Subnautica’s default settings are not optimal for every player. The graphics options can be tuned for significant performance improvements on lower-end systems, or pushed for maximum visual quality on capable hardware. The control scheme can be adjusted for different input devices or player preferences. And several accessibility options exist that significantly improve the experience for players with specific visual or mobility needs. This guide covers the most important settings adjustments before you start your Subnautica playthrough.
Graphics Settings: Optimising for Your Hardware
Subnautica is a visually demanding game, particularly in dense biomes like the Kelp Forest or when large numbers of creatures are on screen. If you are experiencing frame rate issues, the most impactful settings to reduce are: Vegetation Quality (reduces the density of underwater plant rendering), Creature Quality (reduces polygon count on creatures — subtle but effective), and Anti-Aliasing (disabling or reducing this has a significant frame rate impact with minimal visual difference at typical viewing distances). Shadow quality is also expensive — reducing to Medium from High saves performance with minimal visual change.
For players with capable hardware who want maximum visual quality: enable SSAO (Screen Space Ambient Occlusion) for better depth and shadow quality in underwater environments, set all quality sliders to High or Ultra, and ensure Bloom is enabled — Subnautica’s bioluminescent creatures and environments look dramatically better with Bloom active.
Control Configuration
Subnautica supports keyboard and mouse, controller, and has configurable key bindings. The default bindings are functional but worth adjusting for comfort. The most commonly remapped keys are: the Sprint key (some players prefer it on a thumb button rather than Shift), the Highlight Interactable Items toggle (useful on a readily accessible key if you use this feature frequently), and the Vehicle Enter/Exit key (making this easily accessible reduces friction in vehicle-heavy exploration phases).
Controller support in Subnautica is functional but was clearly designed with keyboard-mouse as the primary input in mind. If you play on controller, the sensitivity curves for submarine navigation may feel imprecise initially — spend time in the sensitivity settings adjusting them before committing to a deep dive where precise vehicle control matters.
Accessibility Options
- Highlight Interactable Items — places visual outlines on interactable objects; essential for players with visual processing difficulties in complex environments
- Subtitles — enable this; story audio logs are easy to miss without text backup
- Gamma/Brightness — the deep ocean is genuinely dark; adjust gamma if the darkness becomes frustrating rather than atmospheric
- Field of View — adjust higher to reduce motion sickness; some players find the default FOV uncomfortably narrow in enclosed spaces
- Colour Blind modes — available in the accessibility section, with several filter options for different colour vision deficiencies
- Game Mode selection — Freedom mode removes hunger and thirst, making the experience less stressful without removing danger
Motion Sickness Considerations
Subnautica has caused motion sickness in some players, particularly during fast vehicle movement or in the narrow corridors of certain wrecks. If you are susceptible to motion sickness: increase field of view to 80-90 degrees, enable head bob reduction or disable it entirely, take regular breaks during extended sessions, and consider Freedom mode to reduce the stress of resource management (which can make nausea worse when you are also worried about survival).
Recommended Starting Settings
| Setting | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Subtitles | ON | Catch all story audio |
| Highlight Interactables | ON | Reduces missed scan opportunities |
| Game Mode | Survival or Freedom | Survival for challenge, Freedom for accessibility |
| FOV | 80-85 | Good balance of immersion and comfort |
| Shadow Quality | Medium | Performance vs quality balance |
More on RicardoPlays
The RicardoPlays channel covers Subnautica on PC with detailed settings commentary. Ricardo discusses his own settings choices at the start of his playthrough series and revisits optimisation topics when relevant. Subscribe to the channel for practical Subnautica guidance that goes beyond what any settings guide can cover.