Screw Drivers Controls Guide

Screw Drivers Controls Overview

Screw Drivers is a physics-based vehicle building and racing game on Steam where you design custom machines from individual parts and then put them to the test on challenging tracks. Whether you are snapping together your first chassis in build mode or drifting through corners at high speed, understanding the control scheme is essential to progressing through career mode and dominating multiplayer races.

The game supports both keyboard-and-mouse and controller input. However, the way these two schemes interact can sometimes cause confusion, especially because the game auto-detects connected controllers. If you have ever found your keyboard suddenly unresponsive, a stray gamepad or steering wheel plugged into your system is likely the culprit. Our detailed guides below walk you through every control, common pitfalls, and how to fix input issues quickly.

Build Mode Controls

Build mode is where you spend the majority of your creative time. You place, rotate, and connect parts using the mouse. The core actions are straightforward: click to place a selected part, press R to delete a highlighted piece, and press Q to deselect the current part or tool. Pressing X toggles a stats overlay that highlights structural errors such as unsupported beams or disconnected axles. To switch from driving back into build mode at any time, press N.

Mouse movement controls the camera in build mode, letting you orbit around your creation and zoom in on tight connections. This free-look system makes it easy to inspect complex gear trains or suspension setups from any angle. For a complete breakdown of every shortcut, see our Keyboard Controls page.

Driving Controls

Once your vehicle is assembled, you hop in and drive. The default scheme uses WASD or the arrow keys for throttle, braking, and steering, while Space serves as the handbrake for tight turns and controlled drifts. The mouse controls the camera so you can look around the track while driving.

Steering feel changes dramatically depending on your wheel choice, tire width, and suspension geometry. A vehicle built with wide carriage tires and dirt suspension will handle very differently from one fitted with racing wheels and street suspension. Experimenting with both build and driving controls is part of the fun.

Controller Support

Screw Drivers includes automatic controller detection and supports most gamepads out of the box. The game can also work with steering wheel peripherals, though conflicts with HID game controllers can cause issues. If you want fully custom button mapping, the best approach is to use Steam Input or a third-party tool like JoyToKey since the game does not offer native keybinding customization. Visit our Controller Setup guide for detailed instructions.

Troubleshooting Input Issues

The most common problem new players encounter is the keyboard stopping work mid-session. This almost always happens because the game has auto-detected a controller or steering wheel connected to your PC. The fix is simple: press Esc to open settings, navigate with the arrow keys, and switch the input device back to Mouse/Keyboard. Note that settings can reset when loading career mode, which is a known bug.

Stepper motors on your vehicle can be assigned to numpad keys, giving you programmable inputs for advanced mechanical designs. This is an advanced topic covered in our Keyboard Controls guide.

Related Pages

• Keyboard Controls — Full key reference for build and drive modes
• Controller Setup — Gamepad, Steam Input, and steering wheel configuration
• Getting Started Guide — Beginner tips for your first build
• Troubleshooting Guide — Fix common game issues