Monster Hunter Outlanders has two touch control modes: Starting Mode, an assisted mode that picks your actions automatically, and Hunting Mode, where you control every action yourself. This guide explains the difference, which one to pick, how to switch, and how to customize your on-screen button layout.
Control Buttons by Mode
Here are the combat buttons and which control mode has them. Starting Mode uses three buttons and Hunting Mode uses six (plus Guard for weapons that can guard).
| Button | What it does | Starting | Hunting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | Attacks with your weapon. In Starting Mode, tapping it chains combos automatically. | Yes | Yes |
| Evade | Dodges an attack. In Starting Mode, with a weapon that can guard, it picks Guard or Evade automatically, and you can choose whether it's shown. | Optional | Yes |
| Special | One of Starting Mode's three buttons. Like attack, its combos trigger automatically. | Yes | — |
| Skills 1–3 | Use skills whenever you choose, so you can aim for specific combos. | — | Yes |
| Guard | Blocks an attack with a weapon that can guard. In Starting Mode, it comes out of the Evade button automatically. | Automatic (Evade) | Weapons that can guard |
| Sheathe | Puts your weapon away. In Starting Mode, you can choose to show this button in button customization. | Optional | Yes |
Starting Mode vs Hunting Mode
| Starting | Hunting | |
|---|---|---|
| Buttons | 3 buttons (attack, Evade, special) | 6 buttons (attack, Evade, skills 1–3, sheathe) |
| Actions | Combos trigger automatically; you can't choose a specific action | Everything is manual; you choose each action |
| Guides | All shown | Kept to a minimum |
| Best for | Beginners | Intermediate players and up |
Starting Mode: Simple Controls with Auto Actions
Starting Mode lets you play with just three buttons: attack, Evade, and special. Actions are chosen for you based on the situation. For example, with a weapon that can guard, pressing Evade automatically picks Guard or Evade, and the attack and special buttons chain combos automatically too. You can't pick a specific action yourself.
All combat info and guides (tutorials) are shown, so you can check the details right away whenever something new unlocks. If you skip a guide, you can read it again any time from Menu > More > Tutorial Training > Tutorials.
Hunting Mode: Full Manual Control
Hunting Mode gives each action its own button, for six buttons in total, and feels closer to the classic Monster Hunter games. With a weapon that can guard, for example, the Evade button evades and the Guard button guards. Attacks and skills come out exactly as you choose them.
There's no automatic combo assist, so it takes some practice to master. Guides and combat info are kept to a minimum, which keeps the screen clean and the game moving.
For time attacks or high-difficulty quests, Hunting Mode is the better choice: being able to pick your moves is a big advantage. Switch before you take them on and get used to the controls first.
Which Mode Should You Choose?
If you're not confident with action games, go with Starting Mode. You press a button in time with enemy attacks and the game picks the best action for you, so you can enjoy flashy combat with simple controls.
If you want to learn monster patterns and land the best skills and combos yourself, go with Hunting Mode. The controls are more complex, but pulling off exactly what you intended is especially satisfying. Consider switching once you start taking on harder quests.
How to Change the Control Mode
You can change the control mode from the mode or controls tab in the settings. Just tap a mode to apply it; when the checkmark at the top right moves to that mode, the change is done.
How to Customize Your Button Layout
You can adjust the position, size, opacity, and touch area of each on-screen button. Follow these steps:
- Open the menu at the top right of the main screen.
- Tap the gear icon at the bottom right of the menu to open the settings.
- Open the controls tab and choose button customization. Each control mode has its own layout, so pick the mode you play with.
- Switch between solo and multiplayer at the top left, and set up a layout for each.
- Tap a button to open its settings and adjust it the way you like.
- When you're done, tap the save button at the top of the screen, then the exit button to leave.
You can save up to six layout presets each for solo and multiplayer and load them later.
In Starting Mode, you can choose whether the Evade and sheathe buttons are shown on the button customization screen.
Part of the button customization info is from the closed beta, so menu names and steps may differ slightly in the released game.
Button Settings You Can Change
Position
Press and drag a button to move it wherever your fingers reach it easily.
Size
Adjust it to your fingers and comfort. For example, make the attack button you use most bigger, and shrink buttons you tend to press by mistake.
Opacity
If buttons cover the monster and get in the way, make them more transparent to keep a clear view.
Touch area
This changes how large an area responds to a tap without changing how the button looks. Make it smaller if you often press the wrong button, and larger if taps sometimes don't register.
Playing with a Controller
This guide covers the touch controls. For whether you can play with a controller, see the PC version guide.
This guide reflects the game as of October 29, 2026.