How do you sprint in Elden Ring?

Movement in Elden Ring is one of the biggest variables dictating if you kill or are killed by enemies and bosses you encounter on your journey through the Lands Between. While it may seem simple, one important mechanic to learn early in Elden Ring is how to sprint.

The concept involves not only knowing how to perform the sprinting action, but also how your character’s movement changes and what that means for you. You may not want to always sprint, either, especially if you’re trying to escape a particular enemy or boss chasing after you. Here’s what you need to know about how to sprint and what it does for you in Elden Ring.

How does sprinting work in Elden Ring?

The default button for sprinting is the same one you use for your dodge roll and backstep in Elden Ring. If you’re already using these buttons regularly, rather than clicking them, hold down the button and keep moving forward. After a short period, your moving character will pick up speed and sprint. If they’re in combat, their stamina meter will start to go down. If they’re out of combat, though, sprinting won’t lose any stamina—a huge bonus compared to other Dark Souls games.

For PC players, accidental dodges instead of a run are one of the most common mistakes when learning to utilize the running mechanic. A quick trick is to spend at least two seconds walking before you begin to hold the dodge button so that you can run. When facing off against enemies, focus on tapping the button to dodge and avoid their attacks, and hold the button to run away if absolutely necessary.

Best sprinting settings for Elden Ring

There’s always the option to select when you want to use movement control, though, if you’re using a mouse and keyboard while playing Elden Ring. You can find this when playing on a PC at the top of the key bindings page. Here, you can click when you want to default for your character to walk while exploring, which is a much slower movement. Similar to running, you do have to hold this key to continue the slow pace. This might be helpful for you if you’re trying to complete a tricky movement or jump at a certain point.

The Tab key is a good option if you’re looking for a better key to use while playing on PC. Shift is another optimal option you don’t use on other keys, although you might run into the problem using your Strong Attack or skills, which require pressing the shift and mouse buttons. If you can keep these separate in your mind, these might be better options than relying on the spacebar.

For anyone playing on controller, it becomes much more difficult. The default setting is the B button if you’re using an Xbox, and Circle if you’re using a PlayStation one. Given the limited amount of controls you have on controllers, finding a better option can be tricky. You could swap it out for the Use Item button, which is the X and Square button, respectively, but it’s something you’ll have to remember. Knowing the best way to choose is difficult because of the limited space, and whatever you switch it with becomes something else.

Sprinting in Elden Ring: Tips and tricks

You don’t want to run from every enemy. Because your stamina goes down while sprinting in combat, it might be better to conserve your stamina meter by carefully choosing when to run. If you’re running with a Dexterity build, though, you might have more stamina than the average Elden Ring player and you can afford to use it much more often.

Still, while sprinting is a simple mechanic, you don’t want to use it in every instance. You want to toe the line of having enough stamina to swing your sword or dodge an attack and being able to run away if you can outmaneuver an enemy. Watch your stamina meter while sprinting, and feel free to modify your key bindings. However, if you do, know that your roll and backstep keys are tied to sprinting, so those change with it. You cannot separate those three movements from each other, unfortunately.