Apex Super Glide and Tap Strafe: What They Are and How Hotkeys Help
Super glide and tap strafe are two advanced movement techniques in Apex Legends. A super glide turns the end of a ledge climb into a fast forward launch, and a tap strafe lets you change direction sharply in mid-air. Both are done by real players with no software at all, but they take precise timing that most people never get consistent. This guide explains how each one works, why they are hard, and how the movement options in Apex Private handle them.
What a super glide is
A super glide starts with a mantle, the climb animation your legend does when you jump at a ledge, wall or box. Right at the end of that climb, you press jump and then crouch almost at the same time. If the timing is right, instead of standing up on the ledge, your legend launches forward in a low, fast slide-jump that carries a lot of speed.
Players use super glides to:
- Cross open ground faster after climbing a box or rock.
- Escape a fight by turning a wall climb into a burst of distance.
- Close distance on an enemy who expects you to stop at the top of a ledge.
Why it is hard by hand
The timing window is tiny. The community describes it as roughly a single frame between the jump and crouch inputs, at the very end of the mantle. Because the window is tied to frames, it behaves differently depending on your frame rate, and many players find it harder at high FPS. Community guides suggest pressing jump just before crouch, and there are practice tools built just to train the timing.
Even good players miss super glides in real fights. In a quiet training session you might hit most of them. Under pressure, with a squad shooting at you, the hit rate drops. Players have openly complained that it sometimes fails even when the inputs feel right.
What a tap strafe is
A tap strafe is an air-strafing technique. While you are in the air, usually coming out of a slide-jump, you tap the forward key rapidly (many players bind forward to the mouse scroll wheel to do this) while turning your camera. The game lets the new forward input redirect your momentum, so you can make a sharp turn in mid-air without losing much speed.
Players use tap strafes to:
- Turn a corner while airborne and keep their speed.
- Dodge in mid-air during a close-range fight.
- Change direction on landing from a jump pad or a high drop.
Why it is hard by hand
Tap strafing needs fast, repeated forward inputs combined with accurate mouse movement, all while you are airborne for a fraction of a second. Binding forward to scroll wheel helps, but you still have to coordinate the scroll, the camera turn and the strafe direction. It is a keyboard and mouse technique, which is one reason it has been controversial.
It has been looked at before
Respawn has publicly discussed tap strafing. In 2021 they announced plans to remove it, then delayed the change after it affected other movement in unexpected ways, while saying they still wanted to address its most extreme uses. Movement in Apex can change in any patch, so if a technique stops feeling the way it used to after an update, that may be the game and not your settings.
Super glide and tap strafe in Apex Private
Apex Private includes both techniques under its Movement settings: super glide and tap strafe. Each can run in one of two ways: always or on a hotkey.
| Mode | How it works | Good for | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotkey | Only runs while you use the key you set | Choosing exactly when to use it | One more key to remember |
| Always | Runs whenever the situation allows it | Not having to think about it | Fires in moments you didn't plan |
Why hotkey is usually better
We recommend hotkey mode for most players, and our Apex legit config says the same. The reason is how it looks to other people.
A player who super glides off every single box, every time, with perfect timing, stands out. Even top movement players miss sometimes, and they don't use the technique on every ledge. With a hotkey, you decide when a super glide makes sense: escaping a push, crossing an open gap, closing on a weak enemy. The rest of the time you climb normally, like everybody else.
The same goes for tap strafe. Sharp air turns are useful in close fights. They look odd when someone does them during a calm rotation with nobody nearby.
When always mode can make sense
Always mode is simpler if you are practising, playing casual modes, or you just don't want another key. If you use it, stay aware that every mantle and every airborne moment may trigger the movement, and spectators will see it.
When these techniques actually help
Movement tech is not a replacement for good positioning. It helps most in specific situations:
- Escaping. A super glide off a climb after taking damage can get you to cover faster than a normal run.
- Re-peeking. A tap strafe around a corner changes the angle you appear from.
- Close-range fights. Unpredictable air movement makes you harder to track with SMGs and shotguns.
- Rotations under pressure. Speed matters most when the ring is closing.
It helps far less in long-range fights, where cover and positioning matter more than speed, and in final circles with little space.
Movement and the spectator problem
Spectators see your movement exactly as you do it. Movement tech alone is not suspicious, because plenty of real players do it. What looks wrong is perfection: every glide landed, every strafe at exactly the right angle. If you also use glow or aim help, smooth and inhuman movement adds to the pattern. For more on this, see Apex ranked cheat tips.
As with every feature, the cheat itself still has to get past Easy Anti-Cheat. Check the status page before each session, particularly after updates. For setup steps, see how to set up Apex cheats.
Frequently asked questions
Is super gliding a cheat in Apex?
No. Super gliding is a movement technique players do by hand. Using software to perform it for you is part of a cheat, and that software carries the same detection risk as any other feature.
Is tap strafing still in Apex?
Respawn announced plans to remove it in 2021 and then delayed the change. Movement can be adjusted in any patch, so test it in the firing range after updates.
Should I use hotkey or always mode?
Hotkey mode for most players. It lets you use the technique only when it makes sense, which looks more natural to spectators.
Why does my manual super glide fail?
The timing window is tiny, roughly a frame, and it depends on your frame rate. Pressing jump just before crouch at the very end of the mantle is the usual advice.