How to Use the Favorites Menu in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Mark an item or spell as a Favorite in Skyrim, then open the Favorites menu during play to use or equip it quickly. Start with the few things you actually switch between. A primary weapon, a ranged option, a recovery spell, and one useful tool are easier to find than a list that contains every item you might someday use.

Add your first items and spells

1. Open Items for weapons, armor, or usable items. Open Magic for spells, powers, or shouts.
2. Highlight the entry you want and press the displayed Favorite input. On the standard PC keyboard layout, the inventory favorite input is F.
3. Close the inventory. Open Favorites using its displayed control. On the standard PC keyboard layout, that is Q.
4. Find the entry you just added and select it. Check whether the game equipped the weapon or spell, selected a power, or used the item.
5. Add a small number of other entries and test them somewhere safe.

Use the prompts for your device. A controller or a changed keybinding can give the action a different input. If you see the favorite marker beside the item but can't open the quick menu, check the Favorites control separately. Marking something and opening the list are different actions.

For a first test, use a weapon you can recognize at a glance. Add it to Favorites, switch away from it, then select it through the quick menu. Verify which hand and item are active. The same name can appear on several copies, so check the item before adding an upgrade.

Build a list you can scan quickly

Choose an entry for the situations you actually face. If you move between a bow and a melee weapon often, keep both available. If you regularly switch to healing, add the spell or item you use for that job. Remove old equipment after testing a replacement.

For example, keep one main weapon, one backup, and a healing spell near the start of your setup. Add a shout or utility spell only if you find yourself opening the full menu for it often. The list is more useful when you can identify the intended entry without reading several similar names.

Check how a selection behaves before using it in combat. Equipping a spell puts it in a hand where appropriate. It doesn't automatically cast it. A consumable can behave differently when selected. Test a choice you can spare and watch what the game does.

Assign a direct shortcut if your layout supports it

On PC, you can assign an available number key from the Favorites menu to an entry. Highlight the favorite and use the number key you want. Check that the assignment appears and try it after closing the menu. Controller layouts can expose a smaller set of direct shortcuts, so use the supported prompts for your platform.

Keep direct shortcuts for the choices you make under pressure. Leave slower decisions in the Favorites menu. For instance, give the most common weapon a direct key and keep several situational spells in the list. That gives you quick access without making every option compete for one of the same inputs.

If a shortcut stops pointing at the right weapon after an upgrade, open Favorites and check the assignment. Remove the old entry if you no longer need it. Test the replacement before storing or selling the previous copy.

Fix a missing or wrong favorite

If an item is absent, reopen its inventory category and check whether it still has the favorite marker. Verify that you still own the item. If you moved or sold it, add the replacement. For a spell, make sure you selected the version your character actually knows.

If the menu selects something unexpected, check the name and type and try a single test in safety. For equipment, inspect the active hands afterward. For a hotkey, check the assignment in the quick menu rather than pressing several keys in a fight.

Before heading out, switch from your primary setup to a backup and back again. Once those choices are reliable, keep the list short and update it when your actual equipment changes.

After improving a favorite weapon, reopen the menu and check its name and stats. Test the entry before discarding the older copy, especially when both versions still appear.