The controls for Phoenix Wright are fairly simple, as there aren't that many actions to perform and you can only do one at a time.
| Game Boy Advance | Nintendo DS | Windows | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
←, →, ↑ , ↓ | Move the cursor to different options. |
 |
 |
Space | Save the game during the middle of the chapter. |
 |
 |
A | Confirmation/Advance one screen. |
 |
 |
B | Cancel/Go back one screen. |
 |
 |
R | Present evidence from within the Court Record during Trial mode. Enabled when the "Present" command is in the top-middle of the screen. |
 |
 |
L | Press witnesses for further information during cross-examinations. It is equivalent to holding  and saying "Hold it".
|
|
 |
R | View the Court Record in most situations, and present evidence from the Court Record during cross-examinations. |
| N/A | |
N/A | Activate the microphone. When you are able to complete an action via the voice command, a small "Y" will appear. |
| N/A | Hold |
N/A | Receive a phrase that you can say. |
Nintendo DS
When playing on the DS, you can choose between stylus play and using buttons.
This game can be played entirely with the stylus if you choose to do so, however you can also play by using the buttons on the DS. When using , you simply point to the appropriate button on the screen to accomplish what you want.
The only time when you are required to use the touch screen is in Case 5. Also in this case, the and buttons are used for zooming during scientific examination of evidence.
Windows
When playing on Windows there is no support for speech, even if your computer has a microphone. The game can be operated entirely with the mouse by left-clicking, and right-clicking to cancel; or the keyboard can be used as well, using the keys listed above. The keys listed above can be changed in the Preferences dialogue.
The Windows version has four other controls which cannot be changed:
- Tab : Open the System menu.
- Esc : Close an open menu.
- Alt + Enter : Switch window mode.
- Enter : Select a menu item.