Skyrim: All Lockpicking Cheats & Codes Explained

Playing Skyrim on PC makes life easier as PC players have the advantage of using various cheats, codes, and exploits that are due to various software limitations not available on consoles and other platforms. Being good at lockpicking is crucial if you plan on amassing vast fortunes, as plenty of treasures are locked behind doors and inside chests that players who struggle with lockpicking simply won’t have access to. It’s clear that this is one aspect of the game where cheats and codes regarding lockpicking can be used. So, we decided to explore them in more detail. 

Targeted lock commands can help you boost your skill or eliminate lockpicking entirely

Locks range from very easy to very hard in Skyrim, and although the difficulty of the lock doesn’t necessarily reflect what kind of loot is hidden behind it, most players are going to be tempted to at least peak within the container.

This can be quite challenging if you’re at a low level and simply have no opportunities to level your lockpicking skill or if you just naturally suck at the minigame. Thankfully, via console commands, you can open just about any container in the game, even if it requires a key. This is done by using the so-called targeted commands. 

You can unlock any type of lock by using the following command: 

1. Open the console by pressing “~.” 
2. Click on an object that you want to unlock.
3. Type unlock and press enter. 
4. If your target object is still locked, repeat the steps and make sure that you’ve clicked on the right object.

By using this command, you can unlock every lock, ranging from very easy to even the ones that require keys. Although I would advise you against unlocking such doors and containers because they are more often than not locked behind the key for a reason, in most cases, they are tied to quests and accessing some areas prematurely and gaining some items before the quest in question has been activated can break them. Always use console cheats with care, and make sure to back up your save game files. 

If, on the other hand, you want to lock certain objects, protecting them from prying eyes (and hands), you can do it by using the lock command. Here’s how it’s done. 

1. Open the console by pressing “~.” 
2. Click on an object that you want to lock.
3.  Type lock followed by a level of lock that you want to apply the values range from 0 to 101, with lock level 0-25 corresponding to Apprentice level lock and lock level 100+ corresponding to “Requires Key” value. 
4. For example, to put an adept level lock to a container, you will need to type lock 65, which will result in a medium-adept lock being applied to that selected container. 
5. Press enter, and your object should be locked. 

Please take note, however, that locking respawning containers will not make them safe for storage. The next time the respawn timer resets, the lock level, including your stuff within the container, will be reset back to its standard values, meaning that your stuff will be gone. Also, avoid “locking” random doors within the world, as this can block certain vital NPCs from accessing quest zones and interacting with you. This can severely glitch your game. 

Additionally, lock command can be used to level-up lockpicking quickly, as you can repeatedly put high-level locks on selected containers and open them, in turn earning valuable skill points. But let’s not kid ourselves. What’s the point of leveling lockpicking when this command exists in the first place? 

How to add lockpicks to your inventory? 

For players that struggle with lockpicking but still want to gain access to loot without running into risks of breaking their game, an alternative command exists, adding lockpicks straight to your inventory so you never run out of them. No matter how bad you are at lockpicking, with infinite lockpicks, there is no lock that you won’t be able to open. To add lockpicks to your inventory, follow these steps.

1. Open the console by pressing “~.” 
2. Type player.additem 0000000A X (replace X with the specified number of lockpicks you wish to add to your inventory.) 
3. Press enter and a prompt should appear, notifying you that x number of lockpicks has been added to you. 

Alternatively, if you want to add Skeleton Key to your inventory, use player.additem 0003A070 1. 

Increasing lockpicking skill via commands 

If, on the other hand, you want to benefit from lockpicking skills without artificially unlocking doors and containers or stuffing your inventory full of lockpicks, you can use cheats to increase your skills. To do that follow these steps: 

1. Open the console by pressing “~.” 
2. Type player.setAV lockpicking 100.
3. Press enter, and your lockpicking skills should be at 100 now. 

Please take note that modifying your skills via setAV command will result in having high skills but not getting the benefits of perks and levels. By using setAV you can advance your skills without experience and, therefore, progress to the highest level without gaining a single-character level. To Avoid that, use modAV cheat that requires you to input experience values, and you will therefore get both experience, levels, and perk points as if you advanced your lockpicking skill through normal means.