Kisser Button Placement Guide | Legend Archery

A kisser button is a small soft-plastic or rubber disc that attaches directly to the bowstring and touches the corner of the archer's mouth at full draw. It acts as an additional string-to-mouth anchor point, helping the archer confirm they have reached the same position on every shot before releasing the arrow.

How Kisser Button Placement Works

Correct kisser button placement starts roughly one to two inches from the top of the D-loop as an initial reference, but that measurement is only a starting point. The button must be confirmed dynamically: draw back to your full anchor and have a partner adjust the button until it sits comfortably at the corner of your lips. Make sure the slit or split in the button faces away from your mouth. Once positioned, small C-clips or anchor clamps on either side lock it in place — and because most buttons have a side slit, you can install them without removing the string.

Why Archers Use a Kisser Button

Consistency and Head Position

The primary benefit of kisser button placement is anchoring head position. Small variations in how you tilt your head during the drawing phase produce left-right and up-down errors in arrow flight. When the button makes consistent contact at the corner of your mouth, it confirms that your head is oriented the same way on every shot. The button can also reveal whether your face is pressing too hard into the string — you will feel it digging in, which flags unwanted string pressure before it creates fliers.

Facial Hair and Glasses

Archers who wear glasses or whose facial hair changes over time often find that a physical reference point is more reliable than feel alone. A correctly set archery kisser button provides a consistent contact cue regardless of those variables.

Training and Competition

For beginners still building muscle memory, the button gives an immediate, tangible signal that the anchor point has been reached. In competition, where pressure is high, that same tactile confirmation supports repeatable execution under stress.

Re-Tuning After Installation

Adding a kisser button adds slight mass near the center of the string, which slows string travel and can affect arrow spine behavior. After any kisser button placement change, check your bow tune — bracing height, center shot, and spring tension may all need minor adjustment to restore quiet, accurate arrow flight.

Kisser Buttons on Compound Bows

On a kisser button compound bow setup that also uses a peep sight, both references must be aligned precisely. If the peep and the kisser point to slightly different head positions, they will give conflicting signals rather than reinforcing each other. Set one anchor at a time, confirm alignment, then verify the second.