In Game HUD

The DayZ HUD is a minimalist survival interface. Located mostly in the bottom corners of your screen, it displays your core vitals, character status, and quick-access items without cluttering the screen. Here is a detailed breakdown of the main HUD elements:

These icons indicate your character's physiological needs. They dynamically change color from white to yellow, and then to red, signaling increasing levels of danger.

• Water Drop: Represents your Hydration. If this turns yellow or red, you are becoming dehydrated and need to drink water quickly.
• Apple/Food: Represents your Energy (calories). It tells you when you are hungry.
• Thermometer: Represents your Body Temperature. White is normal. Blue means you are freezing (requires a fire or warmer clothes), while red means you are overheating.
• Footsteps: Represents your Stamina. This decreases while sprinting, carrying heavy gear, or swimming, and regenerates when you walk or rest.

These icons only appear when you are afflicted by an environmental hazard or physical injury.

• Blood Drop: Indicates your internal blood volume. Low blood causes a grayscale screen effect and eventually unconsciousness.
• Plus Sign: Indicates your overall Health.
• Bandage: Indicates that you are Bleeding. You need to bandage yourself immediately to prevent blood loss.
• Pill: Represents Sickness. You will see this if you eat spoiled food, drink dirty water, or catch an infection.
• Vomiting: Indicates an Upset Stomach. Usually happens when you eat or drink too much at one time.
• Cloud: Represents your Wetness/Cold. Wearing soaked clothes will drain your energy and increase your risk of getting sick.

• Hands Indicator: Displays the item you are currently holding. The prompt above it shows contextual actions you can perform (e.g., “Hold to Eat”, “Aim”, or “Reload”).
• Quick Bar: A row of slots. You can drag weapons, items, or medical supplies into these slots and assign them to your hotkeys for fast access without opening your full inventory. How to use it: Open your inventory with Tab, then drag and drop items (weapons, food, bandages) into the numbered slots. You can quickly access them using the number keys on PC or the weapon wheel on consoles.To hide it: Press the ~ (tilde) key on PC.

Located directly at the bottom-left of the screen, you will occasionally see a sliding needle with a hammer icon on the right and a gear icon on the left.

• What it does: It tracks your character's long-term playstyle or “soft skills”.
• How to read it: If you spend your time chopping wood and building, the needle shifts to the right (Strength). If you spend your time sewing clothes, cooking, and performing delicate tasks, it shifts to the left (Precision).
• Effect: It slightly alters the speed at which you perform those specific actions.

If you are playing on community servers, the server owners may have installed navigation mods (such as the DayZ Expansion Mod or SchanaModCompass).

• Compass HUD: A bar at the top or bottom of your screen that shows exact cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) and degrees.
• GPS HUD: Displays your X and Z coordinates on your screen to help you pinpoint your location.