Starfield Outpost
Image via Prima Games.

How to Enter Build Mode in Starfield

Build to your heart's content!

Going through Starfield, completing missions, and killing whoever tries to stand in your way is a pretty great way to play the game, but there are always those times when you want something new. Something to break up the constant death, and particularly something relaxing while still challenging your brain. That’s where building a ship and outpost come into play. Here’s how to enter Build Mode in Starfield.

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How to Start Building an Outpost or Ship in Starfield

Starfield Outpost Build Mode
Screenshot by Prima Games

We’ll start with outpost building since that’s more likely why you’re here. To enter Build Mode, you’ll first want to make sure you have an Outpost Beacon down. The beacon placement key can be found in the scanner. Once you plant it, walk up to the beacon and either press E on your keyboard or A on your controller to open up the Build Mode. From there, you can either press Escape or hold down the B button to exit the Build Mode.

As an added note, you might find yourself having trouble getting into a structure at your outpost while in Build Mode. If you’re having this issue, then you’ll want to switch from Build Mode over to Modify Mode by pressing Tab or the B button. From there, you can safely press E or the A button to open doors and get through that structure’s door.

Things to Note When Building an Outpost

There are a few things to consider when building an outpost in Starfield. When placing down your outpost beacon, be sure to place it somewhere near where your ship has landed. Without doing this, you’ll need to construct a Landing Pad with Shipbuilder to use the Transfer Container storage item. You’ll also want to consider the scale you’re going for when building an outpost. While the area you’re given is massive, some build items are equally massive.

Starfield Cargo Link
Image via Prima Games.
Note:

The following method only works if your outposts are located within the same system. Otherwise, materials must be transferred manually.

While building up your outposts, you may wonder how you can link them between each other for easy material transfer. To do so, you’ll need to build two Cargo Links, with each linked together. To do so, you’ll need the following materials:

  • 4x Zero Wire
  • 4x Beryllium
  • 40x Iron
  • 24x Aluminum

At each Cargo Link, you’ll find an Outgoing container and an Incoming container. Any storage containers or extractors attached to the Outgoing container will send those materials to the other outpost’s Incoming container. From there, they can be transferred to a storage container or whatever you’d like.

How to Enter Ship Building Mode in Starfield

Starfield Rotated Ship
Screenshot by Prima Games

Entering into ship building mode is much simpler. First things first, speak with a Ship Services Technician and select “I’d like to view and modify my ships.”. Once you see your ship, press the Ship Builder key listed in the bottom right of the screen, and you’ll be free to mess around with whatever you’d like. Be ready, though, as the menu is quite daunting.

If you’re just getting started with building, check out our guide on how to use Transfer Containers in Starfield.


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About the Author

Shawn Robinson

Shawn is a freelance gaming journalist who's been with Prima Games for a year and a half, writing mainly about FPS games and RPGs. He even brings several years of experience at other sites like The Nerd Stash to the table. While he doesn't bring a fancy degree to the table, he brings immense attention to detail with his guides, reviews, and news, leveraging his decade and a half of gaming knowledge. If he isn't writing about games, he's likely getting zero kills in his favorite FPS or yelling at the game when it was 100% his fault that he died.