Red Dead Redemption 2: How to Mark in Deadeye

To mark targets in Deadeye in Red Dead Redemption 2, aim (L2, LT or the right mouse button), activate Dead Eye by clicking the right stick (R3 or RS), then press R1 on PlayStation or RB on Xbox over each spot you want to hit. Each press places a red X, and pulling the trigger fires at every mark. On PC, community keybinding lists give Q as the default mark key, with Caps Lock or the middle mouse button to activate Dead Eye.

If the mark button does nothing, you are almost certainly still on Dead Eye Level 1, where marks are placed automatically. Below we cover the controls, when manual marking unlocks, how many marks you get, where to put them, and fixes when marking stops working.

This guide covers Story Mode in Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4, Xbox One and PC, and the console buttons are the same on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. For the full Dead Eye system, see our guide to using Dead Eye.

Deadeye Marking Controls

Keep the aim button held the whole time. Move the reticle over a target, press the mark button, move to the next target, press again, then fire. If you remapped your keys on PC, the prompt on screen shows your current binding under Pause > Settings > Controls.

Why You Cannot Mark Yet: Dead Eye Level 1

Manual marking is not available from the start. At Dead Eye Level 1, which you get in Chapter 1, the game places marks for you: slow time and drag the reticle across enemies, and each one you pass over gets a red X. Pressing R1, RB or Q at this stage does nothing, which is why so many players think the button is broken.

Manual marking arrives with Dead Eye Level 2, during a Chapter 2 story mission. The community wiki names it “Pouring Forth Oil IV”, the train robbery for Dutch, and player reports describe the game switching over without much explanation. From then on you place marks yourself, which gives you control over exactly where each bullet goes.

There is a shortcut, with a catch. The community wiki lists Dead Eye level cheats in the cheat menu (Pause > Settings), including “MAKE ME BETTER” for Level 2 manual marking, but it also warns that active cheats block saving and trophies or achievements.

How Many Marks You Get

You can place as many marks as your weapon has rounds loaded. A six-shot revolver gives you six marks, a rifle with a short magazine gives you fewer. That makes reloading before you activate Dead Eye worth the habit: a half-empty cylinder means half the marks.

Player reports say you can also stack more than one mark on the same target, which helps with a tough enemy or a big animal, while one mark is plenty for everyone else. Player guides also note that marks fire in the order you placed them, so tag the enemy closest to cover first, because a target that ducks behind a wall can still be missed.

Where to Place Marks for Clean Kills

Later Dead Eye levels make marking more precise:

• Level 4 (Chapter 5) highlights fatal zones, the head and heart, so one mark on a glowing spot is usually a kill.
• Level 5 (Chapter 6) adds critical zones such as the neck, lungs, stomach and spine, which is useful for hunting as well as fights.

For hunting, one well-placed mark with the right weapon is the cleanest kill, which matters for perfect pelts. Dead Eye also works with throwing knives and tomahawks, not just guns.

Watch your firing stance. Per the community wiki, Arthur fires from the hip when you have placed more than one mark and from the shoulder when you have placed one. In cover or on horseback he always fires from the shoulder. Hip shots from behind a low wall can hit the wall, so mark from cover or step clear before you fire.

When Marking Stops Working

If you are past Chapter 2 and marks still will not appear, work through these, which come from player reports on the Steam forums:

1. Check the weapon. Players report that single-shot weapons and some scoped rifles behave differently in Dead Eye. Switch to a revolver or repeater and try again.
2. Check your PC bindings. One player found Q tied to cover in their setup. Open Pause > Settings > Controls and make sure the Dead Eye mark action has its own key.
3. Refill Dead Eye. If the Dead Eye ring is empty, Dead Eye ends almost at once. A Snake Oil from the satchel refills it.
4. Reload a save. Several players fixed a stuck Dead Eye by loading an earlier save or restarting the game. Our guide to saving your game covers manual slots so you always have one to fall back on.

If your marks work but run out too quickly, the issue is the length of your Dead Eye ring, not the marking. Our guide to maxing out Dead Eye covers the attribute, the core and the challenge rewards that lengthen it.

Marking in Red Dead Online

Red Dead Online uses the same buttons, but it has no story levels. Whether you can mark targets, and how, depends on the Dead Eye ability card you equip, and per the community wiki some cards let you paint targets while others change Dead Eye in different ways. Check the card’s description before a fight.

More guides to Arthur’s world live on our Red Dead guides hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you mark targets in Dead Eye on PS4 and PS5? Aim with L2, click R3 to activate Dead Eye, press R1 over each target, then press R2 to fire at every mark.

How do you mark targets in Dead Eye on Xbox? Aim with LT, click RS to activate Dead Eye, press RB over each target, then pull RT to fire.

What is the key to mark targets in Dead Eye on PC? Community keybinding lists give Q as the default mark key. Activate Dead Eye with Caps Lock or the middle mouse button while aiming, press Q over each target, then left-click to fire.

Why can’t I manually mark targets in Dead Eye? Manual marking unlocks with Dead Eye Level 2 in a Chapter 2 story mission. Before that, Level 1 marks targets automatically as your reticle passes over them.

How many targets can you mark in Dead Eye? As many as your weapon has rounds loaded, so reload before activating Dead Eye to get the most marks.