Dishonored All Safe Codes — Locations & Combinations
Introduction — If you love exploring every corner of Dunwall or Karnaca, you’ve probably bumped into locked safes and wondered how to open them all. This guide on dishonored all safe codes explains how to find safe combinations, where safe locations typically hide clues, and practical methods for solving combination locks so you never miss loot, collectibles, or rare upgrades like Bonecharms.
Why safe codes matter in Dishonored
Dishonored safes are more than locked boxes — they often guard cash, rare items, or mission-critical clues. Understanding how to find or deduce safe combinations lets you maximize rewards from safe locations across both Dishonored 1 and Dishonored 2. Whether you prefer stealthy low chaos runs or brazen high chaos playthroughs, unlocking safes improves your resource pool and can change how a level plays out.
Where to look for safe combinations (quick checklist)
Most safes aren’t impossible to open — they leave hints. Use this checklist when you encounter a locked safe:
- Search nearby desks and drawers for notes and ledgers mentioning numbers.
- Inspect walls, chalkboards, and bulletin boards for scribbled clues or diagrams.
- Read letters, postcards, and documents in the same room or the victim’s quarters.
- Check pockets of defeated enemies or locked cabinets for combination clues.
- Overhear banter from NPCs and guards — sometimes a slip of the tongue contains digits.
- Look for hidden rooms or vents that lead to the room the safe belongs to; codes are often close by.
Common safe types and how their combination locks work
Understanding the lock mechanics helps. In Dishonored the combination locks are generally simple and require three digits or a short sequence. Here are the common types you’ll face and examples of how to approach them:
1. Three-digit wheel safes
These are the most common in both games. The code will be a three-number sequence. If you find partial information like “first digit 7” or a torn note with two numbers, test permutations logically rather than blindly trying all 000–999.
2. Letter-number safes
Occasionally a code ties letters to digits or uses dates (like “04/12”) as a hint. Translate letters on nearby labels or use the calendar entry in a nearby office.
3. Story-based or puzzle safes
Some safes require solving a riddle or piecing together a narrative clue from journals. Read everything, because the solution may be story-based: a name, year, or symbolic number tied to NPC backstory.
Step-by-step method to find any safe code
Follow these steps whenever you encounter a locked safe. They are simple to remember and effective in both Dishonored 1 safe codes and Dishonored 2 safe codes scenarios.
- Secure the area. Close doors and eliminate distractions. This is especially useful during low chaos stealth runs.
- Scan the room. Examine desks, cabinets, walls, and under rugs. Use the detective-like curiosity that Dishonored rewards.
- Collect readable documents. Open every book, letter, and ledger. Numbers are often embedded in innocuous text.
- Listen in. Eavesdrop on NPCs—text or voice—because some guards reveal numbers in casual conversation.
- Search linked rooms. If the safe is in an office, search adjoining rooms or a boss’s quarters; codes are often written nearby.
- Use environmental cues. Chalk marks, nailed tags, or etched numbers on pipes can be the combination in disguise.
- Try logical permutations. If you have two digits, test the three viable combinations rather than brute-forcing thousands of options.
Practical examples and scenarios
Here are realistic scenarios you’ll face, and how to resolve them.
Example 1 — The Dunwall manor safe
You find a safe in an administrative office with a torn ledger that reads “…Payables 18_4…” and a calendar open to 1843. Combine context: the ledger suggests the missing digit is a “3” and the calendar reinforces the year clue. Try combinations using 1843 segments in boards that accept two or three digits (e.g., 1-8-4 or 8-4-3, depending on lock type).
Example 2 — The Karnaca tourist office
In a tourist office you find postcards labeled “03-17” and a receptionist’s note referencing “the third key is seven.” Translate that into three digits: 0-3-7 or 3-1-7 depending on how the game phrases the entries. Cross-check with any nearby wall map showing a significant date.
Example 3 — Eavesdrop trick
A guard complains about “the stupid safe code, it’s the butler’s birthday: 042” while pacing the hallway. Mark it and return later if you can’t open the area immediately. Eavesdropping is especially useful on higher difficulty with limited search time.
