Input Handling

Input Handling in Godot 4.3+

All examples target Godot 4.3+ with no deprecated APIs. GDScript is shown first, then C#.

Related skills: player-controller for movement driven by input, godot-ui for UI input focus and navigation, save-load for persisting custom key bindings, responsive-ui for touch vs desktop input adaptation, xr-development for XR controller and hand tracking input, mobile-development for mobile sensors and app lifecycle.

1. Core Concepts

Input Flow

Hardware Event (key, mouse, gamepad)
    ↓
Engine converts to InputEvent
    ↓
_input()              ← raw input, runs first
    ↓
_shortcut_input()     ← for global shortcuts
    ↓
UI Control nodes      ← buttons, sliders consume events
    ↓
_unhandled_key_input() ← unhandled key-only events
    ↓
_unhandled_input()    ← game input (movement, actions)

Where to Handle Input

Rule of thumb: Use _unhandled_input() for discrete game actions (jump, attack). Use Input polling in _physics_process() for continuous movement. Use _input() only when you need input before UI consumes it (e.g., mouse look).

InputEvent Hierarchy

InputEvent
├── InputEventKey              ← keyboard
├── InputEventMouseButton      ← mouse clicks
├── InputEventMouseMotion      ← mouse movement
├── InputEventJoypadButton     ← gamepad buttons
├── InputEventJoypadMotion     ← gamepad sticks/triggers
├── InputEventScreenTouch      ← touchscreen tap
├── InputEventScreenDrag       ← touchscreen drag
├── InputEventAction           ← synthetic action events
├── InputEventMIDI             ← MIDI devices
└── InputEventGesture          ← pinch, pan gestures
    ├── InputEventMagnifyGesture
    └── InputEventPanGesture

2. Input Map Setup

Define actions in Project > Project Settings > Input Map instead of checking raw keycodes. This decouples game logic from specific keys and enables rebinding.

Default Project Actions

Godot ships with ui_* actions: ui_accept, ui_cancel, ui_left, ui_right, ui_up, ui_down, etc. These are used by UI controls for keyboard navigation. You can use them for gameplay but creating custom actions is preferred to avoid conflicts.

Adding Actions in Code

Actions can be created at runtime with InputMap.add_action() + InputMap.action_add_event() — typically in an autoload _ready(), guarded by InputMap.has_action(). Define actions in the editor Input Map; only add them in code for dynamically generated bindings or mod support.

See references/action-rebinding.md for the GDScript and C# snippet.

Recommended Action Names

Use descriptive, game-specific names instead of key names:

3. Reading Input — Events vs Polling

Event-Driven (Discrete Actions)

Use _unhandled_input() for one-shot actions: jump, attack, interact, pause.

GDScript

func _unhandled_input(event: InputEvent) -> void:
    if event.is_action_pressed("jump"):
        _jump()
        get_viewport().set_input_as_handled()  # prevent further propagation

    if event.is_action_pressed("interact"):
        _interact()

    if event.is_action_pressed("pause"):
        get_tree().paused = not get_tree().paused
        get_viewport().set_input_as_handled()

C#

public override void _UnhandledInput(InputEvent @event)
{
    if (@event.IsActionPressed("jump"))
    {
        Jump();
        GetViewport().SetInputAsHandled();
    }

    if (@event.IsActionPressed("interact"))
        Interact();

    if (@event.IsActionPressed("pause"))
    {
        GetTree().Paused = !GetTree().Paused;
        GetViewport().SetInputAsHandled();
    }
}

Polling (Continuous Input)

Use Input singleton in _physics_process() for held buttons and analog axes.

GDScript

func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
    # Movement vector from 4 directional actions
    var direction := Input.get_vector("move_left", "move_right", "move_up", "move_down")
    velocity = direction * speed

    # Check if a button is held
    if Input.is_action_pressed("sprint"):
        velocity *= 1.5

    move_and_slide()

C#

public override void _PhysicsProcess(double delta)
{
    Vector2 direction = Input.GetVector("move_left", "move_right", "move_up", "move_down");
    Velocity = direction * Speed;

    if (Input.IsActionPressed("sprint"))
        Velocity *= 1.5f;

    MoveAndSlide();
}

Key Input Methods

Input.is_action_just_pressed() in _physics_process() can miss inputs if the physics framerate is lower than the render framerate. For reliability, catch one-shot actions in _unhandled_input() and set a flag, or use the input buffering pattern below.

