FFXIV: The Ultimate Settings Guide! (HUD, Keybinds, Configurations)

This is a guide going over just about every possible setting and option in Final Fantasy XIV. Your keybinds, HUD, graphics, character settings, all of it. This is from a PC player perspective on the PC version of the game. Much of it applies to the console version though.
Some settings are poorly worded or wrong. Others you might just realize exist! Let's go through them and see what you may or may not want to use.
My UI: • Explaining My HUD and ...
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Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00
Keybinds: 3:31
System Configuration: 12:19
Character Configuration: 27:52
HUD Layout: 1:26:16
Misc. Extras: 1:35:14
Outro: 1:37:10
FINAL FANTASY is a registered trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
© SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.
#FFXIV #Endwalker #settings

[@WeskAlber]

Addendums or corrections: The HUD Layout Pixel Movement I thought was entirely its own input. It is actually in System Keybinds. Move Cursor up/down/left/right are this action.

[@icarusquack]

wesk, i don't normally comment (i'm forgetful and end up finishing and clicking off), but i really appreciate all the hard work you put into these videos. i'm not sure you hear it enough, but you have such a huge impact on the community in such a positive way. thanks for all of the videos that help beginners and ffxiv veterans alike.

[@amazingj4173]

Couldn't say it better. Thank you Wesk!

[@crowshroud]

I'm a firm MMO mouse player - it works better with ergonomics and not moving my hands around too much as an artist with already bad wrists, but still excited to watch this! As a tip to other MMO mouse users: I ended up discovering a small little quirk that really works for me, putting sprint on a small little static hotbar I use for a collapsing macro setup, and mapping it to a middle mouse button/scroll wheel click. It frees up a spot on your job hotbars, and if you have your hand on your mouse all the time like me, it's always easily accessible!

[@jopet216]

Same. I can't play any mmo without one.

[@SinHurr]

Had not thought of mapping it to mouse wheel, even though that's exactly how I do movement in Diablo 3. Great call.

[@azi3846]

Personally I play with controller on my PC, its way more relaxing than people give credit for with FF14 especially since its an mmo designed with consoles in mind first. Tanking also feels more natural on it too.

[@CXraable]

That introduction to yourself tho…

[@Lain-404]

For anyone with small hands, i found what really helped me was moving buttons 7 through = down a row on my keyboard, so q through y. Then I moved wasd down a row to szxc for movement. For reference, my hands are the size of a child despite being a grown adult, so hitting = was always a physical strain and got me killed on a few occasions. However, about a few months ago I swapped to a mmo mouse and wouldnt go back for the world.

[@arcaneentertainment3177]

Wait u removes buttons why not get one handed keyboard

[@ThrustMasterFlex]

Your channel was one of few that was instrumental in getting me to play ffxiv at a level where I'm not entirely lost. It is no small exaggeration to say that your guides and videos near singlehandedly got me comfortable with the game. And with that being said, watching you take your hands off WASD had me staring like I was witnessing the Rapture

[@crochi]

Your videos are so insanely well made and comprehensive, it’s so refreshing to watch a channel like this, thanks!

[@FinalFrankie]

This is such a valuable video and probably took ages to make! Thank you so much! This is going to help me a lot as I spend all day rewatching this and adjusting my settings!

[@slowreader4617]

Thank you for this! I am still new to the game and need creators like you to kindly educate me!!

[@HawkeScream]

OMG I had no idea you could have cross hotbars up on PC at the same time. I don't use a controller but I've complained a couple times that I would love just one or two more hotbars for various things. This solves that perfectly ahhhh thank you so much!!!

[@arcanedeity5559]

My twin has started playing on the free trial, and I have immediately pointed them to your channel. Thank you for everything that you do!

[@GeriAttric]

Thank you for this content. My gaming began on consoles and have always used controllers. I got into pc gaming a year ago and have wanted to try playing MNK. I have tried but always give up due personal frustration within the learning curve. I think I will create an alt and dedicate that toon to MNK play only, using this as a guide to the same.

[@TheSuspira666]

This answers every question I had. Thanks!!!

[@cruizegraphics]

"you're a warrior of light, not an airplane" I laughed so hard 😂😂😂😂😂

[@ul7987]

Wesk, thank you so much for this high level rundown of the entire FF14 settings options! As a brand new player, you have given me a turbo charged TLDR to get me started. Subscribed! I really appreciate your time and efforts put into this. Thanks again.

