allow you to fly for some period (depending on the Wings used), and glide slowly to the ground.
*Allows "swimming" upwards (repeated jumping) while underwater if Flippers, Diving Gear, or Neptune's Shell is equipped as an Accessory.
*Activate the ability of jumping items like Spectre Boots, Sandstorm in a Bottle, etc.
Up 	Left thumbpad 	Left analog stick
/	
* Allows the character to climb up a staircase of Wood Platforms.
*Toggles gravity for character (when using a Gravitation Potion).
*Makes the character climb up rope.
*Slows down the fall speed (when using a Featherfall Potion).
Down 	Left thumbpad 	Left analog stick
/	
*Makes the character drop down when standing on a Wood Platform.
*Allows the character to go underwater (when using a Water Walking Potion, Water Walking Boots, Obsidian Water Walking Boots, or Lava Waders).
*Makes character climb down rope.
Left 	Left thumbpad 	Left analog stick
/	Moves your character to the left. Hold the key down for continuous movement.
Right 	Left thumbpad 	Left analog stick
/	Moves your character to the right. Hold the key down for continuous movement.
Grapple 	Grapple thumbpad (top-left of the right thumbpad) 	L2 	Sends the grappling hook in the direction the thumbpad is held.
Quick-Use item 	Move right thumbpad 	Right analog stick 	Attacks, breaks, or places tiles in the direction the analog stick is held. If a consumable item is selected, it will be consumed.
Auto-Attack 	- 	R3 	Attacks in the direction of the targeted enemy. By default, the nearest enemy is automatically targeted, this can be changed by tapping on another enemy.
Throw (discard) 	Drag item from hotbar/inventory 	 	Tosses the currently selected item a few squares in the direction the item is dragged. Note that throwing throws the whole stack of items.
Inventory 	 	 	Opens the player's inventory, and by extension, their crafting and gear menus. The game will automatically pause, unless you are on a multiplayer server.
Pause 	 	 	Opens settings, such as saving and quitting, or changing teams. The game will automatically pause, unless you are on a multiplayer server.
Zoom in 	Pinch-out 	D-Pad 	Pinch-out to get closer to the character (see less on screen).
Zoom out 	Pinch-in 	D-Pad 	Pinch-in to get further away from the character (see more on screen).
Toggle Full Map 	Zoom out far enough or 	Zoom out far enough	Opens the map. Zooming in on the map will return to normal gameplay.
Cycle Hotbar
Left / Right	- 	L1 / R1 	Cycles the selected item in the hotbar left or right.
Hotbar direct selection	Tap hotbar 	 	Selects the item tapped on the hotbar. The hotbar is the uppermost row of the inventory, i.e. the top 5-10 slots. If it is a consumable, it will automatically be used right away.
Lock target 	 	 	Targets an enemy with a yellow arrow over them. See Lock On for more information.
Manually move Cursor 	Right thumbpad 	 	Used mainly in Building Mode to determine where blocks and walls will be placed. However, attacks will also be directed towards this position unless the Circle Pad is used to direct attacks. The Manual Cursor shown as a white crosshair somewhere near the player.
Toggle Smart Cursor 	 	 	Makes block placement easier. See Smart Cursor for more information.
===iOS, Android, and Amazon versions===
As of Mobile 1.3, the user interface has been updated to more closely reflect that of the desktop version. However, as mobile users typically will be dealing with touch controls and/or smaller screens, there are a few small differences between the two to make gameplay flow smoothly.
The inventory is primarily split up into 5 sections: The Inventory and Housing Menu on the left, and Chat, Equipment Menu, and Crafting on the right. Like many other UI elements, they can be moved around and altered in the settings.
File:Mobile UI Inventory.png|A starter inventory.
File:Mobile UI Housing.png|The housing menu. Note the extra placeholder slots.
File:Mobile UI Chat.png|The Chat UI.
File:Mobile UI Equipment.png|The Equipment Menu.
File:Mobile UI Crafting.png|The Crafting Menu.
====Inventory====
Akin to the desktop version, The inventory consists of 50 slots. The player can set whether the 10 left most slots or the top row serves as the hotbar.
Some inventory functions have been moved to below the inventory for easy access. These include the tools, research, and a split function. The tools button opens a small window consisting of the various toggles, such as those given by the Paint Sprayer and the Torch God's Favor. Researching is also accessible here, separately from the Journey Mode tools accessible in the pause menu. The split button opens a small slider which splits a stack in two based on its position.
====Housing Menu====
It is identical to the housing menu on desktop, save for an aesthetic change where each NPC fills in a placeholder slot as they move in.
====Chat====
The player can type messages and view status messages in the Chat menu. This window also has a button which allows access to Emotes. It functions identically to the chat on the .
====Equipment====
Consists of all the equipment the player has equipped. Visibility can be toggled by tapping the show/hide button, but not by double tapping the accessory as seen in the .
