Age of Empires 2 is an old game, but people have been playing it forever.
So, when you wonder how some players can command so many units so quickly, chances are they had a lot more time than you to learn all the hotkeys of the game.
Imagine how much time you can save by instantly selecting where a villager must go, and then what the other villager must build.
Each second save is a second your units will be doing something else. Since each second counts, you better learn at least some of the commands below to increase your chances of winning.
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The Hotkeys List
In the Definitive Edition, most of the default key bindings for selected objects bear resemblance to the arrangement of keys on a standard keyboard.
This is what we usually call Grid Commands in RTS games.
For instance, the hotkey designated for the action located at the top-left corner is ‘Q’, while the hotkey for the subsequent action to its right is ‘W’, and so forth.
| Top Row | Q | W | E | R | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Row | A | S | D | F | G |
| Bottom Row | Z | X | C | V | B |
That is how all the commands become accessible to your left hand while you click around to do what you need.
That said, if you still need a detailed list of AoE2 Hotkeys in different contexts, we’ve got you covered.
Check below the complete list of hotkeys of default hotkeys for Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition. The categories are listed in alphabetic order for your convenience.
All Units
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Delete Unit | Delete |
| Delete All Selected Units | Shift + Delete |
| Garrison | T |
| Stop | G |
Archery Range
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Archer, Crossbowman, Arbalest (archers) | Q |
| Skirmister, Elite Skirmisher | W |
| Cavarly Archer, Heavy Cavalry Archer | E |
| Hand Cannoneer, Slinger | R |
| Genitour | F |
| Slinger (Tec: Arrowslits – CP) | R |
| Crossbowman, Arbalester | A |
| Tech: Elite, Imperial Skirmisher | S |
| Tech: Heavy Cavalry Archer | D |
| Tech: Elite Genitour | V |
| Tech: Thumb Ring | Z |
| Parthian Tactics | C |
| Elephant Archer | E |
| Tech: Elite Elephant Archer | D |
Barracks
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Milita, Man-at-Arms, etc. | Q |
| Spearman, Pikeman, Halberdier | W |
| Condottiero (Huskarl in HD) | E |
| Huskarl | R |
| Eagle Warrior, Elite Eagle Warrior | R |
| Tech: Swordsmen Upgrades | A |
| Tech: Pikeman, Halberdier | S |
| Tech: (Elite) Eagle Warrior | F |
| Tech: Supplies | Z |
| Tech: Squires | X |
| Tech: Arson | C |
Blacksmith
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Tech: Melee Attack Upgrades | Q |
| Tech: Arrow Attack Upgrades | A |
| Tech: Infantry Armor Upgrades | W |
| Tech: Cavalry Armor Upgrades | E |
| Tech: Archer Armor Upgrades | S |
Buildings/Transports
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Set Gather Point | T |
| Remove Gather Point | Tec: Heresy (CP) | T |
| Go Back to Work | F |
| Unload/Ungarrison | Q |
| Lock/Unlock Gate | Tec: Illumination (CP) | Q |
| Ungarrison | G |
Camera
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Click-Drag Scroll | / |
| Scroll Down | Down |
| Scroll Left | Left |
| Scroll Right | Right |
| Scroll Up | Up |
| Zoom In | Wheel Up |
| Zoom Out | Wheel Down |
| Zoom In | Ctrl “+” = |
| Zoom Out | Ctrl “+” – |
| Reset Zoom | Ctrl “+” Backspace |
| Return to Previous View | Backspace |
Castle
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Build Unique Unit | Q |
| Build Trebuchet | W |
| Petard | E |
| Elite Kipchak (Tec: Guard Tower, Keep – CP) | R |
