Khelo Guru
PUBG Mobile Beginner Guide: Controls, Settings & Your First Match
Dropping into your first PUBG Mobile match can feel like being thrown into deep water. One hundred players, a shrinking map, gunfire from every direction — and you are still figuring out which button fires your weapon. Every experienced player started exactly where you are now, and the good news is that PUBG Mobile is one of the most beginner-friendly battle royale games once you understand the basics.
This guide walks you through everything a new player needs: the default controls and how they work, the settings you should change before your first real match, and a phase-by-phase walkthrough of a typical match so you know what to do from the plane jump to the final circle. Follow along, and your first chicken dinner will come sooner than you think.
Understanding the Default Controls
PUBG Mobile uses a virtual joystick on the left side of the screen for movement and buttons on the right side for actions. When you first launch the game, spend ten minutes in the training ground (found in the mode selector under the map name) just moving around and pressing buttons. Muscle memory built here saves you in real fights.
Left side of the screen
The large joystick controls walking and running. Push it gently to walk silently, push it all the way to the edge to sprint. A small sprint icon appears above the joystick — tap it to auto-sprint, which lets you run without holding the stick. This is essential for long rotations across the map. To the left of the joystick you will also find the crouch and prone buttons: crouching reduces your noise and makes you a smaller target, while going prone makes you nearly invisible in grass but leaves you slow and vulnerable.
Right side of the screen
The big fire button sits on the right, with a smaller secondary fire button on the left side near the joystick (useful for firing while moving). Above the fire button are the aim (scope) button, jump, and reload. The weapon slots at the bottom show your two main weapons — tap to switch. The backpack icon opens your inventory, and the map button in the top-right corner opens the full map where you can place markers.
One control beginners always miss: the "peek" buttons. Enable them in settings (Basic → Peek & Fire), and you get left/right lean buttons. Leaning around corners exposes far less of your body and is one of the biggest skill jumps a new player can make.
Settings to Change Before Your First Match
The default settings work, but a few tweaks make the game dramatically easier to learn. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen) and make these changes:
Basic settings
Turn on "Aim Assist" — on mobile it is fair and expected, and it genuinely helps beginners land shots. Enable "Peek & Fire" as mentioned above. Set "Sprint" to the joystick-based option so pushing the stick fully forward sprints automatically. Turn "Auto-open doors" on; it saves you fumbling at doorways while enemies approach. Enable "Healing prompt" so the game suggests healing when you take damage.
Graphics settings
Go to Graphics and choose "Smooth" graphics with "High" or "Ultra" frame rate, depending on what your phone supports. This is the single most important graphics decision: smooth frame rate matters far more than pretty textures in a shooter. If your phone heats up or the game stutters, drop to "Medium" frame rate. Never play on "Ultra HD" graphics as a beginner — the frame drops will get you killed.
Sensitivity settings
Leave sensitivity on the default "Medium" preset for your first twenty matches. Your job right now is learning the game, not fine-tuning. Once you can consistently aim, visit our sensitivity guide to tune each scope. One useful early change: raise "Camera Sensitivity" slightly (free look) so you can scan your surroundings faster with the eye button.
Pick-up settings
Under "Pick Up," enable auto-pickup for a sensible list: ammo, scopes, healing items, and grenades. Set the auto-pickup amounts generously (for example, 180 rounds of 5.56mm). This keeps looting fast so you spend less time in menus and more time learning the map.
Your First Match: Phase-by-Phase Walkthrough
Phase 1: The lobby and the plane
Every match starts in a lobby island where you wait about a minute. Use this time to check your settings one last time. When the plane takes off, open the map and look at the white flight path line. For your first matches, jump late — wait until the plane is near the end of its path, then jump and aim for a small cluster of buildings far from the flight line. Fewer enemies means more time to loot and learn in peace. Tap the jump button, angle your view downward, and use the parachute button when prompted; steer toward rooftops, since landing on a roof gives you first pick of loot.
Phase 2: Looting
Looting is your first priority. Run building to building grabbing: a weapon (any weapon beats no weapon — even a pistol), ammo, a backpack, armor (helmet and vest), and healing items. Prioritize an assault rifle like the M416 or AKM, or an SMG like the UMP45 for close range. Attachments matter: a red dot sight and a foregrip transform a shaky gun into a laser. Do not spend more than three to four minutes looting one area — the first zone timer is already counting down, shown as a white circle on your minimap with a countdown.
Phase 3: Rotating to the zone
The blue zone shrinks periodically and damages you outside it. Always know where the next white circle is. Rotate early — beginners die most often because they loot one building too many and then sprint through open fields as the zone closes. Move from cover to cover: rocks, trees, buildings, ridgelines. Use vehicles if you find one, but know that they are loud and attract attention. If you must cross open ground, use smoke grenades or zigzag while sprinting.
Phase 4: Mid-game fights
You will hear gunfire before you see enemies. When shots ring out, first get to cover, then locate the shooter using the directional hit markers and the sound. Do not immediately return fire from the open — reposition first. In your first matches, taking only fights you must take is smart: every fight you avoid is a fight you survive. When you do engage, aim for the chest (aim assist and recoil control make headshots unreliable for beginners), fire in short bursts at range, and strafe (move side to side) while shooting up close.
Phase 5: The final circles
With ten players left, the circles get tiny and every sound matters. Go prone in grass only if you are sure nobody is watching that spot — otherwise stay crouched behind hard cover. Keep your healing topped up before the zone moves; popping a first-aid kit takes six seconds you will not have under fire. Save your grenades for the endgame: a well-cooked frag grenade wins final-circle fights more often than aim does. And watch the kill feed and remaining-player count — knowing it is a 1v1 changes how aggressively you should push.
Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Standing still in the open while looting or healing is the number one beginner killer — always break line of sight first. Second: ignoring the minimap. The orange gunfire icons show you exactly where fights happen; use them to avoid danger or third-party a weakened enemy. Third: carrying no healing. You should always have at least five bandages or two first-aid kits by mid-game. Fourth: engaging every enemy you see. In battle royale, discretion is a weapon. Fifth: forgetting to reload after a fight — the number of beginners who die with an empty magazine is staggering.
How to Practice Effectively
Do not just grind matches hoping to improve. Spend fifteen minutes a day in the training ground practicing recoil control: pick up an M416, attach a red dot, and spray at the distant targets while dragging your finger down to control the climb. Play Team Deathmatch mode (in the mode selector) to get pure gunfight practice with instant respawns — it builds aim and reaction speed far faster than battle royale matches. Watch the in-game replays of your deaths to see where the enemy was positioned; most beginners are shocked at how visible they were.
FAQ
What is the best gun for beginners in PUBG Mobile?
The M416 with a red dot sight and foregrip is the most forgiving all-round weapon: low recoil, good damage, and common ammo. For close range, the UMP45 is easy to control. Avoid the AKM until your recoil control improves — it hits hard but climbs aggressively.
Should I play in first-person or third-person mode?
Start with third-person (TPP), the default. It lets you see around corners and over cover without exposing yourself, which is a huge beginner advantage. First-person (FPP) is more immersive and competitive at high levels, but learn the game in TPP first.
How do I get better at spotting enemies?
Raise your brightness slightly, play with headphones (footsteps are directional), and scan methodically: check windows, rooftops, and ridgelines rather than staring at one spot. Most beginners look at the ground while running — keep your camera at horizon level.
Is PUBG Mobile free to play fairly?
Yes. All purchases are cosmetic — outfits, skins, and emotes. No purchasable item improves damage, armor, or aim. Royale Pass rewards are also cosmetic. You can reach the highest ranks spending nothing.