Skyrim Console Commands
Skyrim represents the fifth primary entry in the Elder Scrolls series, and it’s arguably the most beloved, outshining its predecessors by a significant margin. Even a decade after its release, the game remains remarkable in terms of gameplay and sustained popularity. The player base remains vibrant, matched by a bustling modding community. For those eager to delve into mod experimentation, mastering Skyrim’s console commands is a crucial first step. These commands are inherent features of the game.
For newcomers, Skyrim’s console commands provide a versatile toolkit, allowing players to tailor multiple game aspects to their preference. Primarily, they assist in modifying elements for optimal performance on individual computers. But their utility extends far beyond that. These commands empower players to experiment and potentially enhance their character’s prowess. For those keen on harnessing this feature, here’s a guide to steer you in the right direction.
Skyrim toggle console commands
Toggle commands for Skyrim turn various game features off or on. You can turn off the UI for taking great screenshots or turn off detection from NPCs to make yourself the perfect thief.
| Code | Effects |
| tgm | Good ol’ God Mode means you’re completely invulnerable to everything. |
| tcl | No clipping lets you walk through walls, ceilings, and mountains like some sort of ghost. Use the code again to return to normal. |
| tm | Toggles all in-game menus, perfect if you want to take some screenshots to convince elderly relatives that Skyrim is where you went on your holidays. Note that this also hides the console commands menu, meaning you’ll have to type it again without being able to see the console. |
| tmm [0/1] | Followed by 0 or 1 turns all map markers on or off. |
| tfc | Not Team Fortress Classic, but toggle flycam, essentially leaving your body and sailing through the air. Great for screenshots. Follow it with a 1 to pause. |
| tai | Toggles AI on and off, which means NPCs won’t interact with you, or do anything at all. |
| tcai | Turns combat AI on or off, turning dragons into placid beasts who act like you aren’t there. A bit like cats. |
| tdetect | This one lets you behave like a little rapscallion, as it turns naughty business detection (stealing, murdering, doing a poo in the woods, etc.) on or off. You’ll still get caught if you try pickpocketing, though. |
| tfow | Turns off the fog of war on your local map, filling it in completely. |
Skyrim player Console Commands
Skyrim player cheats can set different values for your Dragonborn. You can change your level, your face, your carry weight, and a bunch of other things.
| Code | Effects |
| psb | Every single spell and shout in Skyrim is now yours! Including a bunch of test ones leftover from the design stage that will clog your spellbook. |
| player.advlevel | Advance one level without gaining a perk. |
| showracemenu | Bring up the character creation menu to adjust the way your character looks. If you a;ter your race this will reset your level and skills, but any other change is safe. |
| player.modav skill [#] | Where “skill” is the skill you want to modify, and # is the amount you want to modify it by. Skills are input via their in-game names without spaces, apart from Archery which is “Marksman”, and Speech, which is known as “Speechcraft”. |
| player.additem [Item ID] [#] | Every single item in Skyrim has a code. You’ll find them in our list of Skyrim item codes. Now your dreams of owning 47 cabbage potato soups can come true. |
| player.additem 0000000f [#] | A simple way to get some free gold. |
| player.additem 0000000a [#] | Running low on lockpicks? Enter the number you require here and they’ll magically appear. |
| addshout [Shout ID] | Use the reference page of Shout IDs above to give yourself any Dragonborn ability you like. |
| player.setcrimegold [#] | Adjust your wanted level with this handy command. Setting it to zero resets removes your wanted level completely. |
| player.setlevel [#] | Up or down your player level as you see fit. |
| player.setav speedmult [#] | Want to run like The Flash? Set this number to anything more than 100 to speed up movement. |
| player.modav carryweight [#] | Tired of getting tired? Up your carryweight and you’ll be able to transport more goodies. Toggling god mode (tgm) also lets you carry as much as you like. |
| player.setav health [#] | Up your health here. |
| sexchange | Change your character’s gender. |
| player.placeatme [Item/NPC ID] [#] | Use this to spawn NPCs and monsters at your location. Just replace actor/object ID with a Base ID (not a Ref ID) from our list of Skyrim NPC codes. This is the command we used to crank out a horde of dragons around Whiterun. Note that this command spawns new creatures, rather than moving old ones, so if you use it on an NPC, you’ll clone them. |
| player.moveto [NPC Ref ID] | Use this to move yourself next to an NPC, useful for Kharjo, the nomadic Khajit, who can be hard to find as he follows the caravans around Skyrim. In this case you use the Ref ID (not the Base ID), the opposite of placeatme. You can find the ID in our list of Skyrim NPC codes. |
| setrelationshiprank [ID] [#] | Select two NPCs and set the relationship between them, the values range from 4 (lover) to -4 (archnemesis). Use it to make NPCs fight or do other er… more worrying things. |
| player.setscale [#] | Changes the size of the player or NPC. You start out at level one, which is normal sized, while zero is small. It goes all the way up to an absurdly huge ten. |
| player.drop [Item ID] [#] | Forces the player to drop items, even usually undroppable quest items. Try just ‘drop’ to drop absolutely everything you’re carrying. |
| coc [Cell ID] | Teleports you to any specified cell in the world. |
Targeted Skyrim Console Commands
Targeted Skyrim commands will have an effect on an NPC or item that you select. They’re perfect for unlocking chests, instakilling enemies, and bringing them back to life again.