| Flaming Camel (Tec: Murder Holes – CP) | D |
| Elite Unique Unit (Tec: Cavalry Armor Upgrades – CP) | A |
| Unique Imperial Technology (Tec: Town Watch – CP) | D |
| Unique Castle Technology (Tec: Loom – CP) | S |
| Hoardings (Tec: Wheelbarrow – CP) | Z |
| Sappers | X |
| Conscription | F |
| Spies/Treason | V |
Chat
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Send Chat Message | Enter |
| Review Chat Messages Backward | Page Up |
| Review Chat Messages Forward | Page Down |
| Review Event Messages Backward | Ctrl+Page Up |
| Review Event Messages Forward | Ctrl+Page Down |
Control Groups
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Create Group #1 | Ctrl+1 |
| Create Group #2 | Ctrl+2 |
| Create Group #3 | Ctrl+3 |
| Create Group #4 | Ctrl+4 |
| Create Group #5 | Ctrl+5 |
| Create Group #6 | Ctrl+6 |
| Create Group #7 | Ctrl+7 |
| Create Group #8 | Ctrl+8 |
| Create Group #9 | Ctrl+9 |
| Create Group #10 | Ctrl+0 |
| Create Group #11 | Ctrl+Alt+1 |
| Create Group #12 | Ctrl+Alt+2 |
| Create Group #13 | Ctrl+Alt+3 |
| Create Group #14 | Ctrl+Alt+4 |
| Create Group #15 | Ctrl+Alt+5 |
| Create Group #16 | Ctrl+Alt+6 |
| Create Group #17 | Ctrl+Alt+7 |
| Create Group #18 | Ctrl+Alt+8 |
| Create Group #19 | Ctrl+Alt+9 |
| Create Group #20 | Ctrl+Alt+0 |
| Select Group #1 | 1 |
| Select Group #2 | 2 |
| Select Group #3 | 3 |
| Select Group #4 | 4 |
| Select Group #5 | 5 |
| Select Group #6 | 6 |
| Select Group #7 | 7 |
| Select Group #8 | 8 |
| Select Group #9 | 9 |
| Select Group #10 | 0 |
| Select Group #11 | Alt+1 |
| Select Group #12 | Alt+2 |
| Select Group #13 | Alt+3 |
| Select Group #14 | Alt+4 |
| Select Group #15 | Alt+5 |
| Select Group #16 | Alt+6 |
| Select Group #17 | Alt+7 |
| Select Group #18 | Alt+8 |
| Select Group #19 | Alt+9 |
| Select Group #20 | Alt+0 |
| Select & Center Group #1 | Ctrl+Shift+1 |
| Select & Center Group #2 | Ctrl+Shift+2 |
| Select & Center Group #3 | Ctrl+Shift+3 |
| Select & Center Group #4 | Ctrl+Shift+4 |
| Select & Center Group #5 | Ctrl+Shift+5 |
| Select & Center Group #6 | Ctrl+Shift+6 |
| Select & Center Group #7 | Ctrl+Shift+7 |
| Select & Center Group #8 | Ctrl+Shift+8 |
| Select & Center Group #9 | Ctrl+Shift+9 |
| Select & Center Group #10 | Ctrl+Shift+F10 |
| Select & Center Group #11 | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+1 |
| Select & Center Group #12 | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+2 |
| Select & Center Group #13 | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+3 |
| Select & Center Group #14 | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+4 |
Dock
| Unit | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Fishing Ship | Q |
| Transport | W |
| Trade Cog | E |
| Galley, War Galley, Galleon | R |
| Demolition Ship, Heavy Demolition Ship | Q |
| Fire Ship, Fast Fire Ship | W |
| Cannon Galleon | E |
| Unique Warships | R |
| Tech: Gillnets | A |
| Tech: Careening, Dry Dock | S |
| Tech: War Galley, Galleon | F |
| Tech: Heavy Demolition Ship | A |
| Tech: Fast Fire Ship | S |
| Tech: (Elite) Cannon Galleon | D |
| Tech: Shipwright | D |
| Tech: Elite Unique Ship | F |
Economic Build Menu
| Building | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| House | Q |
| Mill | W |
| Mining Camp | E |
| Lumber Camp | R |
| Dock | T |
| Farm | A |
| Blacksmith | S |
| Market | D |
| Monastery | F |
| University | G |
| Town Center | Z |
| Wonder | X |
| Feitoria | H |
| Caravanserai | H |
| More Buildings | V |
Fishing Ship Build
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Fish Trap | Q |
| Rebuild Fish Trap (Tec: Redemption – CP) | Z |
| Toggle Automatic Fish Trap Rebuilding | X |