[@mitchiruy]

This is the best explanation I have ever seen of all the set ups. I finally understood what are some of them. Thank you. Btw I'm console player and still all of this explanation apply cause I have also kb and I use both things

[@Cassapphic]

It's really funny to me seeing "why would you ever turn your own HP/MP bar off even with the party list" the day one of my friends turned her HP bar off to make her UI look more clean and more like a traditional rpg like xenoblade. (She actually used xenoblade x's small personal HP bar that I genuinely forgot existed as I only used the party list in that game as the tipping point to decide it)

[@Jimmotep]

34:03 if you're a lala player I would HIGHLY recommend adjusting this, at least to a similar angle as the other races have by default (I have mine set to 50)

[@Thorn9268]

Omg wat I just did this and now I can actually SEE 😅 Thank you so much fellow lala!

[@iPlayOnSpica]

MMO mouse user. I can't imagine myself ever using the right half of the keyboard like that. JKL are dedicated to text chat, M to map, N to draw/sheathe (not really important), and punctuation to system or other purposes (i.e. comma is screenshot, period is hide UI). That only leaves me with HYUIOP currently unused (I unmapped all default menu keybinds and only put a few important ones on F5-F8). I also came from first-person shooters, so 1. the ability to fine-adjust direction with the camera is mandatory at all times, and 2. absolute control of the camera with my mouse is mandatory, which is why I like "disable camera pivot" and "maintain camera distance" settings, making the game's automatic movements of my camera a bare minimum (only when the camera hits terrain do I lose any control of it).

[@armaniesingletary8979]

Very good video thanks for the 411 and comprehensible guide. Mmos are hard to understand but when broken down in this manner its all good in the hood!

[@MunkeeMag]

I play on console using a controller. I have a wireless keyboard but use it exclusively for chat. The opening demonstration had me wondering if that was Mavis Beacon Teaches Rotation.

[@Sand_Storms]

I don't see any other comments about it so I'll answer the question about the Use Pet Hotbar for cross hotbar settings. If you have this enabled, it will bring up the pet hotbar when you tap right bumper, not hold it. Normally you hold right bumper to select the hotbar set, but you can also tap quickly to swap to the next, like if you're on set 1 you can tap to jump to set 2 by default. But with pet hotbar enabled, when you're on set 1 it will jump to the pet set instead when you tap. You might have to have another setting enabled for this to work, I can't fully remember.

[@WeskAlber]

Will have to check later to see for myself, but holy crap an actual answer maybe?!?!

[@tuggerjaegger2886]

i think they need to update the main scenario guide display button, since it doesn't only hide the MSQ after you've caught up, but also any ungoing job quests from your battle/gather/crafter jobs. i personally don't like that it does that, so i keep it visible

[@shiro5157]

stellar video, thanks a lot!

[@ConformistOwl]

I like having my hotbar use only 12345, EFGQR, and my thumb mouse buttons to keep it comfortable and only having to move my fingers... then shift hold for the second toolbar and CTRL hold for the third. CTRL is the only button that's even a little awkward to use on a normal keyboard so I keep that for the third hotbar and try to keep the least often used abilities there.

[@ConformistOwl]

@@citriosis It is, I tried thinking alternatives, but they either weren't able to be done or more awkward. I feel like I just click the third bar half the time.

[@Laviathan50]

I found using a 26 button Razer Tartarus gamepad for the GCD'S, pots, role actions, jumping, target swapping and a 12 button MMO mouse for the OGCD's made gameplay much more efficient since I could constantly reposition while weaving the combo chain. Plus it's a lot easier on the wrist and helps minimize errors since I don't have to move my left hand

[@unixtreme]

Same. Got a mouse with 16 buttons and got used to it, as well as moved movement to esdf instead of wasd giving me extra keys to bind around my left hand.

[@axessenter]

I remember when I started raiding in E5S I knew absolutely nothing about UI or system settings or basically anything 😂 had been playing the game since 2016, but only did the MSQs. The PLD of a static my FC knew took me under her wing a little, explained my class to me, but I wasn't getting much better DMG wise. Until one night I talked to a friend of mine about E5S and was like:"Bro, idk man, it's so difficult to dodge the thunderpuddles! I move back so slowly and I can't turn my camera when I have to take my hands off the mouse." I learned 2 things that day: I learned that Legacy exists and I learned that I do not have to play organ to do my DMG rotation. I shot up like 2k in DMG in a day. Have to say though, getting a mouse with 12 side buttons has been the best purchase, it's so comfy for small hands

[@ricardocontreras3700]

watching you do the opener put me in shock

[@vert5807]

For anyone on the fence on an MMO mouse. I got one a few weeks after I started playing and it was the best decision I even made. It’s so comfortable, I could never imagine playing without it. They’re great

