How To Find Each Key And What It Unlocks In Arc Raiders

Exploring the world topside in Arc Raiders demands careful resource management, especially when danger lurks in nearly every direction and there’s always a risk your run ends early. Still, there are plenty of ways to stay safe while gathering loot. The world might feel like your personal treasure trove—yet the only things standing between you and better rewards are locked doors, and for those, you’ll need keys.

Securing these keys is essential if you want access to more valuable loot, but finding them isn’t always straightforward. With no guaranteed spawn points, tracking them down can be a challenge. This guide will help you identify the most reliable places to locate keys in several regions and explain how to use them to reach high-tier loot areas and extract quickly.

How To Get Keys

Keys are special consumable items found topside that allow you to open locked doors and enter restricted zones. These sealed-off areas typically contain higher-quality loot compared to open buildings, making keys a crucial resource for any raider who wants to maximize their haul.

Since keys disappear after use, every decision matters. Losing one in a heated PvP encounter is easy if you’re not careful, so always stay alert while searching buildings or navigating contested areas. Take a moment to clear your surroundings before looting—you never want to be shot in the back while rummaging through drawers.

Every Key And Where To Use It

Unfortunately, most keys drop randomly, but some areas consistently offer better chances of finding them. The table below outlines the keys you can obtain and the most reliable regions to search:

Key Name	Location	Where To Use The Key
Raider Hatch Key	Can be purchased from Shani Can be crafted at the Utility Workbench Can be given as a quest reward Can be looted off other players	Can be used at the various hatches around the map for quick returns from the field. Check your map for specific locations, as there are many.
Dam Surveillance Key	Residential buildings in the Dam Battlegrounds Research and Administration buildings	Inside the Water Treatment Control building in the Dam Battlegrounds, towards the southwestern side of the map.
Dam Staff Room Key	Random drop inside the Research and Administration building.	Near the Control Tower, you can use the key to open a locked door.
Dam Control Center Tower Key	Random drop inside the Research and Administration building. Quest reward from the Trifecta quest.	The Control Tower entrance, in the center of the map. Exercise caution, as this is a high-security area. You'll need to take the zipline up and navigate to the elevator to use the key.
Dam Testing Annex Key	Random drop inside the Research and Administration building. Small chance to be found on other maps as well. Quest reward from the A Lay of the Land quest.	Make your way to the southeastern corner of the Dam Battlegrounds, then use the key on one of two locked doors to enter an loot the room.
Spaceport Container Storage Key	Residential areas, like the Ruby Residences on the Dam Battlegrounds map.	Head to the container storage unit at the Spaceport, then head to the top floor to open a locked door leading to a room filled with loot.
Spaceport Ground Control Key	Residential areas in the Dam Battlegrounds, like the Ruby Residences.	Make your way to the control tower towards the near center of the map, a little to the west. Be prepared to face ARC units in this guarded area.
Spaceport Trench Tower Key	Most likely to be found in the Ruby Residences in the Dam Battlegrounds map.	Head to the Spaceport map and go past the trench towers. In the northeastern region of the map, you can use the key to open either of the tower doors.
Spaceport Outskirts Bunker Key	Random drop in cabinets and drawers in the residential areas of the Dam Battlegrounds.	Use on the hidden bunker far to the west of the Spaceport map.
Spaceport Warehouse Key	Check the Research and Administration building, as well as the residences in the Dam Battlegrounds.	In the northern section of the Spaceport map, use this key to open a locked door on the upper floor of the warehouse.
Buried City Hospital Key	Random drop in residential areas, or the Research and Administration building.	Head to the upper floors of the hospital to use the key and loot.
Buried City Town Hall Key	Random drop in residential areas. Quest reward from the Our Presence Up There quest.	Towards the center of the map, you can find the locked door at the front of the building.
Buried City Residential Master Key	Random drop, most likely to be found in the Research and Administration building.	Unlocks various apartment doors in the Buried City, to the west of the map.
Buried City JKV Employee Access Card	Random drop in residential areas.	Once you have the key, you can unlock the steel door within the parking garage, on the top floor.
Blue Gate Communication Tower Key	Random drop in residential areas, likely the Pale Apartments.	Head to the northern region of the Blue Gate map to unlock the communication tower entrance.
Blue Gate Confiscation Room Key	Random drop in the Pale Apartments or Ruby Residences.	Make your way to the Reinforced Reception area, then zipline down into the tunnels to reach the confiscation room and unlock it.
Blue Gate Cellar Key	Random drop in residential areas, and in offices in the Spaceport.	​​​​​​​South of the Olive Grove and the Ruined Homestead, you can take a hatch down to find the cellar entrance and use your key.
Blue Gate Village Key	Random drop in residential areas and the Research and Administration building.	Head to the village on the map, towards the west, and then open a large double door with your key.
Patrol Car Key	Random drop in residential areas. Quest reward from the Armored Transports quest.	​​​​​​​When you have one of these keys, you can open the back of the patrol car near the Headhouse section of the map.

Keep an eye on active map conditions to plan where and when to spend your keys. If a harvester is roaming the zone you want to explore, you can either reroute your path and use it as a distraction for other raiders, or postpone your run until conditions are safer. Choosing the right moment often determines whether you leave with legendary loot or lose everything on the spot.

As with any topside operation, use your own judgment to weigh the risks. Losing a key—and all the progress tied to it—because of a small mistake or a surprise ambush is never fun. Use your Safe Pocket to secure your most valuable item so you don’t walk away empty-handed. Protecting your essential gear ensures every expedition still feels worthwhile, even if things don’t go perfectly.

If you’re struggling to find keys, don’t get discouraged. Random drops can be inconsistent, but they’re far from impossible to farm. Every trip topside brings new dangers and new opportunities, so keep pushing forward until you get the keys you need. Persistence always pays off in the Rust Belt.