Game Commands
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Flare | Alt+F |
| Pause Game | F3 |
| Save Game | F2 |
| Save Chapter | F4 |
Go-To/Cycle Commands
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Go to Mill | Ctrl+I |
| Go to Mining Camp | Ctrl+G |
| Go to Lumber Camp | Ctrl+Z |
| Go to Dock | Ctrl+D |
| Go to Blacksmith | Ctrl+S |
| Go to Market | Ctrl+M |
| Go to Monastery | Ctrl+Y |
| Go to University | Ctrl+U |
| Go to Town Center | H |
| Go to Town Center (2) | Extra Button 1 |
| Go to Barracks | Ctrl+B |
| Go to Archery Range | Ctrl+A |
| Go to Stable | Ctrl+L |
| Go to Siege Workshop | Ctrl+K |
| Go to Castle | Ctrl+V |
| Go to Krepost | Auto reseeding farms (CP) | Ctrl+T |
| Go to Next Idle Military Unit | , |
| Go to Next Idle Military Unit (2) | Unassigned |
| Go to Next Idle Villager | . |
| Go to Next Idle Villager (2) | Extra Button 2 |
| Go to Selected Object | Space |
| Go to Last Notification | Home |
| Go to Last Notification (2) | Middle Button |
| Go to King | Tec: Siege Engineers (CP) | Ctrl+Alt+, |
| Go to Donjon | Tec: Treadmill Crane (CP) | Ctrl+N |
Lumber Camp
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Tech: Wood Upgrades | Q |
Market
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Trade Cart | Q |
| Tech: Caravan | W |
| Tech: Coinage, Banking | E |
| Tech: Guilds | R |
| Sell 100 Food | D |
| Sell 100 Wood | S |
| Sell 100 Stone | F |
| Buy 100 Food | C |
| Buy 100 Wood | X |
| Buy 100 Stone | V |
Menus
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Objectives | F6 |
| Display Technology Tree | F5 |
| Chat Dialog | F7 |
| Diplomacy | F8 |
| Menu | F10 |
| Display Options Screen | Go to Krepost (CP) |
Military Build Menu
| Building Name | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Barracks | Q |
| Archery Range | W |
| Stable | E |
| Siege Workshop | R |
| Outpost | A |
| Palisade Wall | S |
| Stone Wall | D |
| Tower | F |
| Bombard Tower | G |
| Gate | Z |
| Palisade Gate | X |
| Rotate Gate Clockwise | Ctrl+Wheel Up |
| Rotate Gate Counterclockwise | Ctrl+Wheel Down |
| Castle | C |
| Krepost | Go to Donjon (CP) | T |
Military Units
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Attack Move | R |
| Patrol | Q |
| Guard | W |
| Follow | E |
| Aggressive | A |
| Defensive | S |
| Stand Ground | D |
| No Attack | F |
| Line | Z |
| Box | X |
| Staggered | C |
| Flank | V |
| Build (Serjeant) | B |
| Change Weapon | B |
Mill
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Reseed Farm | R |
| Tech: Farm Upgrades | Q |
| Toggle Automatic Farm Reseeding | T |
Mining Camp
| Technology | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Tech: Gold Upgrades | Q |
| Tech: Stone Upgrades | W |
Monastery
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Monk | Q |
| Missionary | V |
| Tech: Redemption | W |
| Tech: Atonement | E |
| Tech: Fervor | R |
| Tech: Sanctity | A |
| Tech: Faith | S |
| Tech: Illumination | D |
| Tech: Block Printing | F |
| Tech: Heresy | Z |
| Tech: Theocracy | X |
| Tech: Herbal Medicine | C |
Monks
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Convert | Q |
| Heal | W |
| Drop Relic | Q |
Select Commands
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Select all Military Buildings | Ctrl+Shift+Space |
| Select all Docks | Ctrl+Shift+D |
| Select all Barracks | Ctrl+Shift+B |
| Select all Archery Ranges | Ctrl+Shift+A |
| Select all Stables | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Select all Siege Workshops | Ctrl+Shift+K |
| Select all Castles | Ctrl+Shift+V |
| Select all Kreposts | Ctrl+Shift+T |
| Select all Donjons | Disabled |
| Select all Monasteries | Ctrl+Shift+Y |
