Start with three changes: open Menu → System → Controller Settings to learn or remap the documented controller inputs, use a HUD mode that keeps HP, FP, stamina and status effects visible, and test camera auto-rotation instead of assuming its default suits you. Practice R3 lock-on and right-stick target switching before changing more controls. On PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC, compare ray tracing on and off if frame rate or resolution feels uneven.
These options improve information, comfort and consistency; they do not create an easy mode or weaken enemies. The instructions below apply to the original ELDEN RING. Menu wording can move between versions, so use the current labels on your platform. Bandai Namco’s version 1.17.2 notice, dated October 20, 2026, describes bug fixes and says the update is required for online play: official patch notes.
Which Elden Ring settings should I change first?
Change settings in the order that removes the most confusion: inputs, HUD visibility, camera behavior, lock-on practice, then graphics. The table is a quick map of what each option actually changes; there is no publisher-measured “easier by X percent” setting.
| Area | What to check | What it changes | Best first experiment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controls | Menu → System → Controller Settings | How your controller inputs behave | Confirm dodge, jump, lock-on and camera inputs before a difficult fight |
| HUD | HUD display option, including Auto | Whether HP, FP, stamina, status effects and compass stay visible | Use a persistent display if you keep missing your meters |
| Camera | Camera auto-rotation ON/OFF | Whether the game automatically turns the camera while moving | Compare both states in an open area |
| Targeting | R3 lock-on and right-stick target switching | Target tracking versus free camera control | Practice on one nearby enemy before a group encounter |
| Graphics | Ray Tracing Quality (supported hardware only) | Visual effects with possible frame-rate and resolution costs | Turn it off temporarily if motion feels unstable |
The control, HUD and camera behaviors are documented in Bandai Namco’s starter guide. Graphics availability and trade-offs are described in the publisher’s version 1.09 notes.
How do I check or change the controller layout?
Use Menu → System → Controller Settings. Read the on-screen chart for your platform rather than copying a keyboard mapping to a gamepad. The publisher’s PlayStation/Xbox chart uses two button labels because the physical buttons differ.
Core inputs to confirm
- Circle / B: dodge or dash.
- Cross / A: jump.
- R3: reset the camera, lock onto a nearby target, or release lock-on.
- Right stick: move the camera; while locked on, move it to switch targets.
Spend a minute pressing each input in a safe location. The aim is not to find a universally superior remap; it is to remove uncertainty about which action your current layout performs. If you change a binding, test the replacement immediately so muscle memory does not carry an old command into combat.
How do I keep my health bar and other information visible?
Choose a HUD visibility mode deliberately. The official guide says Auto hides most HUD elements while retaining the compass. If you overlook HP, FP, stamina or status effects, compare Auto with the more persistent HUD option shown in your own menu and keep the one you can read without pausing.
What the HUD is telling you
- HP: your remaining health.
- FP: the resource used by skills and other abilities.
- Stamina: the bar that governs many attacks, blocks and evasive actions.
- Status effects: buildup or active conditions that can change how a fight unfolds.
- Compass: the directional reference that remains when Auto hides most of the interface.
A less cluttered screen can be comfortable during exploration, but a persistent display is a sensible beginner choice when you are still learning what each meter means. This is a visibility preference, not a documented damage or defense bonus.
Why does my camera turn on its own?
Camera auto-rotation is a toggle, not a fixed rule. Version 1.04 added an option to turn the camera auto-rotate function on or off, as stated in the publisher’s patch notes.
Compare both settings
- Find the camera auto-rotation option in your current settings menu.
- Turn it off and walk through an open, low-risk area. Notice whether keeping your view pointed where you want feels easier.
- Turn it on and repeat the same route. Some players find automatic alignment less demanding when steering and looking at the same time.
- Keep the state that causes fewer unwanted turns on your setup; the patch establishes the toggle, not a universally best position or a guaranteed present-day menu path.
If the camera still moves unexpectedly, check whether a lock-on is active. Auto-rotation and target tracking are separate behaviors, so changing one does not replace learning the other.
How do I lock on and switch targets?
Press R3 to lock onto a nearby enemy or release the current lock. While locked on, move the right stick toward another enemy to change targets. These are the documented console controls in the starter guide.
A low-pressure practice routine
- Approach one enemy and press R3 once. Confirm that the camera and target indicator identify the intended opponent.
- Move around the enemy while watching how your movement and camera interact.