Input Buffering

Buffer discrete actions so they aren't lost between physics frames: catch the action in _unhandled_input(), set a flag with a short timer (0.1 s is typical), and consume the flag in _physics_process().

See references/input-buffering.md for the full GDScript and C# jump-buffer implementation.

4. Mouse Input

InputEventMouseMotion.relative for camera look (with Input.MOUSE_MODE_CAPTURED), InputEventMouseButton for clicks. Mouse modes: VISIBLE, HIDDEN, CAPTURED, CONFINED. Custom cursor via Input.set_custom_mouse_cursor(texture, shape, hotspot).

See references/mouse.md for the full GDScript and C# recipes (camera-look with sensitivity + invert toggle, mouse-mode switching, button events, custom cursor with shape variants).

5. Controller / Gamepad Support

Input.get_connected_joypads() for runtime detection, Input.joy_connection_changed signal for hot-plug. Use Input Map actions with joypad button events for portability. Analog sticks: Input.get_vector("left", "right", "up", "down", deadzone) returns a length-clamped Vector2 with built-in deadzone.

See references/gamepad.md for the GDScript and C# recipes (controller detection, deadzone analog reading, vibration via start_joy_vibration, motion sensors, detecting last-input-device for UI prompt swapping).

Godot 4.7+: Joypad motion sensors — Input.get_joy_accelerometer(device) / get_joy_gyroscope(device) (both Vector3), guarded by has_joy_motion_sensors() and enabled with set_joy_motion_sensors_enabled(); recipe in references/gamepad.md. Vibration is now queryable — Input.has_joy_vibration(device) plus get_joy_vibration_strength/duration/remaining_duration(). JoyButton gains JOY_BUTTON_MISC2 (21) through JOY_BUTTON_MISC6 (25) (C#: JoyButton.Misc2…). New project setting input_devices/joypads/ignore_joypad_on_unfocused_application (default false) ignores joypad input (including motion sensors) and LED changes and stops vibration while the app is unfocused.

6. Touch Input

InputEventScreenTouch for tap/release, InputEventScreenDrag for finger drag. Multi-touch tracked by event.index. Enable Project Settings → Input Devices → Pointing → Emulate Touch From Mouse to test on desktop.

See references/touch.md for the GDScript and C# basic touch event handling and the emulate-touch-from-mouse setting.

VirtualJoystick (Godot 4.7+)

Godot 4.7 adds a built-in VirtualJoystick Control node for on-screen touch joysticks. Add it to a CanvasLayer, point its action_up/down/left/right properties (StringName, defaults &"ui_up" etc.) at your movement actions, and it triggers those actions like a physical stick.

@onready var joystick: VirtualJoystick = $CanvasLayer/VirtualJoystick

func _ready() -> void:
    joystick.action_left = &"move_left"
    joystick.action_right = &"move_right"
    joystick.action_up = &"move_up"
    joystick.action_down = &"move_down"
    joystick.joystick_mode = VirtualJoystick.JOYSTICK_DYNAMIC  # recenters on touch
    joystick.visibility_mode = VirtualJoystick.VISIBILITY_WHEN_TOUCHED

func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
    # The joystick drives the actions — normal polling just works
    var direction := Input.get_vector("move_left", "move_right", "move_up", "move_down")

private VirtualJoystick _joystick;

public override void _Ready()
{
    _joystick = GetNode<VirtualJoystick>("CanvasLayer/VirtualJoystick");
    _joystick.ActionLeft = "move_left";
    _joystick.ActionRight = "move_right";
    _joystick.ActionUp = "move_up";
    _joystick.ActionDown = "move_down";
    _joystick.JoystickMode = VirtualJoystick.JoystickModeEnum.Dynamic;
    _joystick.VisibilityMode = VirtualJoystick.VisibilityModeEnum.WhenTouched;
}

public override void _PhysicsProcess(double delta)
{
    Vector2 direction = Input.GetVector("move_left", "move_right", "move_up", "move_down");
}

Tune deadzone_ratio (default 0.0 — InputMap action deadzones apply on top), clampzone_ratio (1.0), joystick_size (100.0 px), and tip_size (50.0 px); restyle via the normal_joystick/normal_tip and pressed_joystick/pressed_tip StyleBox theme slots. The released(input_vector) and flicked(input_vector) signals report final direction and strength.