How to Use a Keyboard with BlueStacks Android Emulator

Aaron Donald April 8, 2022

BlueStacks is a popular Android emulator used to run Android games from your PC. BlueStacks has tested hours of gameplay using the keyboard, mouse, and gamepad to ensure the gaming experience of your favorite games is as smooth and enjoyable as possible. All you need to do is find out which keys invoke which actions.

In this article, we’ve covered the keyboard and mouse controls required for Minecraft and Among Us. Read on to learn more.

How to Use a Keyboard with BlueStacks

BlueStacks allows you to use your physical keyboard connected to your computer or a virtual keyboard. Here’s how to enable the on-screen keyboard in BlueStacks 5:

Launch BlueStacks, then on the home screen, double-click the “Systems apps” folder to open it.
Then choose “Settings.”
Click on the “Select IME” option.
From the “Select IME” menu, find the “Enable On-screen Keyboard” option.
Click on the slider beside “Enable On-screen Keyboard” to enable it.

Note: Your physical keyboard will not work once the virtual keyboard is enabled. To use your physical keyboard again, disable the setting.
The virtual keyboard is now enabled for BlueStacks.

How to Use a Keyboard and Mouse on BlueStacks in Minecraft

Here are the keyboard controls you’ll need to play Minecraft on BlueStacks:

Keyboard Movement

Forward W
Sprint Double-tap W
Backward S
Right D
Left A
Sneak Shift
Jump Space

Flying

In Creative Mode double-press the “Jump.”
While Flying tap “Jump” to go upwards and “SHIFT” to go downwards.

Mouse Buttons

The mouse is for turning and aiming.

Left Mouse Button

To hit — namely — to strike an enemy or destroy blocks Left Button

Subsequently, it will devour the item in your primary hand.

Right Mouse Button

The right mouse button can be used for many things, including:

Positioning blocks.
To use tools for hoeing farmland and shearing sheep.
To fire bows. Hold to gather power, then let go.
To throw missiles like snowballs, eggs, and splash potions.
To drink and eat.
To operate levers and buttons.
To open doors.
To use the item in your secondary hand.
To access containers including furnaces, chests, and brewing stands.

However, when you press the right mouse button, it may be kind of tricky to anticipate what the outcome will be.

The appropriate action will be performed if your crosshairs point at an object that can be opened or used, like a lever, switch, chest, or door.
If the item in your primary hand can be operated with a right mouse click, then that action will be performed, for example:
- Throwing a snowball or firing a bow.
- Positioning a block.
- Using a hoe for farmland or to make a grass path.
The appropriate action will be performed if the item in your secondary hand can be positioned or used.

Toolbar and Inventory

Keyboard

To open the inventory E
To drop the item you’re holding on the floor Q
To drop a stack of items on the floor Ctrl Q
To choose an item from the toolbar 1-9
To exchange items between your primary and secondary hand F

Primary and Secondary Hand

The left mouse button controls your primary hand. This is usually your right hand. If you prefer it to be your left, you can set your preference using the “option” screen.

Your other hand is your secondary one. To put an item in it, use the shield slot in the inventory. Otherwise, press “F” to exchange items between hands.

Mouse Controls

If you have a middle mouse button, it will pick a target block (where your crosshairs are aimed).

If in survival mode, it will choose the block type you have in your inventory.
If in creative mode, it will choose the block you have. Otherwise, add it to your toolbar.

If you have a mouse wheel, you can use it to choose items in your toolbar.

If your inventory is open, you can press any number between 1-9 to add the item your mouse is hovering over to that slot in your toolbar.

How to Use a Keyboard in Among Us with BlueStacks

In Among Us, there are two different control schemes you can use, Joystick and Touch. The Joystick scheme allows you to use your keyboard for in-game movement, and the Touch scheme will enable you to use your mouse.

Follow the steps below to use these control schemes:

Access Among Us, then click on the “Settings” icon.
Choose either “Joystick” or “Touch.”
From the side toolbar, left-click on the “Game controls” icon.
Now enable “Game controls,” then choose your preference, Joystick or Touch control scheme.
Your control scheme will be selected. Below are the controls for each scheme:

Joystick Control Scheme

Move left A
Move down S
Move right R
Move up W
Map Tab
Action Space
Kill Q
Report E
Send chat Enter
Open chat C

Touch Control Scheme

Action Space
Movement Mouse-click
Report E
Map Tab
Send chat Enter
Open chat C
Kill Q

How to Change the Language of the On-Screen Keyboard

Follow these steps to change the language of your virtual keyboard in BlueStacks 5:

On the BlueStacks home screen, open the “System apps” folder.
Open the “Settings.”
Choose “Select IME” on the settings page.
Choose the input language you want to add to your virtual keyboard on the following screen.
You’ll be prompted to install the apk for the chosen language, click on “Install” to proceed.
The application page for the chosen language pack will launch on the Play Store. Choose “Install” to download the new language for your virtual keyboard.
Once the installation is finished, launch the language application.
Use the instructions to add the language to your keyboard input settings, configure your default keyboard, and permit the necessary permissions.
Select the theme you want for your keyboard when the setup is finished and click “Get Started.”
Launch the app where you want to enter your message and start using the new language. Once the virtual keyboard displays, choose the new language by selecting the language icon.
Now you can start typing with the existing keyboard layout, or to adapt the layout, click the small chevron just beneath the language icon.

Click on the “Help(?)” icon on the keyboard for help on how to use the keyboard efficiently.

How to Assign Single or Double Key Shortcuts for Functions

You can assign single or double key shortcuts for several BlueStacks functions. This means you can execute actions without needing to press several keys on your keyboard. Follow these steps to get started:

From the BlueStacks home page, on the side toolbar, click on the gear icon to access the “Settings” menu.
Next, choose the “Shortcuts” tab to see your shortcut keys.
To edit a shortcut key, click the box in front of an action, then press the preferred key(s).

Note: Ensure that the key(s) you’re assigning is not used for another action. If that is the case, a warning message will display to let you know that your shortcut key(s) is being used for another action.
To apply your new shortcut keys, hit “Save changes.” A confirmation message will pop up.

Note: In BlueStacks 5, the shortcut keys will be the same across all instances.
To restore the shortcut keys to default, go to the “Shortcuts” tab and choose “Restore default.”

Making Keyboard and Mouse Moves in BlueStacks

BlueStacks allows you to enjoy your favorite Android games from the comfort of your PC. The app assigns specific actions to specific keyboard and mouse keys for the best gameplay. You can also change these default settings to ones you prefer.

Tell us about some of the games you enjoy playing in BlueStacks in the comments section below.