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Project Zomboid > Game mechanics > User interface > Options

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Screenshot of options menu

The options menu allows the player to choose the settings for their display, audio, keybindings, etc., to meet those required for their system or personal preferences. A screenshot of it is shown to the right and each setting is described below.

Display

Fullscreen

Toggles between full screen and windowed mode. If changing this setting does not switch, changing the resolution may fix it.

Borderless Window

Hides/Shows the window border and title bar (close button, etc.). (Requires restart)

Vertical sync

Synchronizes/Locks the framerate with that of the monitor for better stability. Will usually fix any screen tearing issues.

Multi-core

Toggles whether or not the game will use more than one core or more than one processor in your computer. If you have a single core system or are having trouble with the game crashing, turn this off. (Requires restart)

Shaders

Allows you to turn on and off shaders. Turn this off if the game appears to run slow.

Resolution

Sets the display resolution for the game.

3D Models

Defines how many models (Player + NPC) on the screen are displayed in 3D. Reducing will improve performance if there are more than the set number present.

3D Corpses

Toggles between whether 3D or 2D corpses are displayed.

Blood Decals

Percentage of blood decals. Lowering this can improve performance/framerate.

Lock Framerate

Limits the number of frames per second the game tries to display. It is recommended setting this to 30 if the game appears to be running slow.

UI Offscreen Rendering

Toggles whether the entire user-interface is simulated when clipped offscreen. Disabling can improve performance.

UI Rendering FPS

The locked framerate at which the user-interface displays. Separate to lock framerate.

Texture compression

Enabling allows compression of all textures, improving graphics card memory (VRAM) usage. Disabling improves performance with the cost of graphics card memory (VRAM) usage. (Requires restart)

Double-sized textures

Allows the use of the 2x texture pack. Disabling will decrease texture quality while potentially improving game performance. (Requires restart)

Lighting quality

Allows adjustment of the lighting quality in game. Turn this down if the game appears to lag/run slow.

Lighting updates

The rate in which lighting will update per second in realtime. Increasing above 15 may decrease game performance.

Enable Zoom

Enables zooming with the the scroll wheel or the key binds.

Zoom levels

The desired zoom increments. Zooming is done in increments, therefore disabling one will skip that increment.

Auto-Zoom

Unknown

Inventory font

The font size of the inventory text.

Tooltip font

The font size of the tooltip text.

Clock Format

The date format the clock displays.

Clock 24/12

Toggles between 24 or 12 hours time format.

Color of Highlighted Container

Change the border color of a container when accessing its inventory.

Chat Transparency

Transparency of the chat window in multiplayer when the mouse isn't hovering over it.

Language

Dropdown box with a list of available languages to choose from.

Audio

Sound volume

Music volume

Ambient volume

Music Library

Current Track

Displays the track currently playing.

Flies volume

The volume of flies buzzing around corpses.

Heart volume

The volume level of the heart pounding when getting low on blood.

Vehicle engine volume

The volume of the vehicle engine. Note that this does not affect the ingame engine volume.

Enable VOIP

Enables/disables the ability to use VOIP, both listen and speak.

Recording device

Choose your system's installed recording devices to use in-game.

VOIP mode

Adjust whether to enable or disable listen and/or speak individually.

Voice activity detected mode

How sensitive the microphone will be at picking up sound. Often used to block background noise from being transmitted.

Microphone boost

Amplifies the input single of the microphone. Used if the voice is being picked up too quiet. May result in some minor distortion/static.

Signal from microphone

Unknown

Voice volume

Adjusts the level of other player's voices.

Key Bindings

Each of the following key bindings are the game's defaults. Note: To change these keys manually outside the game, the file is located at "%username%\zomboid\lua\keys.ini". The scancodes for each keybind can be found here.

Player Control

Forward

W Move forward/up.

Backward

S Move backward/down.

Left

A Move left.

Right

D Move right.

Run

LSHIFT Hold to run.

Interact

E Press to interact with nearby object. Hold for follow up action. Rapidly tap for emergency action.

Rotate Building

R When building use to rotate building tile.

Toggle Mode

TAB Rotates between each build/move mode.