[@lumix1186]

i just wish they werent all black and boring im a really girly gamer😭

[@Vodkaquiet]

Im reeeally interest how you’re going to set up your controller crossbar (playing with controller only). Thanks for the video, some nice tips of use for controller players as well

[@M0du5Pwn3n5]

This is kind of related, but two of the most useful macros I have are: 1. Toggle mute everything except system sounds and BGM 2. Toggle mute on BGM Way more useful than the sound settings and built-in sound controls. That way I can toggle BGM on and off if I'm listening to a podcast or watching TV or playing my own music, while still keeping all the in-game sounds. And I can also toggle off all the in-game sounds if I don't care to hear them, but because it doesn't turn off system sounds, I don't lost things like duty finder chimes. Perfect for alt-tabbing.

[@shealeigh4160]

I love the subtle shade you throw at the commenter yelling at you for using your right hand in your opener by immediately cutting to your TOP pov video 👌 That's my level of petty and I am here for it haha. Thanks for all your videos, I always come to your channel first when I pick up a new class in XIV! They always set me up for success when I'm learning a new job.

[@Lulink013]

My bars Physically LOOK like my keyboard. As such, any finger movement is a 1 to 1 movement in my bars on screen. Also I tend to put AEOs on the left (AZQSWX) and single target on the right (RTFGYH) for ease of memorisation. My bindings are as follows, on an AZERTY keyboard: ESDF + Q to move and jump (one right of the standard ZQSD to move, so I get more keys availlable!) RTG ZA, other keys accessible without moving my hand -> combos and actions I use most of the time 123456YH = off GCD mitigation, sorted from shorted to longest cooldown Alt Q and Shift Q -> dashes/ othe movement abilities WXCVB -> Utility stuff, like ranged attack, interupts, tank stance, dance partner, etc. Shift + ESDF Q -> Additional space for Action, bonus points if it has a long cooldown I must keep an eye on for good DPS. Alt + 123456 -> rare mitigation / macros Alt + ZERSDF -> other attacks and stuff that I don't have space for elsewhere Ctrl + any of the keys above : job change. Yes, I can change to any of my most used jobs with a keybind. I NEVER have to lift my hand to hit my keys except maybe 123456 because the only ones I use are my movement keys, around those and/or in a combo with shift/alt. Also I have Shift and Ctrl bound on my mouse wheel (right and left) for easier access!

[@Owtasmh]

26:00 as an ex-console player, text copying *does* work on console, just requires you to enable a separate setting for text copying. works great for searching the market board without using the garbage ps4 onscreen keyboard!

[@natnorth]

I'm 30 seconds in and, it feels like a joke about the Dragoon opener, but as a noob(ish) player who mains Dragoon THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I AM HERE!!!! Thank you bro :)

[@kanorga6088]

dude at 30:35 actually gave me sound advice to play with my gaming keypad!

[@catocat333]

good video, I play since years and learned some new stuff. ty. 32:20 Housing Cutscene are there when you send your boats and submarines off or if you build something in the workshop of the free company

[@TheSuspira666]

I have this clicked to skip but they always play through when I sent airship or sub out.😵‍💫

[@catocat333]

@@TheSuspira666 my mistake. you are right, perhaps its if you build something... or or the cutscene when u visit a housing area the first time. 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[@TheSuspira666]

@@catocat333 Ok darn, I thought you were gonna tell me how to skip it 😆

[@demillion]

the housing cut-scenes are things like training chocobos in stables : ) like fc house stable or the one outside of apartments

[@rccobbe]

There's also a short cutscene that plays if you are in your FC workshop and someone sends out the submarine; this is also affected by the 'housing cutscene' option. There might be a cutscene for airships too, but my FC doesn't generally bother with those, so I couldn't say.

[@SapperMD]

Thanks!

[@cruizegraphics]

love ur vids

[@BazzFreeman]

I only use the actual keyboard for chat. I use a gamepad (Had everything from Belkin, Razer, Logitech, even one of those wierd Azeron thing but couldn't get on with it) Currently I have the FFXIV one made by Hori. Also have always used a MMO mouse.. currently, Corsair. More than enough buttons for anything I want to bind.

[@MeerkatAngel1992]

As far as I am aware of the housing cutscenes only applies to Chocobo training in the stables. I don't own a house so I can't confirm if the option applies to any other housing cutscenes. Free Company vessels aren't affected by the option.

[@galloviking4766]

I disabled turn left/right to free Q and E... I don't regret it.

[@Xylus.]

