To run in Inzoi, take direct control of your Zoi with the WASD keys and hold Shift while moving; since the September 2026 update, simply keeping W held down also shifts your Zoi from a walk into a run on its own. Zois given a point-and-click destination walk at their normal pace, so direct control is the only way to sprint. This guide covers how to set up direct control, what the auto-run toggle does, how game speed differs from Zoi speed, and the faster ways to cross a city.
Take Direct Control of Your Zoi
Inzoi supports two ways to move. Clicking a spot on the ground or the map and choosing Move Here sends the Zoi there at walking speed. Direct control with WASD lets you steer them yourself, and that is where running lives.
The setup that trips people up is the top-down camera. Since the v0.5.0 update in December 2025, WASD in top view can either move the Zoi or pan the camera, and the game asks you to choose: go to Game Options, then Control, and set Top-View Keyboard Control Target to the Zoi. If you switch to shoulder view instead, WASD always moves the Zoi and the arrow keys rotate the camera, which is why most players who want to run play from over the shoulder.
Holding Shift while moving speeds the Zoi up. We could not find Shift in an official controls table, but the v0.5.0 patch notes reference “holding the Shift key to quickly move a Zoi” in a bug fix, which is as close to official as it gets, and early player reports agree it is the run key. Every key can be remapped: custom keymapping arrived in v0.7.0 and moved into the game options in v0.8.0, so if Shift clashes with something, rebind it there.
Gamepad support on PC has been in beta since the August 2025 v0.3.0 update, with partial compatibility for some Xbox controllers. Run behaviour on a controller is not documented in any patch note, so we cannot promise a dedicated sprint button there.
The Auto-Run Added in September 2026
The v0.10.0 update on September 3, 2026 changed the feel of direct control. Per the patch notes, “continuously holding the W key transitions walk to a running motion”, and the feature can be toggled on or off. In practice that means a Zoi under your control starts at a walk and breaks into a run after a moment of forward movement without you touching Shift. If you prefer the old behaviour, where walking is the default and running is deliberate, switch the toggle off.
The same update introduced the first Active Mode keys, which share the direct-control scheme: E punches (or kicks, if a kickable object is nearby) and Q picks up an object, with a second press of Q throwing it. Those cannot target household members, and both punching and throwing consume energy. Keep that in mind if you are sprinting around with your fingers near E.
A jump key is in development. In July 2026 the developer said it was deciding whether to put jump on the spacebar, which currently switches family members, and later confirmed it would offer a shortcut option. As of v0.10.4 no patch note has shipped it, so switching between Zois still owns the spacebar.
Why Your Zoi Refuses to Run
Running is blocked when the Energy need is empty. That is confirmed by a v0.5.0 bug fix for Zois with depleted Energy who could not run even after resting, which describes the intended rule from the other side. If your Zoi plods no matter what you press, check the Needs panel (N by default) and let them sleep or use the meditation and rest options first. Since v0.7.0 the game also interrupts interactions whenever any need drops below 30 percent, so a tired Zoi under direct control may keep stopping for reasons that have nothing to do with your keys.
Pools are another catch: since v0.4.0 you cannot walk a Zoi into or out of a swimming pool with WASD, so use the pool’s own interactions.
Game Speed Is Not Zoi Speed
The 2025 version of this guide mixed the two, so to be clear: the playback speed controls on the HUD accelerate time for the whole city, not your Zoi’s legs. Everything moves faster, needs decay faster, and the day ends sooner. Useful facts about that system from the patch notes:
- The “Very Fast” setting once ran at 30x by mistake; v0.5.0 corrected it.
- When every family member is asleep, time automatically advances at 30x (since v0.3.0).
- Holding Left Alt slows the game to 0.3x, a slow-motion feature added in v0.3.0 that is handy for screenshots.
Use fast forward when you want the day to pass, and direct control when you want the Zoi to cover ground while the day stays put.
Faster Than Running: Vehicles and Teleports
For real distance, running loses to wheels. Since the March 2026 v0.7.0 update Zois can drive vehicles found around the city, ride bicycles, and use public parking lots; v0.9.0 let family members drive a Zoi’s owned car and turned the minimap into a GPS that guides you to a set destination. Our guide on how to drive walks through licences and controls.
The v0.8.0 update also added a teleport pop-up whenever you pick a destination far away, which skips the trip entirely. It can be disabled in the game options if you prefer the walk, and it is the quickest answer when the goal is “get there now” rather than “watch them run”. For everything else about moving around the cities, see our Inzoi hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you run in Inzoi? Control the Zoi directly with WASD and hold Shift, or since September 2026 just keep W held and the Zoi breaks into a run automatically.
Can my Zoi run when I click a destination? No. Move Here and map travel use walking speed. Only direct keyboard control runs.
Why does WASD move the camera instead of my Zoi? In top view, set Top-View Keyboard Control Target to the Zoi under Game Options, Control, or switch to shoulder view.
Is there a jump button in Inzoi? Not yet. The developer is building one and has said it will be a configurable shortcut, but as of v0.10.4 it has not shipped.
Does running use energy? Zois with an empty Energy need cannot run at all, so keep them rested. Punching and throwing in Active Mode also cost energy.