| Select all Town Centers | Ctrl+Shift+H |
| Select all Markets | Tec: Heated Shot (CP) |
| Select all Blacksmiths | Tec: Masonry, Architecture (CP) |
| Select all Universities | Tec: Chemistry (CP) |
| Select all Land Military Units | Tec: Range Attack Upgrades (CP) |
| Select all Idle Villagers | Tec: Melee Attack Upgrades (CP) |
| Select all Visible Land Military Units | Tec: Archer Armor Upgrades (CP) |
| Select all Idle Trade Carts | Tec: Infantry Armor Upgrades (CP) |
| Select all Idle Land/Naval Military Units | Ctrl+, |
| Select all Trade Carts/Cogs | Ctrl+Alt+. |
Serjeant Build Menu
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Donjon | T |
Settings
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Toggle Friend or Foe Colors | Alt+G |
| Display Statistics | Alt+S |
| Display Game Time | F11 |
| Mini-map Economic Mode | Alt+R |
| Mini-map Combat Mode | Alt+C |
| Mini-map Normal Mode | Alt+N |
| Slow Down Game | Num- |
| Speed Up Game | Num+ |
| Toggle Visual Grid | Alt+Shift+G |
| Toggle Health Bar | Tec: Fortified Wall (CP) |
| Toggle Extended Tooltips | F1 |
Siege Units
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Unpack | Q |
| Pack | W |
| Attack Ground | T |
Siege Workshop
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Battering Ram, Capped Ram, Siege Ram | Q |
| Mangonel, Onager, Siege Onager | W |
| Scorpion, Heavy Scorpion | E |
| Bombard Cannon | R |
| Siege Tower | V |
| Capped, Siege Ram | A |
| (Siege) Onager | S |
| Heavy Scorpion | D |
| Armored Elephant | Q |
| Siege Elephant | A |
Spectator/Replay Commands
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Replay Speed Down | Num- |
| Replay Speed Up | Num+ |
| Set Speed to Default | Ctrl+Up |
| Set Speed to Extra Fast | Ctrl+Right |
| Set Speed to Fast | Ctrl+Down |
| Set Speed to Slow | Ctrl+Left |
| Watch Gaia | Ctrl+Shift+F9 |
| Watch Player One | Ctrl+Shift+F1 |
| Watch Player Two | Ctrl+Shift+F2 |
| Watch Player Three | Ctrl+Shift+F3 |
| Watch Player Four | Ctrl+Shift+F4 |
| Watch Player Five | Ctrl+Shift+F5 |
| Watch Player Six | Ctrl+Shift+F6 |
| Watch Player Seven | Ctrl+Shift+F7 |
| Watch Player Eight | Ctrl+Shift+F8 |
Stable
| Unit | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Scout Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Hussar | Q |
| Knight, Cavalier, Paladin (knights) | W |
| Camel, Heavy Camel | E |
| Battle Elephant, Elite Battle Elephant | R |
| Tarkan | Tec: Sanctity (CP) |
| Steppe Lancer | Tec: Ballistics (CP) |
| Tech: Light Cavalry, Hussar | A |
| Tech: Cavalier, Paladin | S |
| Tech: Heavy, Imperial Camel Rider | D |
| Tech: Battle Elephant, Steppe Lancer | F |
| Tech: Bloodlines | Z |
| Tech: Husbandry | X |
| Xolotl Warrior | Q |
| Shrivamsha Rider | W |
| Tech: Elite Shrivamsha Rider | S |
| Tech: Elite Battle Elephant | Tech: Advance to next age (inactive) (CP) |
Town Center
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Villager | Q |
| Flemish Militia | W |
| Ring Town Bell | B |
| Tech: Loom | A |
| Tech: Wheelbarrow, Hand Cart | S |
| Tech: Town Watch, Town Guard | D |
| Tech: Age Up | Z |
University
| Technology | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Tech: Masonry | Q |
| Tech: Architecture | Q |
| Tech: Treadmill Crane | W |
| Tech: Heated Shot | E |
| Tech: Ballistics | R |
| Tech: Chemistry | T |
| Tech: Siege Engineers | A |
| Tech: Arrowslits | G |
| Tech: Murder Holes | S |
| Tech: Tower Upgrades | F |
| Tech: Fortified Wall | D |
| Tech: Bombard Tower | T |
Villagers
| Command | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Economic Buildings | F |
| Military Buildings | W |
| Repair | E |
| Cancel Build | B |
