• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 15:14
CEST 21:14
KST 04:14
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL20] Ro8 Preview Pt2: Holding On9Maestros of the Game: Live Finals Preview (RO4)5TL.net Map Contest #21 - Finalists4Team TLMC #5: Vote to Decide Ladder Maps!0[ASL20] Ro8 Preview Pt1: Mile High15
Community News
Weekly Cups (Sept 29-Oct 5): MaxPax triples up2PartinG joins SteamerZone, returns to SC2 competition245.0.15 Balance Patch Notes (Live version)102$2,500 WardiTV TL Map Contest Tournament 151Stellar Fest: StarCraft II returns to Canada11
StarCraft 2
General
5.0.15 Balance Patch Notes (Live version) Weekly Cups (Sept 29-Oct 5): MaxPax triples up PartinG joins SteamerZone, returns to SC2 competition ZvT - Army Composition - Slow Lings + Fast Banes Stellar Fest: StarCraft II returns to Canada
Tourneys
Tenacious Turtle Tussle Stellar Fest $2,500 WardiTV TL Map Contest Tournament 15 Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament LANified! 37: Groundswell, BYOC LAN, Nov 28-30 2025
Strategy
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 494 Unstable Environment Mutation # 493 Quick Killers Mutation # 492 Get Out More Mutation # 491 Night Drive
Brood War
General
RepMastered™: replay sharing and analyzer site BW General Discussion Question regarding recent ASL Bisu vs Larva game BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ [ASL20] Ro8 Preview Pt2: Holding On
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [ASL20] Ro8 Day 4 [ASL20] Ro8 Day 3 Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Proposed Glossary of Strategic Uncertainty Current Meta TvZ Theorycraft - Improving on State of the Art 9 hatch vs 10 hatch vs 12 hatch
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Dawn of War IV Nintendo Switch Thread ZeroSpace Megathread Path of Exile
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion LiquidDota to reintegrate into TL.net
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
UK Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine The Games Industry And ATVI
Fan Clubs
The herO Fan Club! The Happy Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023 NBA General Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
SC2 Client Relocalization [Change SC2 Language] Linksys AE2500 USB WIFI keeps disconnecting Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts The Automated Ban List BarCraft in Tokyo Japan for ASL Season5 Final
Blogs
[AI] From Comfort Women to …
Peanutsc
Mental Health In Esports: Wo…
TrAiDoS
Try to reverse getting fired …
Garnet
[ASL20] Players bad at pi…
pullarius1
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1403 users

Changing your Hotkeys

Forum Index > Dota 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
Normal
Adrian_mx
Profile Joined April 2010
Mexico1880 Posts
May 06 2013 22:35 GMT
#1
I was wondering how and why I should change my hotkeys from default.
I currently use 1-6 for items, F1 - F3 for control groups, QWERDF for Spells etc.
I see the pros doing so with customizing hotkeys and I would like to do the same.
Also I see many people using ALt + w etc.
My question is - What hotkeys should I be using for the fastest response etc.
I've been wanting to change for awhile now and now that I am use to the game i would like to change to the best settings possible. I know its preference but I feel like there's something faster for micro and macro. Please let me know!
我是冠军
Doomblaze
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United States1292 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-06 23:59:25
May 06 2013 23:55 GMT
#2
It doesnt matter what hotkeys you use as long as you're used to it. Its all preference in the end. I suppose only pressing 1 button is better than pressing alt+ a button, but as long as you can click your spell when you want to there is no problem.

Your hotkeys are customized in the sense that they're not the default hotkeys.1-6 are the default control groups and your number pad is the default item hotkeys. There is no best set up possible. Some pros use legacy hotkeys, which are inefficient in the sense that your fingers aren't always going to the same place, some use qwer. Some use zxcv, some probably use something else too.
In Mushi we trust
MrTortoise
Profile Joined January 2011
1388 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-07 19:23:35
May 07 2013 19:21 GMT
#3
personally control groups on numbers items i have as

zxcvbn

have to admit it gets hard when you have 6 active items - i tend to miss n but 5 is ok for me (turns out grid in sc2 paid off)
I really dont like the hold alt thing to toggle rows for the items tho - esp now you dont have to hold down alt for health bars.

I tend to bind hero to 123456 and courier to 789

if i end up with minions it depends on the hero. but 6 control groups is more than enough.
I often use 2 as all 3 as minions.