- When a second enemy enters range, flick the right stick toward that opponent to switch.
- If the camera follows an unwanted target, switch again or press R3 to release lock-on and regain free camera control.
Lock-on is useful for keeping a single opponent in view, while free camera control gives you more awareness of groups, ledges and escape routes. Treat it as a technique to practice, not as evidence that an always-on targeting setting exists.
Should I turn ray tracing off?
On supported hardware, ray tracing can affect frame rate and resolution. Bandai Namco added the feature to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC; the publisher does not extend this advice to PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. If camera movement or combat appears uneven, compare the game with ray tracing disabled and keep the steadier presentation.
Where the documented controls are
- PS5/Xbox Series X: the version 1.09 notes list Game Options → Ray Tracing.
- PC: the same notes list Graphics → Ray Tracing Quality.
- PC troubleshooting note: a June 2024 publisher note advised checking System → Graphics Settings → Raytracing Quality when frame rate was unstable. That note addressed a bug confirmed at the time; it is not proof that the same bug persists on every current installation.
There is no supported promise of a particular frame rate from switching the option off. Compare the two states on your own display, resolution and hardware, and prioritize stable motion over an effect you find distracting.
What extra settings are available to Steam mouse users?
Update 1.12 added Steam-specific mouse and map options. They are useful when target selection or map navigation is the problem, but they are not difficulty settings.
- Mouse lock-on change threshold: adjust how mouse movement influences target changes. Experiment rather than relying on an invented “ideal” number; the documented notes do not prescribe one.
- Map-cursor behavior: choose how the cursor behaves on the map if navigation feels awkward.
- Map-key assignments: assign convenient keyboard keys for opening or using the map.
- Recent Items and new-item markers: the update also added inventory markers that make new loot easier to find. They improve organization, not combat power.
These additions are for the Steam mouse-and-keyboard version. Do not treat them as keyboard defaults for PlayStation or Xbox controllers. See the publisher’s version 1.12 notes for the update’s scope.
What helps exploration that is not a setting?
Several beginner aids come from play choices rather than the options menu. They answer common problems—missed tutorials, getting lost and meeting an enemy too early—without changing the game’s rules.
Revisit the tutorial
The Cave of Knowledge near the Stranded Graveyard is the official tutorial area. After completing tutorial segments, their text can be reread from the inventory’s Info section. The publisher’s early-game tips describe both locations.
Use map fragments and markers
Collect map fragments and place markers for dangerous enemies, unexplored caves and locations you want to revisit. Fragments are often found near roads, but the publisher notes exceptions, so do not assume every fragment sits at a roadside monument.
Choose when to leave a fight
The publisher explicitly suggests leaving the early Tree Sentinel alone and returning when your character is stronger. Walking away is progression management, not a hidden difficulty toggle.
Use help that the game provides
Spirit summons and cooperative player assistance are documented ways to get help. They are separate from settings, and the starter guide states that spirit summons cannot be used during multiplayer.
Can I make Elden Ring easier with settings?
No setting turns the original game into an easy mode or makes enemies weaker. HUD, camera, lock-on and graphics options can make information easier to read and movement more consistent; difficulty still depends on encounters, equipment, timing and decisions in play.
For a more manageable first session, combine a persistent HUD with a camera mode you can control, practice lock-on away from major bosses, and disable ray tracing when unstable performance interferes with reading attacks. Use map markers, return to the tutorial text and postpone the Tree Sentinel when those choices solve the immediate problem better than another menu change.
What does the current patch mean for beginners?
The publisher’s version 1.17.2 notice is dated October 20, 2026. It describes bug fixes rather than new content and states that the update is required for online play. Install the current update before relying on cooperative features, and expect exact menu wording to vary as later patches arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I reread the tutorial messages after leaving the starting area?
Complete the tutorial segments in the Cave of Knowledge, then open your inventory and select the Info section. The early-game guide identifies this as the place to review the tutorial text later.
Can I use spirit summons while playing with another player?
No. The starter guide distinguishes the two forms of assistance and states that spirit summons cannot be used during multiplayer. Choose the aid that matches whether you are playing alone or cooperatively.
Is ray tracing available on every Elden Ring console?
The publisher lists ray tracing for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, as well as PC. Do not apply those ray-tracing menu paths to PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
What is new in the October 2026 update?
Version 1.17.2 is described by the publisher as a bug-fix update rather than a content expansion. Its practical requirement is that the update must be installed for online play.