Dishonored 2 Safe Codes: All Safe Combinations & Tips
Introduction:
If you’re sneaking through Karnaca or creeping around Dunwall and the phrase dishonored 2 safe codes has you pausing at every locked chest, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down how safes and combination locks work in Dishonored 2, where to look for codes, practical examples, and smart strategies so you never miss valuable loot or story notes. Whether you prefer stealth, lockpicking, or clever detective work, these tips and walkthrough-style hints will make finding and opening safes easier and more satisfying.
Why safe codes matter in Dishonored 2
Safes in Dishonored 2 hide money, bone charms, runes, and lore items that can change how you play. Finding the right safe combinations not only gives you currency and upgrades but often reveals pieces of the plot or extra tools that can make missions easier.
- Currency and gear: Money and runes are commonly stored in safes.
- Progression: Bone charms and runes speed up ability growth.
- Immersion: Notes and diaries often explain character motivations and side arcs.
How combination safes work in the game
Unlike typical static puzzles, combination safes in Dishonored 2 are designed to reward exploration and attention to detail. They behave like real-world combination locks: a numbered wheel or keypad you must set in sequence. Here are key mechanics and what to expect:
- Fixed codes: Most safes have fixed numeric codes written somewhere nearby or obtainable through the environment.
- Clues in the world: Notes, chalk marks, paintings, and overheard conversations often contain the numbers or hints to reconstruct them.
- Alternate solutions: If you don’t find the code, skills like lockpicking or possession-based workarounds let you access the contents in other ways.
Where to look: common locations of safe codes
When hunting for dishonored 2 safe codes, treat the environment like a puzzle box. Here are the best places and strategies to find the combination:
- Nearby notes: Many safes have a ledger, journal, or scribbled note in the same room. Read every readable object.
- Papers on desks and shelves: Officers, nobles, and merchants often keep a letter or ledger with numbers listed.
- Paintings and plaques: Sometimes numbers are hidden in dates, plaques, or framed documents.
- Guards and civilians: Eavesdrop on conversations or search pockets for small hints.
- Back rooms and archives: Administrative rooms often contain safe combinations used by staff.
Tip: If a room feels cluttered with personal items, slow down. Dishonored 2 intentionally places clues in plain sight for players who take time to inspect the environment.
Examples: Typical patterns and how to decode them
Here are realistic examples of how codes appear and how to derive them. These examples use fictional sample numbers to illustrate pattern recognition without spoiling specific mission details.
- Example 1 – Ledger entry: A ledger lists transaction amounts: 12, 47, 83. A note above reads “Vault combo: 12-47-83.” The safe code is exactly those numbers.
- Tip: Look for headings like “vault,” “safe,” or “locker.”
- Example 2 – Partial clue + peripheral object: A journal mentions a date, “14 June,” and a separate scrap in a drawer lists two numbers, “09 and 68.” The full code could be 14-09-68.
- Tip: Combine numbers from distinct documents in the same vicinity.
- Example 3 – Visual clue: A family portrait shows three medals labeled I, IV, IX (i.e., 1, 4, 9). Nearby a ledger shows the order of use. Convert visual clues into digits and test the sequence.
Alternative methods: opening safes without codes
You don’t always need the combination. Dishonored 2 supports player creativity. Here are alternatives if you can’t locate or solve a code:
- Lockpicking: Invest in lockpicks or the related upgrades. While not every safe can be lockpicked, many chests and smaller safes can.
- Possession and teleportation: Use powers like possession (or Far Reach/Teleport mechanics) to access windows, vents, or alternate routes into a safe room.
- Explosives and chaos options: Some players use environmental traps, explosives, or chaotic methods to break safes, but this often raises chaos and changes story outcomes.
- Key items: Occasionally a key or keycard is on a nearby guard or in a desk drawer. Always search bodies and small compartments.
Tip: Use non-lethal and stealth approaches if you want to keep chaos low. Many players prefer to find the actual safe combinations to preserve a non-lethal route and gather lore.