I guess you could do something like rebinding caps lock and tab.
Malcamentry
Profile Joined October 2012
United States8 Posts
May 07 2013 22:23 GMT
#4
I personally use alt + q/w/e/a/s/d for my item slots 1-6, I think it's one of the more efficient button layouts just because it doesn't force you to change hand position very often if at all. As for control groups and such, with non-micro heroes I use 1 for courier, c for hero and 2 for any dominated creeps. When playing a hero such as Chen or Enchant I just make 2-4 my creep hotkeys, with 5 usually being the entire creep group so I can quickly tab through them if need be. It's not the most efficient way of microing creeps, but it's the easiest for me to do.
shizaep
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Canada2920 Posts
May 08 2013 04:18 GMT
#5
Yeah, there are a lot of different options with hotkeys. Whatever works for you.
I'll share my n00b setup here:
F1 = select hero
F2 = select "all other units" (super handy for furion, lancer, bear, etc)
F3 = hotkey
F4 = select courier
F5 = deliver courier items
4,5,6...0 = more hotkeys, these are pretty much never used
QWERDFR - the standard qwerty layout for my spells
1,2,3,T,G,SPACE - items (i put the "instant reaction" item on SPACE like whenever i need to blow a mek super quick and the other 1,2,3,T (especially),G keys are easily reachable with the right hand and aren't used for anything else)
My item hotkeys aren't really perfect and I fumble from time to time (like when you have a lot of active items it's tough. played tinker today; had hex, wand, BoTs, blink, soul ring and messed up a bunch, mostly due to confusion) but I'm pretty used to them and can't really think of a better layout for me)
You mean I just write stuff here and other people can see it?
synapse
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
China13814 Posts
May 08 2013 05:00 GMT
#6
I tried alt+qweasd but it iirc using tangoes always pinged the map and it bothered me so I went with xcvb + 2 mouse buttons.
:)
Cyx.
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada806 Posts
May 08 2013 07:46 GMT
#7
I don't like using alt and ctrl in dota so much because I don't find a need for them and I just feel like I'm a little more likely to slip up in a crucial moment pressing a combo than pressing a hotkey when I can fit everything I need to the left of H with no problems.

I play Meepo a lot and I'm super used to Starcraft control groups so I use 1-5 for individual unit hotkeys (or groups of things like eidolons, etc.) - the only time I ever get out to 5 is with Meepo, even with Chen and Enchantress who I also play fairly frequently I never need more than 1-4. The only adjustment I made is putting one of my control groups on spacebar and using that one for all units - doesn't matter which hero I'm playing, if I hit space and rightclick someone everything I have hits that sonofabitch.

Abilities I use QWER with T and G for my other spells - I find that I have active items way more frequently than I have more than 4 spells so I put those on D and F and rebound my other spells.

Items-wise (SEGUE CITY) I use DF for my most used ones, ZX for stick/boots (usually), and two mouse buttons for whatever other crap I have (tp/wards/whatever). So the only unbound keys I have on that side of the keyboard are BVC so far, and I just recently changed BV to buy quickbuy/buy sticky which has been working wonders for me so I'm keeping that forever. Probably gonna change C to my courier hotkey because I don't have one and I have a key going spare but not that important.

As far as fast response goes, for someone who's used to typing frome home position like a normal person this feels really natural to me, you have two items available really easily to use without throwing off your abilities too much unless you're playing a weird hero, and even then TG isn't hard to get used to at all for those heroes - also, this has the benefit of letting you play every hero including Meepo, Chen, Enchantress, Lone Druid, etc. without changing your hotkey setup at all like I see some people doing, or ever having to reach 6 like I see my friends try to do on Meepo all the time lol.
peidongyang
Profile Joined January 2009
Canada2084 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-08 09:51:43
May 08 2013 09:50 GMT
#8
I use 1234tg for items, qwerdf skills and zxcvb control groups. Tulsa to shop, f1 glyph and f2-f6 quickbuy

Edit space to hold position and control g to ping
the throws never bothered me anyway
sheaRZerg
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States613 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-08 16:25:16
May 08 2013 16:24 GMT
#9
I have been using:
qwer tyu
---df ghj
with the left block being the normal spell setup and the second block with the items as they appear on the UI. I keep all of the numbers for hotkeys and the F1 keys as default as well. With the bottom row for spelling-leveling and shop related hotkeys. For some reason I really like that the hotkeys being in the same spatial pattern I can see on the screen...though my finger does get lost from time to time
"Dude, just don't listen to what I say; listen to what I mean." -Sean Plott
MannerMan
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
371 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-08 23:28:47
May 08 2013 23:27 GMT
#10
` = other units
1 = hero
2 = courier
3 = retrieve items
4 = upgrade skill
5 = upgrade stats
qwer = skills
t = item
g = item
two mouse thumb buttons and scroll wheel click = item
space = item
keypad '-' = glyph
v = shop
b = purchase tp

I'm pretty sure the one that the most people don't use that they should is changing 'upgrade skill' from 'o' to something reachable so you can upgrade mid fight.
Mithhaike
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
Singapore2759 Posts
May 09 2013 02:21 GMT
#11
since everyone sharing theirs, here's mine.

