How Focus Mode on Keyboard works in Monster Hunter Wilds
A quick primer on using Focus Mode and Simultaneous Action on Keyboard
Confused about how to use Focus Mode on Keyboard and Mouse in Monster Hunter Wilds? Focus Mode is a very important part of combat in MH Wilds, allowing you to precisely target weak points and wounds on monsters to deal far more damage than you otherwise would. But if you're here, then you've likely joined the legions of first-time players baffled by a couple of confusing button prompt icons for Focus Mode and certain other weapon actions, which don't look much like anything at all.
In this guide, we'll explain how to use Focus Mode on keyboard in Monster Hunter Wilds. We'll also go over the other similarly confusing keyboard shortcuts - Simultaneous Action, Aim Weapon/Slinger, and Guard/Special Weapon Action - and walk you through the steps to rebind these actions to something more sensible for the rest of your playthrough.
In this guide:
How to use Focus Mode on Keyboard
The default button for Focus Mode on Keyboard is Mouse Button 5, which is the back button on the side of your mouse. If you're playing Monster Hunter Wilds on mouse and keyboard rather than controller, then you will likely notice a button prompt for Focus Mode which looks like this:
The button for Focus Mode on keyboard is Mouse Button 5, which is what the icon in Monster Hunter Wilds' settings menu rather confusingly conveys. Mouse Button 4 is, by default, the second thumb button on the side of your mouse.
Similarly, you will likely have also noticed a button prompt for certain attacks with your weapon of choice which looks like this:
This icon means Mouse Button 4, which is the first thumb button on the side of your mouse. This particular keybind is called "Simultaneous Action" in the Monster Hunter Wilds keyboard configuration menu, and it's used as a quality-of-life shortcut for pressing both your primary attack key and your secondary attack key at the same time.
How to change Focus Mode on Keyboard
If you don't have side buttons on your mouse, or if your side buttons are configured to something other than MB4 or MB5, then you will need to change these keybinds in the keyboard configuration menu. You can do this by selecting "Keyboard Configuration", either from the main menu or on the System tab of the in-game menu.
Once you're in the "Keyboard Configuration" screen, select "All Melee Weapons", and scroll down to "Weapon Controls". There you'll be able to change the keybind for both "Simultaneous Action" and "Focus Mode/Aim Slinger with Weapon Sheathed (Hold)".
You may also want to select the "All Ranged Weapons" profile, and change the keybinds for "Aim Weapon/Slinger" and "Guard/Special Weapon Action", because these actions are also bound by default to Mouse Button 4 and Mouse Button 5. Silly Capcom!
Once you've done this, you can exit out of the "Keyboard Configuration" menu, and those previously baffling and inaccessible keybinds will now be available for you to use on mouse and keyboard.
Bonus: Make Focus Mode a Toggle
- Enter "Keyboard Configuration" from the in-game menu or main menu.
- Select "All Melee Weapons" on the left of the screen.
- Scroll down to the "Weapon Controls" section.
- Hover over the keybind for "Focus Mode/Aim Slinger With Weapon Sheathed (Hold)" and tap
DELorRTto delete. - Select "Focus Mode/Aim Slinger With Weapon Sheathed (Press Once)" and set it to your desired keybind.
- Exit out of the "Keyboard Configuration" menu.
It's also worth noting that Simultaneous Action and Guard/Special Weapon Action are both just shortcuts for pressing down your primary and secondary attack buttons at the same time, added as a little quality of life option in case you find it easier to press a single button than two at once. But if you're comfortable pressing both buttons down at once, then you can feel free to completely ignore (or even unbind) these particular button prompts. They do exactly the same thing, so use whichever option you prefer!
That's everything there is to the simple (but far more opaque than necessary) matter of activating Focus Mode and Simultaneous Action on keyboard and mouse in Monster Hunter Wilds. And now, if you're after something a little more exciting, why not check out our best Monster Hunter Wilds weapon tier list, or our full endgame Monster Hunter Wilds monster list? You can also read our full Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough, or our primers on smaller details like how to capture monsters, and how to get Monster Fluid.