If you’ve jumped into League of Legends expecting to move your camera with WASD—only to find the option missing—you’re not alone. Many players switch from other MOBAs or competitive games where WASD camera movement feels natural, then discover that the setting either isn’t visible, won’t save, or seemingly doesn’t work. Fortunately, this issue is usually caused by simple configuration quirks, hidden menu settings, or minor client glitches that are easy to fix once you know where to look.
TLDR: The WASD setting not showing in League of Legends is typically due to incorrect input mode settings, outdated game files, or keybind conflicts. Enabling “Replace Quick Cast with Quick Cast with Indicator,” resetting keybindings, or editing the config file can often solve the problem. In rare cases, a client repair or full reset of input settings is necessary. Most fixes take just a few minutes.
Understanding WASD in League of Legends
By default, League of Legends does not use WASD for camera movement like many FPS or MMORPG titles. Instead, the game traditionally relies on edge scrolling, mouse drag scrolling, or the spacebar to center on your champion.
However, players can manually bind camera controls to WASD keys through the Hotkeys settings menu. The problem arises when:
- The Camera Control section doesn’t display the expected options.
- The keybind changes don’t save.
- WASD doesn’t function in-game even after binding.
- The section appears locked or greyed out.
Let’s break down why this happens and how to fix it.
Common Reasons WASD Settings Are Not Showing
Image not found in postmetaBefore diving into technical fixes, it’s important to understand the typical causes behind this issue.
1. Wrong Settings Tab
Some players look for WASD under general Controls rather than under Hotkeys > Camera Control. If you’re not in the correct section, the option simply won’t appear.
2. Keybinding Conflicts
WASD keys are often pre-bound to abilities or other commands, especially if you previously experimented with custom setups. Conflicts can hide or override manual inputs.
3. Read-Only Config Files
If your configuration file is set to “read-only,” League won’t save changes. This makes it appear as though the setting isn’t sticking or available.
4. Outdated or Corrupt Game Client
Occasionally, corrupted files or incomplete patches cause UI irregularities where certain hotkey options fail to display.
5. Using Legacy Input Mode
Some older input systems behave differently and may not show newer keybinding flexibility until updated or reset.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Fix #1: Check the Correct Camera Control Menu
Follow these steps in the client:
- Launch a Practice Tool game.
- Press ESC to open the settings menu.
- Navigate to Hotkeys.
- Select Camera Control.
You should see options for:
- Move Camera Up
- Move Camera Down
- Move Camera Left
- Move Camera Right
Manually assign:
- W → Move Camera Up
- S → Move Camera Down
- A → Move Camera Left
- D → Move Camera Right
If the entries don’t appear, move to the next fix.
Fix #2: Reset All Hotkeys to Default
Sometimes, hidden conflicts prevent WASD from appearing correctly. Reset everything:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Hotkeys.
- Click Restore Defaults.
- Restart the game.
After the restart, try rebinding WASD again.
This resolves most visibility glitches caused by corrupted key profiles.
Fix #3: Delete or Edit the Input Configuration File
Image not found in postmetaIf keybindings refuse to save, the issue may lie inside your configuration folder.
Step-by-step:
- Close League of Legends entirely.
- Navigate to:
C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\Config - Locate Input.ini.
- Right-click → Properties.
- Uncheck Read-only.
- Click Apply.
If the issue persists:
- Delete the Input.ini file (the game will regenerate it).
- Restart League.
- Reconfigure your hotkeys.
This fix works particularly well when settings visually change but revert upon relaunch.
Fix #4: Use Persistent Settings
League allows separate keybind profiles per account or configuration mode. Make sure your settings are saved under:
- Persisted Settings
- Or your active Summoner profile
If you’re using different accounts, WASD may have been configured on one but not another.
Fix #5: Run a Full Repair
If the camera section itself is incomplete or missing:
- Open Riot Client.
- Click the gear icon for Settings.
- Choose Repair.
- Wait for validation and file re-download.
This fixes broken UI modules preventing certain hotkeys from loading.
Advanced Alternative: Manual Keybinding
If the UI continues to fail, you can manually insert bindings into the Input.ini file.
Add or modify lines such as:
evtCameraMoveUp=[W] evtCameraMoveDown=[S] evtCameraMoveLeft=[A] evtCameraMoveRight=[D]
Save the file and make sure it is not read-only afterward.
This bypasses the in-client interface entirely.
Important Settings That Affect WASD Behavior
Even after successfully binding WASD, the camera may not behave as expected. Check these related settings:
1. Camera Lock Mode
If your camera is locked (using Y or Spacebar), WASD movement may appear non-functional. Make sure:
- Camera is unlocked (press Y).
- Semi-locked mode isn’t overriding manual movement.
2. Edge Scrolling
Some players disable edge scrolling when switching to WASD. While not required, disabling it can prevent confusion between movement systems.
3. Screen Shake and Camera Smoothing
Camera smoothing can make WASD inputs feel delayed or inconsistent. Try disabling it for more responsive control.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Binding abilities to WASD first — this overwrites camera bindings.
- Editing the wrong config folder — confirm you’re in the correct Riot directory.
- Setting file back to read-only after editing.
- Testing in tutorial mode only — always confirm in Practice Tool or live match.
Should You Use WASD in League?
While many players prefer WASD for comfort, it does change core muscle memory. Consider the trade-offs:
Pros:
- Familiar control scheme from other games.
- Reduced reliance on mouse edge scrolling.
- Potentially smoother camera tracking.
Cons:
- Harder access to some keybind-heavy champion abilities.
- May interfere with advanced quick-cast setups.
- Less common in competitive play.
Ultimately, comfort often improves performance more than tradition does.
When Nothing Works
If you’ve tried everything and the WASD settings still aren’t showing:
- Delete the entire Config folder (it will regenerate).
- Log out and log back into Riot Client.
- Try switching to another regional server temporarily.
- Contact Riot Support if the Camera Control menu is completely missing.
True missing-menu cases are rare and usually tied to corrupted installations.
Final Thoughts
When the WASD settings don’t show up in League of Legends, it can feel like a mysterious limitation—especially if you’re coming from another competitive title where WASD is standard. Thankfully, the issue is rarely permanent. In most cases, it comes down to incorrect menu navigation, conflicting keybinds, or a simple configuration file problem.
Take a methodical approach: reset hotkeys, verify your config file permissions, confirm camera unlock mode, and repair the client if needed. Within a few minutes, you should be able to customize the game exactly how you prefer.
League is built around flexibility in controls—sometimes it just takes a bit of manual adjustment to unlock it.