SolvedHow-toUpdated 2025-10-01

The Outer Worlds 2 – How to Get the Commander’s Safe Key

Short answer

If you’ve just finished the first tutorial mission in The Outer Worlds 2, you might have noticed a locked safe inside your private quarters. This guide by Wizard Worm explains exactly how to find the Commander’s Safe Key, open the chest, and get a permanent stat boost early in the game.

If you’ve just finished the first tutorial mission in The Outer Worlds 2, you might have noticed a locked safe inside your private quarters. This guide by Wizard Worm explains exactly how to find the Commander’s Safe Key, open the chest, and get a permanent stat boost early in the game.


🧭 Step 1: Location – The Commander’s Safe

After the tutorial, you’ll return to your ship for the first time. Head straight to your private quarters (the same room that was locked during the tutorial).

  • Inside, you’ll see a metal safe on a small table near the wall.
  • The safe contains a unique collectible card that gives a permanent stat bonus.
  • However, it’s locked, and you’ll need either:
    • Commander’s Safe Key (recommended early on), or
    • Lockpick skill level 4 (unavailable this early).

Since most players won’t have lockpicking yet, you’ll need to find the key manually.


🗝️ Step 2: How to Get the Commander’s Safe Key

  1. Exit your private quarters and go back toward the first floor of the ship.
  2. Walk straight ahead down the main corridor until you reach a large open room.
  3. Look for a small control desk and some stacked crates in the corner.
  4. Crouch and check underneath or behind the containers — the Commander’s Safe Key is hidden there.

💡 Tip: The area is dimly lit, so turn on your flashlight (L key or D-Pad Down) to spot it more easily.

Once you’ve picked it up, the key will automatically be added to your inventory.


🔓 Step 3: Unlock the Safe and Claim the Reward

Now that you have the key:

  • Return to your private quarters.
  • Interact with the safe to unlock it.
  • Inside, you’ll find a collectible stat-boosting card (a permanent passive upgrade).

This reward gives you a small but lasting stat increase — a great early advantage in combat, dialogue, or stealth.

🧠 The stat bonus applies instantly upon collecting the item, no need to equip or activate anything.


💎 Bonus Tip: The Commander’s Room Secrets

While exploring the ship:

  • Check all nearby desks and lockers — several contain ammo, consumables, or crafting materials.
  • Look at the terminal near your bed for lore notes and a secondary quest trigger tied to your ship AI.
  • Some builds have a hidden datapad that starts the “Forgotten Crew” side quest (keep an eye out).

🧩 Why It’s Worth Doing

Reason Benefit
Early Stat Boost +1 permanent attribute bonus
Exploration XP Gain experience for discovering the ship secret
Resource Loot Find extra crafting materials nearby
Achievement Progress Counts toward “Collector” progress (Collectibles Tracker)

⚙️ Summary

Objective Action
Unlock the Safe Find Commander’s Key or reach Lockpick Lv.4
Key Location First floor, hidden near crates
Reward Permanent Stat Boost Card
Best Time Immediately after tutorial mission
Difficulty Easy (Exploration-based)

✅ Final Thoughts

The Commander’s Safe Key is one of the first hidden secrets in The Outer Worlds 2 and teaches players to look closely for environmental details.
If you’re aiming for 100% completion, this collectible counts toward the Hidden Collectibles achievement and is one of the most rewarding early finds in the game.

Stay curious — the game hides many more secrets like this one aboard your ship and in the first colony region.

#The Outer Worlds 2

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