Tips for minimizing trial-and-error and maximizing loot
- Note-taking: Keep a quick in-game note (mentally or on paper) of all number fragments you find. Small pieces can combine into a full code.
- Search systematically: Clear rooms in a methodical pattern so you don’t miss wall clues or hidden drawers.
- Use powers sparingly: Powers like Bend Time or Blink make reaching hidden ledges easier and might reveal secret notes without alerting guards.
- Low vs. high chaos: NPC behavior can change by chaos level. Low chaos keeps patrols predictable and may leave more intact documents, while high chaos sometimes removes or alters some environmental clues.
- Backtracking: If you unlock a safe early, come back later if you remember seeing a clue afterward; some notes appear after scripted events.
How safe locations are grouped across levels
Knowing common safe locations saves time. Safes usually appear in:
- Government and merchant offices (Dunwall City, Hounds Pit)
- Private residences of targeted NPCs
- Ship holds, warehouses, and storage rooms
- Hideouts and safehouses on side streets in Karnaca
- Secret rooms behind sliding panels, accessible via Blink or vents
Always check above eye level and under floorboards when a level’s architecture suggests hidden storage.
Community-sourced codes and when they help (use cautiously)
Online communities sometimes compile fixed codes for specific safes or DLC levels. These community lists can be helpful but come with caveats:
- Some codes are tied to a specific save or state — they may differ if you completed an objective.
- Remastered or re-released versions occasionally change object placement or clues.
- Using online spoilers removes the joy of discovery and can ruin narrative surprises.
If you prefer not to spoil the game, use community codes only when you’re stuck and you’ve exhausted in-level searches.
Advanced strategies and edge cases
Here are deeper tips for completionists aiming to open every safe and collect all loot and collectibles:
- Replay missions from different save points: Some clues only appear after triggers. If a safe feels unsolvable, replay earlier in the mission and search again.
- Use environmental storytelling: Sometimes the safe code is implied by the character’s history. A military officer might use a date of service; a merchant might use an invoice number.
- Observe NPC routes: NPCs sometimes mark doors and leave numbers as they go. Follow and observe routine to find subtle marks.
- Correlate items: If a note references “three loans,” check the ledger page that lists three figures — safe codes can be sums or indices pulled from lists.
FAQ — Common questions about Dishonored safes
Q1: Are Dishonored safe codes the same for all players?
A1: Not always. Some codes are fixed for a level, but many are tied to in-game documents or events you must discover. Environmental clues make codes specific to your playthrough unless they are hard-coded by the level design.
Q2: Can I brute-force a safe without clues?
A2: Technically yes, if you have time. Brute-forcing a three-digit lock by testing permutations is possible but tedious. Use logic and partial clues first — they usually cut attempts down drastically.
Q3: Do safe codes drop in chaos runs differently?
A3: Chaos affects NPC behavior and level state more than printed codes. High chaos can sometimes destroy or remove characters who would otherwise leave clues, so low chaos runs are generally safer for finding all in-level notes and collectibles.
Q4: Are there any safes that require keys instead of codes?
A4: Yes — some locked containers use physical keys, hidden compartments, or puzzle sequences instead of numeric combinations. Search for keys on guards, in rooms, or behind environmental triggers.
Q5: Where are the best places to find rare loot and Bonecharms behind safes?
A5: Look in high-value locations: governor mansions, merchant warehouses, and private study rooms of important NPCs. Bonecharms and rare upgrades are often stored in protected safes that are well-hidden with subtle clues nearby.
Short conclusion
Mastering dishonored all safe codes is about observation, patience, and connecting small clues into a single answer. Whether you’re hunting every collectible in Dunwall or gently picking apart Karnaca’s mysteries in Dishonored 2, these strategies—searching documents, eavesdropping, and thinking narratively—will unlock more than just safes; they’ll unlock richer play experiences. Keep a methodical approach, note fragments as you go, and enjoy the thrill when the lock finally clicks open.
Good luck, Outsider-favored wanderer — may your pockets be full and your conscience tailored to your style of play.

