Getting started in Apex Legends can be intimidating. It looks complicated like Warzone but in fact, it’s quite simple. There are a few unique settings to Apex but that’s about all you need to know. However, some Apex players experience issues with switching weapons in the game, and in this guide, we will talk about how to switch weapons in Apex Legends and any issues that may arise along the road.
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How to Switch Weapons in Apex Legends
Now when someone says switch weapons it can mean many things. Do you want to equip another weapon you are carrying, swap it out for the one on the ground, or something completely else? Regardless of what you need, it’s all here. These are all the keybinds/settings that you need to know to switch weapons in Apex Legends:
| Name of the Keybind | Default Keybind | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Equip Weapon 1 | 1 | Your character pulls out the weapon in the slot 1 |
| Equip Weapon 2 | 2 | Your character pulls out the weapon in the slot 2 |
| Holster Weapons | 3 | Your character hides all the weapons and runs faster |
| Replace Equipped Weapon | Hold E (Can’t be changed, only if you change the Interact keybind) | Replaces the weapon you are currently holding with the one that’s on the ground |
| Cycle Weapon | Mouse Wheel | Switches to the next weapon. Can be done an infinite amount of times in a row |
These keybinds are essential to set up and know to play Apex Legends. You don’t want to fight enemies with fists, do you?
How to Switch Weapons Faster
If you want to have an edge in a gunfight even if it is a little one you can speed up the animation of switching carried weapons. To switch weapons faster press the crouch button at the same time you switch guns. You can feel the difference if you immediately aim down sights. When crouching you will go to the ADS mode slightly faster.
It’s not a game-breaker but could be a healthy habit to develop since crouching also displaces opponents’ aim. So if you use this trick it will give you at least some advantage in your next fight.
Can’t Switch Weapons in Training Bug
There is a known bug in Apex Legends training. Throughout your introduction with Bloodhound, you will learn how to pick up, ping, and switch weapons. Except sometimes the “Switch Weapon” checkmark doesn’t want to complete and here’s why.
Most likely you are trying to switch weapons using numbers (1,2 by default). However, the game actually wants you to use the Cycle Weapon keybind for this task. Make sure that you have your keybinds set. It is bonded to the mouse wheel by default but many players prefer to use it for jumping which is why the task in the training doesn’t get completed.
How Pros Switch Weapons
If you are curious what keybinds pros use to switch weapons in Apex Legends you’d be surprised. Most of the players use default number keybinds to switch weapons. The mouse wheel is either used for something else like jumping or left unused.
You may notice the same thing happening in other games too. The main reason for that is that if you are in the middle of the fight and use the mouse wheel to scroll through weapons you may land on the wrong one because of pressure and stress. And that can come at a cost of a lost gunfight. Number keybinds, on the other hand, are much more reliable which is why pros use them.