| Code | Effects |
| unlock | Can’t find that vital key? Lockpicking skill too low? Open the console, click on the door or chest you want to unlock, and type “unlock” into the console. If only this worked in real life. |
| lock [#] | For the opposite effect, you can set chests, doors (or NPCs?) to a locked state with a number from 1-100 representing the difficulty. |
| kill | Look at the thing you want to kill, open the console, click on the target, and type this command. They’ll fall over in a very dead manner. |
| resurrect | Target the thing you want to bring back to life, and they’ll get up in a very alive manner. Follow it with a 1 to resurrect them with all items intact. |
| removeallitems | Target a character and type this and you’ll get all their items—including their clothes. Note: does not work in real life. |
| addtofaction [Faction ID] [#] | Click on an NPC and use this command to add them to a faction. It’s not just about Stormcloaks and Imperials though. Using 0005C84D will add a character to the follower faction, giving them the necessary dialogue to join you, while 00019809 will add them to the ‘potential spouse’ faction, allowing you to marry them. This won’t work on NPCs with unique voices however, so you won’t be able to wed Esbern or General Tullius any time soon. |
| disable | Also known as the ‘I have no mouth and I must scream’ command. Disable banishes the selected NPC to some sort of weird coding limbo. They become invisible, have no collisions and AI won’t interact with them, but they’re still technically there. Horrifying. |
| enable | Undoes the effects of the Disable command. Disabling and then Enabling your follower will reset them to your current level, which is a handy way of making sure they stay useful in a fight. |
| setessential [NPC ID] [0/1] | It might be fun putting on god mode and becoming immortal, but don’t you get a little lonely knowing that one day all the other characters you love will die? I know I do. Thankfully there’s a solution: simply use this console command with a 1 to set characters to ‘essential’, which means they’ll take damage until they fall on their knees, but then get up again. Using it with a 0 will turn essential characters mortal, but be careful with that, Bethesda probably made them immortal for a reason. |
| setownership [Item ID] | This command sets you as the owner of the targeted item, removing all those annoying ‘stolen’ tags from your ill gotten gains. |
| unequipitem [Item ID] | Click on an NPC and type this to force them to put the item they’re holding away. Useful if they’re holding a sword you want. |
| dispelallspells | Unsurprisingly, dispells all spells on the target NPC. This won’t work on werewolves, as they technically become a different NPC when they transform. |
| MarkForDelete | Marking an item for deletion sends a contract to the Dark Brotherhood, ensuring it will never been seen or heard from again. It will be removed from the world the next time you load an area. A useful way to get rid of annoying things like ash piles that never seem to go away. |
Skyrim quest Console Commands
Skyrim quest commands can help you get around bugged issues in quests by automatically getting yourself to the next quest state or just let you cheat by moving directly to your next objective.
| Code | Effects |
| caqs | Automatically complete all the stages of every quest. Perfect if you hate playing games. |
| movetoqt [Quest ID] | Go straight to your quest target. |
| setstage [Quest ID] [Stage #] | This allows you to move the quests you’re playing back to a prior stage or forward to a new one. Useful if you’ve somehow broken it by murdering the wrong NPC. UESP.net has a useful list of quests, along with IDs and stages. |
Other Skyrim Console Commands
These are all of the odds and ends of Skyrim console commands. Do make sure you try out that secret developer room with all the toys.
| Code | Effects |
| csb | Clears the annoying drops of blood that linger on the screen after fights. |
| help | Lists every single console command. We’ve put this further down the list because we want you to actually read this article. |
| coc qasmoke | Bethesda’s handily included a room with every single in-game item in it—type this command to go straight there. It might take a while to load: there are thousands of items here. Type “coc Riverwood” (or any other location) to return to the game. |
| qqq | Quit the game without having to go through any of those pesky menus. |
| fov [#] | Sets your field of view. The maximum is 180. |
| set timescale to [#] | This defaults at 20. Drop it to 1 for real-time Skyrim, up it to experience crazy timelapse-style Skyrim. |
How to Use Console Commands in Skyrim?
Utilizing Skyrim’s console commands is straightforward. The primary step is to learn how to access the text console, which is achieved with a simple keystroke. Typically, it’s the ` or ~ key (situated between the Tab and Esc keys) on a keyboard. However, it’s essential to note that these console commands are exclusive to the PC version. They cannot be accessed on other platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, or any other gaming consoles.
Having learned how to access the in-game command console, the next step is determining what commands to input. The choices are vast and largely depend on individual player preferences and the specific Skyrim commands they wish to employ. If you’re uncertain about which console commands to explore or even what options are available, read on for more insights.
What Types of Console Commands to Use?
Remember, not every command is beneficial. Some are designed to directly challenge or even harm the player’s character. These commands can summon formidable foes, trigger environmental threats, or even transport the character to perilous areas. Proceed with caution when experimenting with these.
Such commands exist primarily for players interested in conducting in-game experiments or merely enjoying the unpredictability of certain interactions. Ensure you approach these with caution, and only engage if you’re confident in your understanding of their effects. On the brighter side, many console commands are designed to assist players. These include commands for enhancing specific stats, advancing your character’s overall level, unlocking otherwise inaccessible skills, acquiring top-tier weapons, and much more.
Simply put, the range of possibilities with Skyrim’s console commands is vast. With hundreds to explore, it’s worth diving in to discover those that align best with your gameplay needs. Each command offers unique functionalities and can elevate the fun quotient in its own right. However, always ensure you save your game before experimenting, as certain commands might interfere with ongoing quests.