Cancel Action

ESCAPE Cancels the current action the player is performing.

Combat

Aim

LCONTROL Hold for Aim/Sneak mode.

Melee

SPACE Performs a melee shove or stomp.

Rack Firearm

X Unknown

Reload Weapon

R Press to reload a firearm.

Vehicle

Start Vehicle Engine

N Press to attempt vehicle ignition.

Toggle Vehicle Headlights

F Press to turn on/off vehicle headlights.

Vehicle Heater

O Press to display vehicle heater panel.

Vehicle Info

U Pess to display vehicle info/condition.

Horn

Horn Press to sound the vehicles horn.

Vehicle Radial Menu

V Press to display the vehicle radial menu.

Switch Seat

Z Press to display seat switch panel.

UI

Toggle UI

V Adds or removes the User Interface from the screen.

Toggle Crafting UI

B Displays or hides the crafting window.

Main Menu

ESCAPE Pauses the game and displays the Main Menu.

Toggle Inventory

I Opens up or closes your inventory.

Toggle Skill Panel

C Displays or hides the skills window.

Toggle Health Panel

H Displays or hides the health window.

Toggle Info Panel

J Displays or hides the Information window.

Toggle Moveable Panel Mode

RBRACKET Unknown

Toggle Music

M Pauses or starts the in-game music.

Take Screenshot

F10 Takes a screenshot.

Toggle Survival Guide

F1 Displays or hides the tutorial window.

Display FPS

K Displays the frames per second. Good for benchmarking or diagnosing problems.

Pause

F2 Pauses or unpauses the game.

Normal Speed

F3 Sets the in-game time to normal speed.

Fast Forward x1

F4 Sets the in-game time to 3x speed.

Fast Forward x2

F5 Sets the in-game time to 10x speed.

Fast Forward x3

F6 Sets the in-game time to 20x speed.

Zoom in

EQUALS Zooms the camera in closer to the player.

Zoom out

MINUS Zooms the camera out farther from the player.

Hotkeys

Equip/Unequip Handweapon

1 Equips your best blunt weapon (rolling pin, crowbar, baseball bat, etc.).

Equip/Unequip Firearm

2 Equips your best firearm (shotgun, pistol, etc.).

Equip/Unequip Stab weapon

3 Equips your best stabbing weapon (butter knife, kitchen knife, etc.).

Equip/Turn On/Off Lightsource

F Equips and turns on a light source, or if one is on, turns it off.

Multiplayer

Toggle Safety

P Toggles the safety system

Local Chat

T Focuses the local chat, allowing proximity communication.

Global Chat

Y Focuses the global chat, allowing server-wide communication.

Voice

Push-to-Talk key

LMENU / LALT Holding allows VOIP.

NPC Interaction

Shout

Q Shouts a phrase to get attention.

Debug

Toggle LUA Debugger

F11 Displays or hides the LUA debugger.

Checkbox

Toggle LSHIFT key to Run

Enables toggle to run, i.e. don't need to hold the run key.

Show/hide radial menus with each keypress

Enables showing/hiding radial menus.

Controller

Test Controller

Allows testing the gamepad, displaying each button pressed, to ensure it is installed/working correctly.

XInputController0-3

Checkbox enabling or disabling whether the game should use each gamepad currently connected to the player's system.

Sensitivity

Adjust the joystick sensitivity of the designated gamepad.

Gameplay

Reloading

Reloading handguns refills the weapon provided there is ammunition available.

Reload Difficulty

Sets the reload difficulty.

• Easy: Reloading handguns refills the weapon.
• Medium: Reloading handguns ejects or inserts a magazine. The magazine must be reloaded separately.
• Hardcore: Reloading handguns ejects or inserts a magazine. The magazine must be reloaded separately. Weapons must be racked before firing to ensure a round is chambered.

Show Rack Progress

Unknown

Multiplayer

Show your username

Enable or disable the player's username from being displayed above their head. Does not affect other player's usernames.

Personal text Color

Adjust the text color displayed to other players. For simpler player identification.

See also

• Frequently Asked Questions – My PC specs are good enough to have a stable 30 or 60 FPS but I am getting really low FPS!