QWER / DF(rubick or invoker) = spells
1 = Hero
2 = Chicken/Other units
3 = Chicken

Items:-
i have 2 keys mapped to my Mouse for keypad 5 & 6. Mouse buttons for urgent control items (blink phase boots BKB mek etc)
Then i have a fixed set up for the rest.

V = Wand
Z = Teleport Scrolls
X = Anything that doesn't fit, like Bottles usually.
C = my 3rd usage item, wards/dust or Urn always go in here. I find it easier to urn enemies/myself with the C button, or throw down wards/dust

T = Level up selection for skills
G = Quick buy items for when im about to die to spend my gold
Keypad 0 = buy Teleport Scroll

I prefer to keep my spacebar empty so I can zoom into pings, when people ping a spacebar and im watching whats the ping about.
Mew Mew Pew Pew
sinani206
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States1959 Posts
May 09 2013 02:30 GMT
#12
Spells: QWERAS
Level Up/Stats: D/F
Attack/Stop/Hold/Move: T/Y/H/N
Items: ZXCVGB
Hero/Courier/Others/Tab:1/2/3/Space
Control Groups: 4-0
Others: shop is `, retrieve items is M4, PTT is M5, F1 get stash, F2 tp sticky, F3 quick buy, F4 pause.
literally everything is wifom just shut the fuck up
3772
Profile Joined May 2010
Czech Republic434 Posts
May 09 2013 09:52 GMT
#13
Spells: QWERDF
Level Up/Stats: T/Y
Items: Alt+QWEASD
Chat Wheel: Mouse Side Button
Control Groups: 1 - Hero, 2 - Creeps, 3 - Hero + Creeps
Tobberoth
Profile Joined August 2010
Sweden6375 Posts
May 09 2013 12:00 GMT
#14
Spells: QWEDFR
Items: mouse back, mouse forward, 1234
Select non-hero units: § (next to 1 on nordic keyboard)
Quickbuy: z (for when you need to save that unreliable gold)
Select Hero: Space
Controlgroups: F1, F2, F3 (almost never use, select non-hero units is usually enough)
Courier: T (but i rarely use it now that I found the auto-get button in the lower right lol)
Ricjames
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
Czech Republic1047 Posts
May 09 2013 14:29 GMT
#15
Spells: QWEDFR
Items: space, tab, ald A, alt S, alt D, ~
Control gorups: 1 2 3 4
Courrier F2, send courrier F3
Level up: X
Put items in inventory: T
Qucik buy: Z
SS call 5 6 7

I really got used to this setup i made up. Only problem is sometimes using items quickly in a teamfight with ALT+ASD. It is not a problem to push the keys, but it seems a problem that i never know immediately which item is under which hotkey.
Brood War is the best RTS that has ever been created.
pedrlz
Profile Joined September 2012
Brazil5234 Posts
May 09 2013 16:23 GMT
#16
Spells: QWEDFR
Items: z, x, c, 7, 8, 9 (I use with mouse hotkeys actually)
Control gorups: 1 2 3 4 5 f1 f2 f3 f4 f5 (for when I play with meepo, I like to have something like dota w3)
Courrier F6
Level up: O
Tab for scores and levels: T
Voice: V
Call miss: b
Call back: n
Xxazn4lyfe51xX
Profile Joined October 2010
United States976 Posts
May 09 2013 16:32 GMT
#17
As you can probably see from everyone's posts, it really is up to your own preferences and tastes. If it works for you, use it. For me, I use legacy because I'm used to it. Item hotkeys on 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 hero f1, courier f2. Numbers 1 and 2 reserved for control groups. It's not optimal by any means, but I'm comfortable with it and can play any hero (yes, meepo included) with this setup.
Aceace
Profile Joined June 2011
Turkey1305 Posts
May 10 2013 03:20 GMT
#18
Spells: QWEDFR
Hero: 1
Chicken/Bear/Treants vsvs: 2
Items: 3-4-5
Space: Oh Shit button (MEK-Wand-Bottle)
Boots: Mouse 4
Last slot (if 6 active items): Mouse 5

My keyboard has 4 macro keys on left:
ss top
ss mid
ss bot (accordingly) (last key is stun now!)
Dün dündür, bugün bugündür. (Yesterday was yesterday, today is today)
DW-Unrec
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
492 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-10 03:32:30
May 10 2013 03:30 GMT
#19
Spells: Legacy
Items: Q235 (and F, space when playing tinker or any other hero that has 6 active items)
Control gorups: F1 (hero) 1, 4. When playing meepo, F1~F5 I use for each individual meepo
Quickbuy/stickybuy: F2, F3

Alt + QWER to level up abilities quickly.

