Rust can be a very hard experience for beginners, as many things are done differently from other games you might have played before.
One of the weird things that Facepunch Studios decided to do for Rust is to change the normal key for the map that most games use.
Recommended Read: How to Use Quick Loot in Rust
No, you don’t open the map in Rust by pressing the M key, as you would in every other game that has appeared in the last decade.
To open the map in Rust, you need to press and hold the G key on your keyboard. If you let go of the button, the map will close.
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How to Open and Use the Map in Rust
So, to open the map in Rust, you just need to press and hold the G key. Unfortunately, the map won’t be very easy to understand the first time you open it.
Make sure to scroll to zoom in or out to understand what you are looking at. There is no way to zoom out far enough to see the whole island. If you want to see more of the map, you will have to drag the map using the left mouse button.
Players can also right-click to leave waypoints on the map, which will then be shown on the compass at the top of the screen.
One problem that many new players face is finding where they actually are on that huge map. For some reason, when you start the game and open the map, it won’t actually be focused on you.
To find yourself on the map easily in Rust, you can set a key bind that does that:
- Open the menu by pressing Esc.
- Go into Options and then Controls.
- Scroll down all the way to the bottom.
- Select a key bind for the Focus Map On Player setting.
Now, while keeping the map open, you can instantly jump to your location by pressing the assigned button.
Other important things that you might want to keep an eye out for are the named locations, which usually have either interesting loot, powerful enemies, horses to buy, or a safe zone to rest and regroup.
That’s everything you need to know about how to open the map in Rust!
Have any input or suggestions for this guide? Let us know in the comment section below.