The controls that get your first factory running
A few contextual keys can save a lot of confusion in Find The Needle. Tab opens the tech tree, B opens the build catalog, and the Demo V8 update documents F for conveyor No Snap Mode and E on a power pole for shutting down the electricity network. Knowing which object or menu is active matters because the same key can have a different job elsewhere.
This guide covers documented demo controls rather than a complete keyboard layout. The official Find The Needle Steam page listed November 6, 2026 as the planned Early Access release date when checked November 3; demo recordings and September patch notes should not be treated as a final release key map.
Quick reference for documented keys
| Key | Context | Documented action |
|---|---|---|
| Tab | Normal play | Open the tech tree to buy upgrades, licenses, and plans |
| B | Normal play | Open the build catalog to place unlocked structures and machines |
| F | Conveyor placement in Demo V8 | Activate No Snap Mode |
| E | A power pole in Demo V8 | Shut down the whole electricity network |
Tab and B are described in player experience recordings. The official Demo V8 announcement, published September 11, explicitly documents the contextual conveyor and power-pole inputs.
These actions are useful at different stages. Open the tech tree when an item is still locked; open the build catalog when you are ready to construct it. Switching menus does not make the purchase and construction steps interchangeable.
Use Tab and B without mixing up unlocks and purchases
Player experience shows why buying a license can feel as though nothing happened. Unlocking a shovel or bucket in the tech tree gives access to the tool, but the player still purchases the physical item through the supply shop. A machine plan similarly precedes placing the machine through the build catalog.
For a new automation project:
- Press Tab and check the relevant plan and its prerequisites.
- Buy the required unlock when you can afford it.
- Press B and find the machine in the build catalog.
- Leave money for its construction, connecting belts, and power equipment.
If you are holding a tool or container and building is awkward, the player recordings also describe putting the held object down before construction. Follow the contextual prompt displayed by your build for that action; this source set does not establish every interaction binding.
Conveyor and power keys depend on what you are doing
Demo V8 reworked conveyors with easier snapping and automatic pathfinding. During belt placement, F provides the documented No Snap Mode option. Try normal snapping when joining an existing belt or the Hay Sell Stand, and use the placement preview to check the route before committing.
Do not interpret that as “F always changes snapping.” Another player experience recording describes F as a tool-throw action while handling a tool. These are different contexts, so check the current interaction prompt before pressing it with something valuable in your hands.
E has context too. The V8 announcement associates E on a power pole with a network shutdown, useful before rearranging a working factory. A separate recording describes holding E to reverse a conveyor. That recording does not establish a universal hold-versus-tap rule for every object or version: aim at the intended object and read its displayed action.
After a shutdown, check that the network is running again before diagnosing idle machines. A connected conveyor line cannot compensate for machines left without power.
FAQ
What key opens the tech tree?
Player experience recordings identify Tab. Use it to inspect upgrades, licenses, and machine plans.
What key opens the build catalog?
B opens the build catalog in the documented recordings. Unlock the relevant plan first, then pay to construct the machine.
What does F do?
During Demo V8 conveyor placement, F activates No Snap Mode. A tool-handling recording gives F a throw action, so its purpose depends on context.
Does E turn off just one machine?
The official Demo V8 notes say E on a power pole can shut down the entire electricity network. Check the object prompt before using it while production is running.