How to Lockpick

Anybody uninterested in living an honest life in Starfield, or is really curious about what is in that locked box, will have to learn to lockpick. Bethesda takes a markedly different approach from past games in its latest release, causing some confusion even among veterans of Bethesda games.

In brief, here’s how to lockpick in Starfield:

Have a digipick
If the lock is more difficult than Novice, have the requisite Security skill ranks
Complete the minigame

Before you get to lockpicking, there are a few things you’ll want to take care of. For one, you need the proper skill for your lock. There are three levels of lock difficulty in Starfield: Novice, Expert, and Master. Players can pick Novice difficulty locks without any specific skill. More difficult locks, however, will require investing in the Security skill tree.

Besides the necessary skill, intrepid explorers will need to acquire digipicks before doing any lockpicking. Digipicks are this games version of lockpicks, and can be found all over the place. Most general merchants will sell digipicks for 35 Credits.

The Lockpicking Minigame

The minigame itself is simple enough, if not very clear initially. You’ll see a concentric ring of circles at the center of your screen, with gaps at various points in the circles. Your goal is to take the provided keys and successfully fill every gap in the circles. In order to rotate the keys, use the analog sticks on a controller and the arrow keys on a keyboard and mouse.

starfield how to lockpick lining a key into the gaps — *Lining up the key so that every pin is aligned with a gap*

A good rule of thumb to follow is that if each part of the key doesn’t align with a gap, it probably isn’t right. The circles have to be solved from the outside-in, so be sure to plan out your use of the keys. For example, if there are six notches in the first ring, then you know you will have to use two three-notched keys, and use the other keys on the next ring.

Exiting the minigame or undoing a move will deduct a digipick from your inventory, so be careful. Alternatively, you can use an auto-attempt to break through the lock automatically, but you only have a limited amount of them and they require investment in the Security skill.

How to Switch Between Keys

One crucial detail that the game doesn’t tell you is you can switch between keys using and (or simply clicking on them with your cursor). This makes figuring out which keys to use much easier.

starfield lockpicking guide switching digipicks

With knowledge of lockpicking by your side, there should be no problem stealing loot from people who may or may not deserve it. What do you think of the new lockpicking mechanic in Starfield? Let us know in the comments below!