This is the only way to live. That's some valuable real estate in relation to WASD.

[@thiagobarbosadesouza5752]

Hey man, gratz for video! So, tell me one question here.. how u display level in nameplates? ty bro.

[@WeskAlber]

You don't, nor would that have any use.

[@PhoenicisEstuans]

Been playing since shortly after ShB drop, General Duty Button or whatever it was called...wish I had known what it did forever ago XD

[@feeblemind]

Wesk streams when. Seriously tho you're like the unsung hero of not only helping me not be completely lost and trash in this game but also giving me a video source to link my friends so they stop being trash and lost. Thanks for all you do.

[@WeskAlber]

for like, the last few years

[@PaulTDaniel]

1:07:51 nice Code:MENT reference

[@M0du5Pwn3n5]

This is a fantastic video, but the idea that you play with your right hand on the keyboard and have to swap back and forth to the mouse breaks my brain.

[@BeckyScottFairley]

Ah the pet hotbar on cross hotbar 1 is things I forgot to uncheck

[@nebjanim8741]

I have to say it...I'm really surprised at the bindings you are using, and fully conscious I might be walking into a trap here 😅 I get that UI and bindings are very personal, but objectively these bindings could be a bit of a handicap. Take your Arm's Length on 9 for instance. This is an ability you often have to use quite reactively, and often during times when other mechanics are resolving where player position and camera control are inportant. So it seems quite challenging to place this in a way where you force yourself to relinquish camera control in order to use the ability, not to mention the challenges of ensuring your hand is landing in the right place to consistently hit the buttons each time. On the other hand, I've always though it would be cool to try keybind setups that rely on two handed bindings, but the only other time I've seen this was where the numpad was being used instead. Interested to see what you are doing with the some of the keybinds oriented around the WASD keys as they are freed up with your current approach. Also what made you decide to bind your abilities this way, was it based on maximising the use of the default bindings, or you getting used to these and therefore never changing them, or did you concsiously develop your playstyle this way? Seen your other video where you played this way too, and no doubt you've clearly made it work for you! Also I love your videos, your guides have been the doorway to every job for me so please keep up the amazing work ❤

[@mogreturns2868]

under controller config you can set r3 and l3 to use macros. very helpful for me

[@steeneugenpoulsen8174]

Try sdfc Then you have qwerty and shift qwerty + 123456 and shift 123456, all been run by one hand. My right hand never leave the mouse. Your keyboard layout is pretty much always use your right hand and uses it for both keyboard and mouse, do you use the left hand at all?

[@WeskAlber]

you... can see in the video I use my left hand

[@Scerttle]

Finally, it's making sense at 90

[@TheJura406]

nice video, but still im looking some 1 thing and that is the Boss chat box what pop up in the middle of fights. I would like to move it like down as a subtittle and not to be in the middle of my screen. playing on ps5 so if some1 knows how to move it i would be grateful

[@WeskAlber]

You don't right now

[@Xylus.]

Lol, I made a level sync macro. Didn't know there was already a sync function you could keybind.

[@beardyblue-personal]

Oh hell yes

[@RoyAndrewPrice]

Is this the Mentor Wesk Alber from Sargatanas?

[@WeskAlber]

Well the intro says no. Any Wesk Alber from sarg is either a coincidence or imposter. If they say they are me I would like to know so I can report if possible

[@haloeightYT]

Pad player here. Liking and commenting anyway.

[@JooshMaGoosh]

Idk if this is still relevant but imma gamble on it. Im returning back to ff14 from console onto PC now and without my cross hotbar set up i am getting ruined. I need something to fix that, i came across a saying that ive been trying to implement into my playstyle/set up but im not quite getting it on PC like i did PS5. "Uniformity breeds familiarity."

[@WeskAlber]

I mean, that sounds like putting similar buttons on similar keys. All tank stances on F12, or your buffing skills on F1-F4 for example?

[@JooshMaGoosh]

@@WeskAlber ill try it out i just came across someone who said it and agreed as that was more or less the basis for my controller set up. I main monk so im trying to find a keybind hotbar set up that allows me to quickly filter through my abilities while still having a fair degree of movement & targeting.

[@samedwards3186]

Really hoping there’s a simple input to turn around and walk backwards, I’ve been struggling really hard with the default “s=super slow backwalk”

[@WeskAlber]

Good news.

[@solarized5316]

There is! Go to Character Configuration -> Control Settings, at the top of the list is Movement Settings, switching to "Legacy Type" let's you do just that. Personally I stick with Standard type but that's just because I primarily use my mouse + hold right click to strafe, but if you just want to move backwards really quickly legacy is for you!