==== Crafting====
Consists of a list of craftable items with a Craft button below. The materials needed will be listed next to the button. The player can access all duplicated items here by pressing the duplication button in Journey mode. There are filters for Weapons, Blocks, Accessories, Materials, All (which disables the active filter), Armor, Misc, and Consumables, accessible even outside of Journey mode.
===Windows Phone version===
====Inventory / Storage Tab====
* Tap and drag an item to move it, or switch its position with another.
*Drag the inventory screen up or down to see more of the inventory.
*Selecting an item and tapping the "Split Stack" button (the button with stacked coins) will take one item and place it in a new stack. If a new stack has been recently created, the item will be added to that one instead.
*Selecting armor or an accessory and tapping the Equip button (labeled with a helmet and a player's head) will automatically equip it in an armor or accessory slot. If the respective armor slot is full, it will be equipped in the vanity slot. Dragging an item to the Equipment tab and releasing will equip it in the same manner.
*Selecting an item the Storage tab Tapping the Take button will add it to your inventory. Dragging an item to the Inventory tab and releasing will take it in the same manner.
* Holding an item over a tab for a while will switch to that tab.
*Additionally, if you're on the main screen and want to throw an item, you can do so by selecting it in your hotbar and then holding it. You can then drag to throw. It can be useful if you want to throw a Guide Voodoo Doll and summon the WoF.
====Equipment Tab====
*Any equipable item will automatically be equipped when crafted, bought, picked up, or when the Take button is pressed in the Storage tab.
*Selecting an item and tapping the Unequip button (labeled with a helmet and a player's head) will unequip it and place it in the Inventory.
==== Crafting Tab====
*Tap a recipe and tap Craft to craft one of the item.
*Tap and hold Craft to craft multiple items (the speed increases as the player holds the button).
==== NPC Shop Tab====
*Selecting an item and tapping Buy will buy the item if you have enough money.
*Hitting Sell in the Inventory tab, or simply dragging an item to the Shop tab will sell it.
*The Goblin Tinkerer has an additional region above the shop where items can be reforged. Dragging an item here and selecting Reforge will reforge it.
==3DS Version==
Action 	 	Notes
Use item 	/ Touch Screen in Building Mode 	Attack using held weapon, consume held potion, summon using held mount/minion summon item, etc.
Interact 	 	Open a door or chest, activate switch, talk to NPC, edit a sign/tombstone, etc.
Jump 	 	
*Makes your character jump. Continue holding the stick for a higher jump.
*Holding the button/thumpad up with Wings armed will allow you to fly for some period (depending on the Wings used), and glide slowly to the ground.
*Allows "swimming" upwards (repeated jumping) while underwater if Flippers, Diving Gear, or Neptune's Shell is equipped as an Accessory.
*Activate the ability of jumping items like Spectre Boots, Sandstorm in a Bottle, etc.
Up 	Circle Pad 	
* Allows the character to climb up a staircase of Wood Platforms.
*Toggles gravity for character (when using a Gravitation Potion).
*Makes the character climb up rope.
*Slows down the fall speed (when using a Featherfall Potion).
Down 	Circle Pad 	
*Makes the character drop down when standing on a Wood Platform.
*Allows the character to go underwater (when using a Water Walking Potion, Water Walking Boots, Obsidian Water Walking Boots, or Lava Waders).
*Makes character climb down rope.
Left 	Circle Pad 	Moves your character to the left. Hold the key down for continuous movement.
Right 	Circle Pad 	Moves your character to the right. Hold the key down for continuous movement.
Grapple 	 	Sends the grappling hook in the direction swiped, or on the , in the direction the Circle Pad is held. This action, however, is very unreliable with touch controls.
Quick-Use item 	+ Circle Pad 	Attacks, breaks, or places tiles in the direction the analog stick is held. If a consumable item is selected, it will be consumed.
Auto-Attack 	(+ Circle Pad, if no locked target) 	Attacks in the direction of the targeted enemy. On the , The nearest enemy is automatically targeted, this can be changed by tapping on another enemy. On the , must be pressed in order to target that enemy before the attack will be directed towards them.
Throw (discard) 	Drag item from the Quick Inventory onto the drop icon 	Tosses the currently selected item a few squares in the direction the item is dragged. Note that throwing throws the whole stack of items.
Inventory 	Tap the inventory icon on the touch screen or on the New Nintendo 3DS	Opens the player's inventory, and by extension, their crafting and gear menus. The game will automatically pause, unless you are on a multiplayer server.
Pause 	Start / Select 	Opens settings, such as saving and quitting, or changing teams. The game will automatically pause, unless you are on a multiplayer server.
Zoom in 	Magnifying Glass on the World Map 	Pinch-out to get closer to the character (see less on screen).
Zoom out 	Magnifying Glass on the World Map 	Pinch-in to get further away from the character (see more on screen).
Toggle Full Map 	Tap the compass icon on the Touch Screen 	Zooming out far enough will open the map. Zooming in on the map will return to normal gameplay
Cycle Hotbar
Left / Right	L / R 	Cycles the selected item in the hotbar left or right.
