If you’ve ever had aim assist yank your crosshair off a low-health enemy to lock onto a nearby full-health opponent, or you want to practice raw controller aim for tournament play, you’ve probably asked how do i turn off aim assist in apex legends. A lot of players struggle to find the right setting because it’s tucked into the advanced controls menu, not the main settings page. I’ve played ranked Apex on controller for 4 years, hitting Masters rank three times, so I’ve tested this process across every platform and sorted out all the buggy edge cases that leave people thinking they turned it off when it’s still active. This guide will walk you through every step, plus help you decide if disabling aim assist is actually the right call for your playstyle.
How Do I Turn Off Aim Assist in Apex Legends for Every Platform
The process is slightly different depending on what device you play on, but the core setting is the same across all versions. You don’t need to download any extra files or mess with console system settings, everything is done right in the Apex in-game menu.
For PlayStation and Xbox users, open the settings menu, navigate to the “Controller” tab, scroll down to “Advanced Look Controls”, and toggle the “Aim Assist” slider all the way down to 0. Don’t just toggle the main “Aim Assist” button on the first controller page, that only turns off part of the feature for most console builds. For PC controller users, the process is identical, but make sure you’re adjusting the controller settings, not the mouse and keyboard settings tab. For Switch players, you’ll follow the same advanced controls path, but you may need to restart your game after adjusting the setting for it to take effect, as the Switch port has a common bug that leaves partial aim assist active until a reboot.
Once you’ve adjusted the slider, run through these quick checks to confirm aim assist is fully off before you jump into a match:
- Fire 10 shots at a moving dummy in the firing range while aiming down sights: if your crosshair doesn’t slow down or pull toward the dummy, it’s off
- Double check that your "Controller Advanced Look Sensitivity" menu has Aim Assist set to 0, not just the main toggle on the basic controller page
- Restart your game after changing the setting to avoid rare bugs that leave aim assist partially enabled for your first 1-2 matches
Why Players Choose to Disable Aim Assist in Apex Legends
Aim assist is designed to level the playing field between controller and mouse and keyboard players, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for everyone. Thousands of players choose to turn it off every month for very specific reasons that line up with their gameplay goals.
The most common reason is raw aim muscle memory development. If you’re trying to get better at controller aim for other games that don’t have strong aim assist, or you want to compete in tournaments that restrict aim assist, turning it off in Apex lets you build consistent muscle memory that transfers across every game you play. I started doing this 2 years ago when I began competing in local LAN tournaments, and it made a huge difference in my performance when I had to play without aim assist for official matches.
Another big reason is avoiding unwanted target pull. If you often fight in crowded areas, like Fragment East or Worlds Edge’s Capitol City, aim assist will regularly yank your crosshair off the low-health target you’re chasing to lock onto a full health enemy that runs past you. That single issue has cost me more ranked matches than I can count, so I turn off aim assist for the first two weeks of every ranked split to practice focusing on my intended target without interference. A lot of players also turn it off if they regularly switch between controller and mouse, as it removes the jarring difference between aim slowdown on controller and no slowdown on mouse.
You’ll also see streamers and content creators turn it off for challenge runs, like no-aim-assist solo to Predator runs, which are a huge hit with viewers. That’s not a practical reason for most players, but it’s a fun way to shake up your gameplay if you’ve been feeling burnt out on Apex lately.
Big Risks of Turning Off Aim Assist You Need to Know First
Disabling aim assist isn’t a magic fix for your aim, and it can actually make your gameplay way worse if you don’t go into it with the right expectations. I’ve seen dozens of players turn it off after seeing a pro do it, then drop two full ranks in a week because they didn’t realize how much they were relying on the feature.
The first thing you need to know is that your aim will feel terrible for the first 2-3 weeks. Aim assist adds a small amount of slowdown when you’re near a target, which makes tracking moving enemies way easier. When you turn that off, you’ll miss a lot of easy shots you would have hit before, and your tracking will feel jittery and inconsistent until your muscle memory adjusts. Don’t be surprised if your win rate drops by 10-15% in the first month, that’s totally normal.
You should never turn off aim assist right before a ranked split ends if you’re trying to hit a specific rank. The adjustment period is too long, and you’ll likely lose more RP than you gain before you get used to the new setting. Wait until the first week of a new split to make the switch, so you have plenty of time to adjust without losing out on end-of-split rewards.
You’ll also be at a noticeable disadvantage against other controller players who still have aim assist enabled, especially at close range. Most casual players don’t realize how much aim assist helps with close-quarters tracking, so you’ll lose a lot of 1v1 fights against players of the same skill level until you get used to the setting. If you play Apex mostly to have fun with friends, turning off aim assist might make the game more frustrating than it’s worth, unless you all agree to turn it off for a fun challenge run.
How to Adjust to No Aim Assist Without Ruining Your Rank
If you’ve decided you want to turn off aim assist, you don’t have to jump straight into ranked matches and lose a bunch of RP to adjust. There are a few simple steps you can follow to make the transition way smoother, so you don’t tank your rank while you build new muscle memory.
Start with 30 minutes of firing range practice every day before you play matches. Focus specifically on tracking moving dummies at medium and close range, and don’t worry about flick shots until your tracking feels consistent. Focus on tracking moving targets first before trying flick shots, because tracking is the skill that will be most affected by the loss of aim assist slowdown. I also recommend turning on the “Firing Range Dummy Movement” setting to make the dummies move like real players, so you’re practicing on realistic targets.
Play only mixtape modes for the first 2 weeks of your transition. Mixtape matches are short, don’t affect your ranked RP, and let you get into constant fights way faster than battle royale matches. You’ll get 10x more practice in an hour of mixtape than you will in an hour of battle royale, so you’ll build muscle memory way faster. Once you can get a 1.5 K/D or higher in mixtape with no aim assist, you can start jumping into casual battle royale matches, then move to ranked once you feel comfortable.
You should also consider lowering your sensitivity by 10-15% when you first turn off aim assist. The aim assist slowdown makes higher sensitivities feel more controllable, so you’ll probably find your normal sensitivity feels too fast without it. Adjust it down gradually over the first week until you find a setting that feels comfortable for tracking. Don’t copy pro player sensitivities directly when you make the switch, because most pro players who play without aim assist have spent years building muscle memory for their specific settings.
At the end of the day, whether you should turn off aim assist comes down to your personal gameplay goals. If you want to build raw aim muscle memory, avoid unwanted target pull, or just shake up your gameplay, the process is simple once you know where to find the advanced setting. If you’re still wondering how do i turn off aim assist in apex legends, just follow the steps for your platform, run the quick checks to confirm it’s disabled, and take the transition slow to avoid frustrating yourself. You don’t have to keep it off forever either, a lot of players switch between having it on and off depending on what they’re practicing that day, so feel free to experiment until you find what works best for you.