The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Controls Guide

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth supports keyboard, controller, and touch input across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile platforms. Repentance+ added online co-op with dedicated player slots and shared pickup rules. Understanding the default control scheme and customizable bindings helps you react faster during bullet-hell boss fights and navigate menus efficiently between runs.

PC Keyboard Defaults

Controller Layout

Console and controller-on-PC use a twin-stick shooter layout. The left analog stick moves Isaac, the right analog stick aims tears in any direction, and face buttons handle actions. On PlayStation: X shoots, Circle uses active item, Square drops card/rune, Triangle drops trinket/pill. On Xbox: A shoots, B uses active item, X drops card, Y drops trinket. Shoulder buttons cycle pills and cards. The D-pad can be configured for cardinal shooting if preferred over twin-stick aiming.

Repentance+ Online Co-op

Repentance+ online co-op supports up to four players in a single run. Each player controls an independent Isaac with their own health, items, and active item slot. Pickups follow configurable rules — shared coins and keys by default, individual item pickups. Friendly fire is disabled. Co-op runs count toward unlocks when the host has a legitimate save file without seeds or debug mode enabled. Voice chat is handled through platform systems (Steam, console party chat).

• Player 1 (Host) — Creates the run, controls pause and seed entry. Host save determines available unlocks.
• Players 2–4 — Join via invite or lobby. Each selects a character from the host's unlocked roster.
• Shared mechanics — Devil and angel deals show items for all players; taking a deal affects the whole run.
• Revival — Dead players become ghosts that can shoot weak spectral tears until revived by a living player touching them.

Customization and Accessibility

Open Options from the main menu to rebind every action. Toggle auto-fire for keyboard users who prefer not to hold shoot keys. Reduce screen shake, enable high contrast HUD, and adjust game speed in accessibility settings. External Item Descriptions (EID) is a popular mod that displays item stats on hover — not part of vanilla controls but essential for learning item effects. The Found HUD option shows collected items and stat changes on screen.

For drop-heavy mechanics like Tainted character unlocks, memorize the trinket drop binding before starting an ascent run. On PlayStation, hold R2; on Xbox, hold RB; on PC, hold Left Ctrl. Dropping trinkets in boss or treasure rooms before picking up Dad's Note is the only way to create Cracked Keys for subsequent Home visits. See our Red Key guide for the full unlock workflow.