Ah, I have the scoreboard on spacebar. I find this VERY useful. Having an enemy hero at level 6 will decide how far you can go with the gank/dive. You can also see if supports are jungling by pulling, or smoke ganking.
lazyitachi
Profile Blog Joined December 2011
1043 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-05-10 04:14:28
May 10 2013 04:11 GMT
#20
Spells: QWER DF
Hero: F1
Control Bind: 123
Items: ZXCV - normal items Space/T (usually movement items like phase, force, dagger / targeted like orchid, sheep, eblade)

Cour select: 4
Cour deliver: 5 e.g. 45R for select, deliver and haste
Quickbuy: F3
TP Buy F4
`: Shop
\: Scoretab

Num 7: Well played
Num 123: Mid top, mid, bot
Num 5: Get back

Tinker item slotting example so certain combo the fingers wont overlap (usually :S )
Z - soul ring
X - bottle
C - Dagon
V - BoT
Space - Eblade/ sheep or force staff but i rarely buy one
T - Dagger
Burns
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States2300 Posts
May 11 2013 08:52 GMT
#21
I dont understand why people use hotkeys in Dota, when you can bind pretty much what most people use hotkeys for to keys.
Like for meepo, you can bind your main hero to f1, and then you can bind all other units to f2. This allows you to select your main, and your clones very fast, and if you want to select all of them hold shift and hit f1 f2.

You can also bind a courier key
What do you mean you heard me during the night, these are quiet pants!
riser
Profile Joined September 2010
21 Posts
May 12 2013 18:26 GMT
#22
Legacy keys and numpad, because I ain't a bitch.

No but seriously, don't do that or you'll hate yourself. Whatever works for you.
Normal
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Monday Night Weeklies
16:00
#25
Clem vs MaxPaxLIVE!
herO vs TBD
RotterdaM1422
TKL 416
SteadfastSC396
IndyStarCraft 293
BRAT_OK 157
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RotterdaM 1422
TKL 416
SteadfastSC 396
IndyStarCraft 293
BRAT_OK 157
Hui .152
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 23412
Larva 150
firebathero 113
Backho 53
sas.Sziky 52
scan(afreeca) 34
NaDa 8
Counter-Strike
fl0m3160
ScreaM638
pashabiceps373
Stewie2K125
Heroes of the Storm
Liquid`Hasu494
Khaldor243
Other Games
Grubby2952
FrodaN2343
qojqva2336
ceh9879
Beastyqt663
B2W.Neo383
ToD181
mouzStarbuck147
Trikslyr58
UpATreeSC43
Chillindude18
JuggernautJason4
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 19 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Hupsaiya 18
• Reevou 2
• intothetv
• Kozan
• sooper7s
• Migwel
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• IndyKCrew
StarCraft: Brood War
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV841
• masondota2686
League of Legends
• Nemesis3971
• Jankos1370
• TFBlade791
Other Games
• imaqtpie943
• Shiphtur271
Upcoming Events
Map Test Tournament
15h 46m
PiGosaur Monday
1d 4h
Map Test Tournament
1d 15h
Tenacious Turtle Tussle
2 days
The PondCast
2 days
Map Test Tournament
2 days
Map Test Tournament
3 days
OSC
3 days
Korean StarCraft League
4 days
CranKy Ducklings
4 days
[ Show More ]
Map Test Tournament
4 days
OSC
4 days
[BSL 2025] Weekly
4 days
Safe House 2
4 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
Map Test Tournament
5 days
OSC
5 days
IPSL
5 days
dxtr13 vs Napoleon
Doodle vs OldBoy
Liquipedia Results

Completed

BSL 20 Team Wars
Maestros of the Game
HCC Europe

Ongoing

BSL 21 Points
ASL Season 20
CSL 2025 AUTUMN (S18)
Acropolis #4 - TS2
C-Race Season 1
IPSL Winter 2025-26
EC S1
ESL Pro League S22
Frag Blocktober 2025
Urban Riga Open #1
FERJEE Rush 2025
Birch Cup 2025
DraculaN #2
LanDaLan #3
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025

Upcoming

SC4ALL: Brood War
BSL Season 21
BSL 21 Team A
RSL Revival: Season 3
Stellar Fest
SC4ALL: StarCraft II
WardiTV TLMC #15
eXTREMESLAND 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
SL Budapest Major 2025
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.