Detailed walkthrough snippets: finding codes step-by-step
Below are sample step-by-step approaches you can adapt to most missions. These steps emphasize exploration and safe-search techniques.
- Scan the room: From a safe vantage point look for papers, plaques, and bookshelves. Use binoculars or scope if the mission provides them.
- Tip: Approach slowly and crouch to avoid detection while reading notes aloud in your head; the UI sometimes highlights readable items.
- Search containers: Open drawers, cupboards, and small boxes. Developers love placing a ledger inside a drawer right beside a safe.
- Eavesdrop: Move near NPCs and listen. They sometimes say numbers or comment about the “safe in the back” which hints at where the combination will be found.
- Cross-reference documents: If two notes contain fragments, combine them. A date on one item plus an amount on another may form the full code.
- Test and iterate: If your first guess fails, re-inspect the area for overlooked clues and try permutations based on ordering hints (left-to-right, top-to-bottom, recent-to-oldest).
Common safe locations by mission archetype
While exact numerics vary by mission, the following location types are where safes and their codes most often appear:
- Mansions and noble houses: Master bedrooms, private studies, and servant quarters. Look behind paintings and inside desk ledgers.
- Offices and archives: Government records rooms, council archives, and clerk desks frequently hide official codes.
- Merchant shops and warehouses: Register drawers, crates, and behind stock lists. Merchants often keep business ledgers with combinations.
- Hidden rooms: Speak with or eavesdrop on NPCs who hint at hidden safes; those hints usually point to a clue-containing area nearby.
Tips and best practices for safe hunting
- Slow down and inspect: Dishonored 2 rewards patience. Walk slowly through rooms scanning each object.
- Use your allies and powers: Abilities like Dark Vision (or the equivalent) can highlight items of interest in some games. Similarly, possession can access otherwise unreachable notes.
- Prioritize reading: Read every note you can carry or photograph mentally. Many combos are explicitly written but easy to miss in a cluttered scene.
- Save before trying permutations: If you want to experiment with codes, save before entering combinations so you don’t lose progress or alert NPCs by failed attempts.
- Keep a small notepad: If you’re playing on PC, screenshot or jot down numbers so you can try permutations later without backtracking too much.
FAQ
Q1: Are Dishonored 2 safe codes the same every playthrough?
A1: Most dishonored 2 safe codes are fixed within a given game version and mission, so once discovered they remain the same on that save. However, some player mods or difficulty settings may alter loot placement. Always inspect the environment for explicit clues.
Q2: What should I do if I can’t find a safe code?
A2: Don’t panic. Try alternative approaches: search wider areas, check pockets of NPCs, or use powers/lockpicks. Often a missed drawer or a note on a shelf contains the missing digits.
Q3: Can all safes be lockpicked or broken open?
A3: Not all safes can be lockpicked. Some are intended to be opened only with codes, while others are accessible via other tools. Explore alternative routes and avoid destructive methods if you care about low chaos.
Q4: Do safes respawn loot after you take items?
A4: Looting is generally persistent on the same save. If you reload an earlier save, items may reappear. New game plus or different saves can have different distributions.
Q5: Are there spoilers in safe codes? Will reading them ruin the story?
A5: Sometimes safes contain story notes or personal letters that add context but often don’t spoil major plot beats. If you prefer to experience story reveals organically, be selective with which documents you read immediately.
Conclusion
Mastering dishonored 2 safe codes is about becoming a better observer. Read every scrap, explore thoroughly, and mix detective work with your chosen playstyle—whether stealth, magic, or brute force. Use the examples and step-by-step techniques here to make code-hunting more efficient, and remember: often the most valuable items are hidden in plain sight. Happy hunting, and may your runs be low-chaos and high-reward.
Quick recap: Search desks and ledgers, combine clues, try alternative routes if you can’t find a code, and save often when testing combinations. These practices will help you unlock the best that Dishonored 2 has to offer.