[@PhoenicisEstuans]

Legacy is definitely easier, but if like me you play one hand on mouse and the other on keyboard its not terrible to learn to flick your camera for movement backwards then flick back

[@nikodokars8315]

People bash on Standard controls way too much, honestly. They aren't perfect, but sometimes, i find the backpedal way too useful for little adjustments.

[@WeskAlber]

That's why with strafing I have that option. Can also turn on RP walk as needed

[@timestopMachinist]

i cap my fps at 72 because while my system can run it at 144 perfectly fine, for some reason it lags out everything else on my pc, like youtube videos or even discord chat. not sure why that is, no other game has done that for me

[@timestopMachinist]

also, my framerate is significantly higher in fullscreen than borderless, though i prefer borderless. i have to use fullscreen if i dont want fps in the 40s (when set to 72 cap)

[@asdsad17]

My monitor is 2560x1440. I play in windowed 2560x1080 for some uavonline. If you have 3440x1440 monitor you can play in 3440x1080 and play from the moon.

[@vapamangaming1853]

How in the world do you set your hotbar like that. I cannot find the option to do that.

[@WeskAlber]

Like what? Should all be in the hotbars section

[@vapamangaming1853]

@@WeskAlber I figured it out after posting that.

[@vapamangaming1853]

@@WeskAlber I had to change my default play method from controller to PC

[@techdeth]

Almost scrolled right past this man, change the thumbnail!!

[@WeskAlber]

Done. Its changed.

[@PKcrash]

Mmo mice made me love mmos more lol

[@shooby9496]

Only in FFXIV does talking about settings warrant and hour and forty minute video.

[@TheFrantic5]

Most annoyingly, Eukrasia removes your soft-target.

[@Saieden]

FFXIV's framerate cap is kinda bad and can caus stutters and the like. Rather just cap it in your gpu driver software if you want to save power.

[@azi3846]

I never have an issue with the cap at all tbh. Then again I play on low settings cause I value framerate over pretty graphics.

[@Lancefh_ENV]

That keyboard the whole time: P-Please s-slow down! I-I can only take so much~

[@cheshiresage]

"The bad one with Ichiban" How do i delete someone elses youtube channel

[@raarasunai4896]

I’m console, so sadly this doesn’t help me much

[@WeskAlber]

There should be a lot that applies still.

[@shedijon]

get a naga you madman

[@WeskAlber]

No.

[@keonrichards1083]

Never in 1 million years would I ever play with a keyboard That shit is so tedious and annoying

[@WeskAlber]

A lot of games - MMOs especially - are made with KBM in mind lol. Maybe don't knock it just because you're not used to it?

[@vaclavmajer5488]

ok dude

[@angelgodric]

this is a trash guide ppl only play this game with a controller

[@WeskAlber]

the hell you talking about? especially because I have controller info in this

[@kurykirin6281]

No mouse? Damn thats crazy i think you'd be better off with a controller. This is just not reliable at all. I've played MMOs for 14 years and trust me, WoW's MOP expansion had more abilities to keybind than you will ever have in this game and you did NOT need 2 hands operating the keyboard for that. playing like that would have been impossible to do while also being able to move around effectively soooo you wouldnt get invited to anything because you would be a liability, always dead due to being unable to move from mechanics quick enough. I've played FF14 for 2 years now, my first job to max in SB and EW was dragoon and its not that intense... everything you are doing with 2 hands most people can do with 1 hand while moving with the mouse and strafing side to side in-between globals. Do not encourage new people to play the way you do because it will not translate to any other game unless the goal is to type as many words per minute as you can, even then it wouldn't be as effective as normal typing posture.

[@WeskAlber]

You're trying to gatekeep me... When I'm an Ultimate raider and have played like this for 7 years. If that's not reliable, nothing is. Angelus Demonus also plays without mouse. But he does even further than I do. And he's one of the top Deep Dungeon players. Congrats on being one of the weirdos I mention in the video.

[@Xylus.]

It's funny to tell someone who has cleared the hardest content in the game that they're basically not playing the game well and a "liability"😂 Take a chill pill friend. You got triggered over some dude simply demonstrating their control setup and keybinds, making a big deal despite it only constituting like 1% of the total information and advice in the video.

[@o.s.95]

i have a mouse with 12 buttons so 1-12 shift 1-12 and ctrl 1-12 my hand is always on the mouse i could never play like that dragoon opener 😅 and for me it works perfect for years already on every job

[@boehan605]

ngl i was waiting for an april fools in that first clip

[@BionicLatino]

Thanks!