Hotbar direct selection 	Tap item on the Quick Inventory 	Selects the item tapped on the hotbar. The hotbar is the uppermost row of the inventory, i.e. the top 5-10 slots. If it is a consumable, it will automatically be used right away.
Lock target 	 	Targets an enemy with a yellow arrow over them. See Lock On for more information.
Toggle Manual Cursor Mode	D-Pad / Touch Screen in Building Mode 	Used mainly in Building Mode to determine where blocks and walls will be placed. However, attacks will also be directed towards this position unless the Circle Pad is used to direct attacks. The Manual Cursor shown as a white crosshair somewhere near the player.
Move Camera 	C-Stick (New Nintendo 3DS only) 	Moves the camera.
===3DS Inventory===
====Quick Inventory====
The touch screen features the players hotbar, housing menu, map, and other utilities. This is referred to by the game as the "Quick Inventory". The quick inventory shows the first ten slots in the players inventory, similarly to the mobile version of the game. The top left button under the hotbar allows the player to Quick Stack to Nearby Chests, which will be greyed out if the player is not near any chest. The middle button allows the player to drop an item they've tapped and held onto, greyed out if there is no item to drop. The top right button is the housing menu, which will be greyed out unless the player is in a house.
The bottom three buttons are the World Map, Building/Precision Mode, and the player's Inventory from left to right.
*The World Map appears on the touch screen so the player can view the map as they move, and also has a magnifying glass in the corner which toggles a zoomed-in and out view.
*Building Mode provides a zoomed in view of the player's screen and sorts tools on the left, and building materials on the right.
** Building materials are sorted in the order they appear in the players inventory, but tools are sorted in accordance with the order Weapon → Pickaxe → Axe → Hammer → Wrenches/Wire Cutters → Fishing Tools, top to bottom.
** Items on the left can be swapped by holding L for tools and R for building materials and a direction. Up / Down on the D-Pad or Circle Pad will change the item selected. Left and Right only work on the left row, when there are variants of a tool, such as a Terra Blade being able to switch to a Paladin's Hammer, as they are both categorized as weapons.
**On the New Nintendo 3DS, Building Mode can also be toggled with .
** The D-Pad can be used along with Building Mode for increased precision when placing blocks.
====Inventory====
The Inventory on the 3DS version is very similar to the inventory on the . Items appear on the bottom screen, while an item's statistics will appear on the top. The top ten slots of the inventory will be brightened, indicating items in these slots will appear in the Quick Inventory. Items can be thrown away with , and stacks of items can be split with . Below both the trash and split icon is a drop icon. Armor can be equipped with when selected, but even if that armor is a vanity item, it will be equipped in the armor slots and be swapped with any item currently filling the slot.
Also similar to the , items can be dragged between slots opposed to just using button inputs. However, button inputs are still required when equipping or depositing items, as there is no way to drag items between tabs.
On the top of the inventory screen are four/five buttons. The first, being a back arrow, causes the player to exit the inventory. The rest toggle the crafting menu, the inventory, the chest's inventory (if applicable), and the player's armor/accessory screen.
===== Chest Inventory=====
When a chest is opened, controls differ greatly from the regular inventory. To take an item out of a chest, is used, and will loot all of the items from the chest. Items cannot be split or trashed from the chest directly. When the player's inventory is accessed when a chest is available, a quick stack button appears at the bottom left corner of the screen. A deposit button will also appear if an item is selected, but does not share the button shortcut of X with the take button. Thus, the player should be careful they don't trash an item they wish to put back into a chest.
=====Crafting Menu=====
The crafting menu splits up crafting recipes into multiple sections. These sections are:
#Furniture, Blocks, and Walls
#Tools
#Weapons
#Armor and Vanity (along with certain accessories)
# Buff Potions
#Miscellaneous items that don't fit in with the other categories, e.g. Boss Summons, some Accessories, Biome Keys
 can be used to switch between categories, and or the button on the touch screen can be used to craft the selected item. Items can be selected with the D-Pad, Circle Pad, or touch screen. Items that can be crafted will be listed before items that cannot, and will have a blue background. Attempting to craft an uncraftable item show the reason it is uncraftable next to the craft button. Similar to items with long tooltips, an item with a long name as an ingredient will have it's name scroll back and forth.
=====Player Inventory=====
The player's armor and accessories are on the last tab of the inventory. Pressing will remove that armor or accessory and place it in the player's inventory. The five eyes below the player image show and hide the player's accessories, so long as they aren't wings. can be pressed to view the player's current buffs and debuffs as well as their durations. Buffs can be canceled with when on the screen.
=====Shop Inventory=====
When interacting with a NPC that sells items, the NPC will appear in place of where a chest would appear. Items can be bought from an NPC with , so long as the player has sufficient funds. Items can also be from the player's inventory with . When an item is sold to an NPC, that item goes to the Re-Buy slots, a section of 5 slots where items sold recently can be rebought. Unlike shops in the , exiting the NPC's shop inventory will not erase items in the Re-Buy slots, instead, items in said slots will only be erased if the player saves and exits the game.
==History ==