Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas/Basics/Controls

N.B. If you do not own the Playstation 2 version, you may still find it useful to study the controls for that format, since all other pages will be described using these controls.

Playstation 2
The controls are available in the game by pressing the START button and selecting the controls options, but are also available here.

On Foot
Triangle Button:


 * Enter vehicle from
 * Activate mini-game
 * Secondary attack while unarmed
 * Pick up object
 * Skip phone conversation

Circle Button:


 * Attack/fire weapon

X Button:


 * Run (this is done by holding the X button)
 * Sprint (this is done by rapidly tapping the X button)
 * Zoom out with sniper rifle/camera
 * Skip cutscene

Square Button:


 * Jump
 * Climb up walls (they must be equal to your actual jumping height)
 * Zoom in with sniper rifle/camera
 * Block while fighting

L2 Button:


 * Switch weapons one to the left of the current one
 * Zoom in with sniper rifle/camera/pause map

L1 Button:


 * Center camera
 * View vital stats about your character
 * Fire weapon while targeted

R2 Button:


 * Switch weapons one to the right of your current one
 * Zoom out with sniper rifle/camera/pause map

R1 Button:


 * Target an individual with the selected weapon

L3 Button: (Push the left analog control inwards)


 * Crouch (move while crouching to sneak)

SELECT button:


 * Cycle through available camera modes

START button:


 * Pause menu
 * Skip cutscene

R3 button: (Push the right analog control inwards)


 * Look behind your character

Up Button: (Directional pad)


 * Gang sign to recruit gang members

Left Button: (Directional pad)


 * Answer no when prompted for yes/no

Right Button: (Directional pad)


 * Answer yes when prompted for yes/no

Down Button: (Directional pad)


 * Gang sign to tell gang members to wait (briefly press button)
 * Gang sign to tell gang members to leave you (hold down button)

In Vehicle

 * Cross = Accelerate
 * Square = Brake/Reverse
 * Circle = Fire Weapon
 * Triangle = Exit Vehicle
 * L1 = Change Radio Station/Nitros/Vehicle Weapon
 * L2 = Look to left of vehicle
 * R1 = Handbrake
 * R2 = Look to right of vehicle
 * L2+R2 = Look behind vehicle
 * Left Analog Stick = Steering
 * L3 = Horn/Siren/Lock Hydraulics
 * Right Analog Stick = Hydraulics/Vehicle Weapon Aim
 * R3 = Hydraulics, Start/End Vehicle Mission

X-Box
On Foot
 * Left Thumbstick - Move CJ
 * Right Thumbstick - Rotate Camera
 * Left Thumbstick Click - Crouch
 * Right Trigger - Lock on Target
 * Left Trigger - Center Camera/View Stats/Fire Weapon
 * Y Button - Enter Vehicle/Activate Mini Game/Secondary Attack/Pick Up Object
 * B Button - Attack/Fire Weapon
 * A Button - Run(Hold)/Sprint(Tap)
 * X Button - Jump/Climb/Block
 * White Button - Cycle Weapon Left
 * Black Button - Cycle Weapon Right
 * Back Button - Cycle Camera Mode
 * Start - Pause
 * D-Pad Up - Activate Gang
 * D-Pad Down - Passive Gang
 * D-Pad Left - Negative Response
 * D-Pad Right - Positive Response

Bicycles
 * Right Trigger - Pedal(Hold)/Pedal Faster(Tap)
 * Left Trigger - Move Backwards
 * B Button - Bunnyhop
 * X Button - Brake
 * Left Thumbstick Up/Down - Lean Forward/Backward

Vehicle Controls
 * Y Button - Exit Vehicle
 * A Button - Car Weapon/Nitrous
 * Right Trigger - Accelerate
 * Left Trigger - Brake/Reverse
 * White Button - Look Left
 * Black Button - Look Right
 * Black+White - Rear View
 * B Button - Car Weapon/Nitrous
 * X Button - Hand Brake
 * Right Thumbstick - Turret Control/Rotate Camera/Change Cinema Camera View/Hydraulics
 * Left Thumbstick - Steering/Camera
 * D-Pad Up/Down - Cycle Radio Stations
 * D-Pad Right - Trip Skip (When Applicable)
 * Back Button - Camera Modes
 * Start Button - Pause Menu
 * Right Click - Launch Mini Game

First Person Shooting
 * Left Trigger - Shoot
 * White/Black Buttons - Zoom In/Zoom Out
 * B Button - Shoot
 * Right Thumbstick - Aim
 * Left Thumbstick - Aim
 * Right Trigger - Return to Normal Controls
 * Left Thumstick Click - Crouch

Swimming
 * B Button - Dive Underwater
 * A Button - Swim(Hold)/Swim Faster(Tap)
 * X Button - Jump
 * Y Button - Enter Vehicle
 * Left Thumbstick - Move CJ

Helicopter
 * Black Button - Rudder Right
 * White Button - Rudder Left
 * R Trigger - Ascend
 * Left Trigger - Descend
 * Left Thumbstick - Pitch/Roll
 * A Button - Alternative Weapon
 * B Button - Primary Weapon
 * Left Thumbstick Click - Hover
 * Right Thumbstick - Turret/Camera

Plane
 * Black Button - Rudder Right
 * White Button - Rudder Left
 * R Trigger - Thrust
 * L Trigger - Reverse Thrust
 * B Button - Primary Weapon
 * A Button - Alternate Weapon
 * Right Thumbstick Click - Raise/Lower
 * Right Thumbstick - Turret/Camera
 * Left Thumbstick - Pitch/Roll

PC

 * 2 - Toggle vehicle missions
 * C - Crouch
 * LShift - Jump / Bunny Hop (BMX)
 * LAlt - Sneak
 * Space - Sprint
 * LMB - Fire
 * RMB - Aim
 * H (in car Or bike) - Sound Horn; sirens on and off
 * G - Recruit gang member, call gang members to you
 * H - Tell gang members to hold ground, if held down disbands gang
 * Y - Positive response
 * N - Negative response
 * Esc - Bring up game menus, pause game
 * F1 = Replay last 30 seconds of gameplay
 * F2 = Save last 30 second replay
 * F3 = Load a saved 30 second replay