In the vast universe of Starfield, knowing when and how to holster your weapon can mean the difference between a peaceful encounter and a deadly firefight. Whether you’re navigating bustling spaceports or facing off with law enforcement after a minor slip-up, mastering the simple yet elusive art of weapon holstering-and surrendering-will keep you alive and your bounty low. Ready to learn the crucial button hold that puts your gun away and signals your surrender? Here’s everything you need to know for both PC and Xbox players to survive and thrive in Starfield’s sprawling cosmos.
How to holster your weapon and surrender
To holster your weapon in Starfield, simply hold down the reload button-on PC, this is the “R” key, and on Xbox, the “X” button. Hold it for about half a second, and your character will put away their weapon. Surrendering to authorities requires you to holster your weapon first when being pursued by law enforcement. After holstering, approach the nearest officer to initiate a dialogue where you can choose to pay a bounty or serve jail time. Note that surrendering only works for minor crimes; serious offenses will lead to being attacked on sight or a bounty that prevents peaceful surrender.
On PC, hold down R to put down your weapon. On Xbox, hold down X. After you’ve done this, you should be approached by a nearby officer, and they’ll start the usual arrest prompt. If not, you can try talking to them. This only really works if you accidentally hit somebody once, but did not kill anyone.
However, if you’ve killed an NPC, it’s over for you. You’ll need to kill the officers, be killed, or reload a save. We tested this on New Atlantis and there was no way to get out of the situation that we could find, as we couldn’t even make it back to our ship, since people were attacking us. If your bounty gets this high with, say, the United Colonies, you’ll get attacked on sight when you re-enter United Colonies territory – whether you’re in space or on land – and are spotted.
How can I avoid accidental crimes by holstering my weapon in Starfield
To avoid accidental crimes in Starfield by holstering your weapon, simply hold down the reload button-on PC, this is the “R” key, and on Xbox, the “X” button-for about half a second to put your weapon away. Doing this quickly after an accidental shot can prevent NPCs or guards from escalating hostility, allowing you to avoid unwanted confrontations or arrests. Holstering your weapon signals non-aggression, and nearby officers may approach you to start an arrest dialogue if you have committed a minor offense, giving you a chance to surrender peacefully. This method is especially useful in populated areas to prevent accidental shootings and reduce your bounty risk.
How can I ensure I don’t accidentally shoot civilians in Starfield
To ensure you don’t accidentally shoot civilians in Starfield, take the following precautions:
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Always holster your weapon when entering populated or peaceful areas by holding down the reload button (R on PC, X on Xbox) to avoid unintended shots that can provoke hostility.
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Use the Simple Offense Suppression mod if playing on PC, which reduces the chance of neutral NPCs turning hostile from stray shots by allowing them to tolerate a few hits before reacting aggressively.
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Be especially careful during missions involving hostages or civilians, like the “Job Gone Wrong” mission, where shooting innocent hostages can cause mission failure. Approach such scenarios unarmed when possible or use stealth to avoid accidental fire.
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Use your scanner frequently to better identify targets and avoid firing on non-hostile NPCs.
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Save your game often so you can reload if an accidental shot causes unintended consequences.
These steps will help minimize accidental civilian casualties and keep your bounty low while exploring Starfield’s universe.
