All RDR2 cheat codes and how to enter them
By Lucinda Marwood Fact-checked by Terrence Abiola Published
One of Red Dead Redemption 2’s best cheats isn’t printed in a newspaper. “Run! Run! Run!” is chalked on a board at Fort Riggs, and typing it gives you a race horse. Every RDR2 cheat is a phrase you type into a menu. Most work as soon as you type them, a few need a specific newspaper first, and while any cheat is on you can’t save or earn trophies.
Key takeaways
- RDR2 has 33 cheat phrases that every major guide agrees on. Lists that reach 37 count variants separately.
- Open the menu with Pause > Settings > Triangle (PlayStation) or Y (Xbox), then press the same button again to get the text box.
- Capital letters don’t matter. Punctuation does: “Vanity. All is vanity” fails without its full stop.
- While any cheat is on, you can’t save or earn achievements or trophies. Turning cheats off can restore saving, but trophies and achievements stay disabled for that save.
- Cheats work only in Story Mode, never in Red Dead Online.
Fact-checked
We checked these key facts against the sources named, on November 14, 2026:
- Insider Tez2, whose record is mixed, reportedly says Rockstar has paused the plans to focus on GTA 6, which launches November 19, 2026 (RUMOR) (source: gamesradar.com)
- In September 2025, a GamingBible story about “Keep your dreams simple” showed that even documented codes still catch players by surprise. :::did Did you know? (source: gamingbible.com)
- Most major lists say it needs no unlock, so if the game rejects it, check that chest. :::tip Tip Buy a newspaper after every main mission, especially in Chapters 1 and 3 (source: gamesradar.com)
How many cheats are in RDR2?
Red Dead Redemption 2 has 33 confirmed cheat phrases. Push Square and GamePressure list 33. GamesRadar, Videogamer and GTABase list 37 because they count some entries differently. To use one, pause, open Settings, open the cheats screen, type the phrase and confirm it. With any cheat on, the game won’t save and won’t award trophies or achievements.
Rockstar Games never gave RDR2 the button-combo cheats of the older Grand Theft Auto games. Every code is a line of text. GTABase counts eight that need a prerequisite, which is usually buying the newspaper tied to a story mission. The rest work from the start of Arthur Morgan’s story.
Why some guides count 37
The gap comes from how guides count, not from secret extra codes. Some lists give every Dead Eye level and every horse or wagon spawn its own entry, while others merge them. Some 2018 lists also came out before later codes surfaced, and a few phrases appear in only one guide. The 33 phrases in the table below are the ones with consistent support. If a guide lists an extra phrase that no other reputable list has, treat it as unconfirmed.
How to enter cheats in Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC)
Pause, go to Settings, open the cheats list, press the same button again for a text box, then type the phrase and confirm. The steps are the same on every platform. Only the buttons change.
Quick steps: enter an RDR2 cheat
- Pause the game in Story Mode.
- Select Settings.
- Press Triangle (PlayStation) or Y (Xbox), or use the on-screen Cheats prompt on PC.
- Press the same button again to open the text box.
- Type the phrase with its exact punctuation and confirm.
- Find the cheat in the list and switch it on.
| Platform | Open menu | Enter code | Confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 | Pause > Settings > Triangle | Triangle again, then type | Confirm on the virtual keyboard |
| Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S | Pause > Settings > Y | Y again, then type | Confirm on the virtual keyboard |
| PC (Steam, Rockstar Games Launcher, Epic) | Esc > Settings > Cheats prompt | Use the on-screen prompt, then type | Enter |
PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
Both consoles run the last-gen version through backward compatibility, so the codes and button paths are the same as on PS4 and Xbox One. There is no native current-gen release, so nothing about cheats changes.
PC: no developer console
On PC the cheats sit in the same Settings screen as on console. You type the phrase and press Enter. RDR2 has no developer console. The tilde (~) key does nothing, and the retail game has no command-line cheat system.
Toggling cheats on and off
A phrase stays in the cheats list once you’ve entered it, so you can switch it on or off later without typing it again. That list is also where you turn everything off when you want to save.
Tip
Type the punctuation exactly. “Vanity. All is vanity” fails without its full stop, and “Would you be happier as a clown?” fails without its question mark. Capitals are ignored.
Every RDR2 cheat code, sorted by effect
The table lists all 33 confirmed phrases with their exact punctuation, how each one unlocks and whether it toggles or fires once. The “Conflicting reports” column shows where reputable guides disagree, which is usually why a code “doesn’t work” for someone.
| Phrase (exact punctuation) | Effect | How to unlock | Toggle / one-shot | Conflicting reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greed is now a virtue | Adds $500 | Available without a newspaper | One-shot, repeatable | One guide credits “Share” with $500 instead |
| Share | Unlocks all camp upgrades | Available without a newspaper in most guides | One-shot | Sportskeeda says it also raises max supply levels; one guide says the phrase is found in a chest at Pleasance House; some list it as $500 |
| Virtue unearned is not virtue | Maximum Honor | Newspaper after “Urban Pleasures” (Chapter 4) | One-shot | Game Informer ties it to a banking mission; guides name different papers |
| Balance. All is balance | Resets Honor to neutral | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | Some lists, including Rankedboost, drop “Balance.” from the phrase |
| A simple life, a beautiful death | Basic weapon set | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| Greed is American virtue | Heavy weapon set | Saint Denis Times after “Advertising, the New American Art” (Chapter 3) | One-shot | One guide lists it as a bounty cheat; issue numbers vary |
| Death is silence | Stealth weapon set | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| Abundance is the dullest desire | Infinite ammo | New Hanover Gazette, Chapter 1 | Toggle | Fextralife names issue No. 27 |
| Run! Run! Run! | Spawns a race horse | Fort Riggs chalkboard | One-shot | None found |
| You are a beast built for war | Spawns a war horse | Saint Denis Times after the Epilogue | One-shot | None found |
| You want something new | Spawns a random horse | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| Better than my dog | Longer horse whistle range | Available without a newspaper | Toggle | None found |
| Keep your dreams simple | Spawns a wagon | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | Still reported as a “secret” in 2025 |
| Keep your dreams light | Spawns a horse-drawn buggy | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| The best of the old ways | Spawns a stagecoach | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| Would you be happier as a clown? | Spawns a circus wagon | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | One guide says a stagecoach |
| You flourish before you die | Refills health, stamina and Dead Eye | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| Seek all the bounty of this place | Raises health, stamina and Dead Eye meters | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| You seek more than the world offers | Fortifies all cores | Newspaper after “The King’s Son” (Chapter 6) | One-shot | Game Informer cites New Hanover Gazette No. 36 instead |
| The lucky be strong evermore | Infinite stamina | Blackwater Ledger after “Dear Uncle Tacitus” (Chapter 5) | Toggle | None found |
| Be greedy only for foresight | Infinite Dead Eye | Available without a newspaper | Toggle | One guide says it reveals the map |
| Guide me better | Dead Eye level 1 | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | Listed by Progressbar; missing from several other guides |
| Make me better | Dead Eye level 2 (manual target marking) | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| I shall be better | Dead Eye level 3 | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| I still seek more | Dead Eye level 4 | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| I seek and I find | Dead Eye level 5 | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | TechRadar and Progressbar say level 5; GamesRead says it maxes the Dead Eye meter |
| You want punishment | Raises wanted level | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| You want freedom | Lowers wanted level | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | Some guides list only “You want everyone to go away” |
| You want everyone to go away | Clears wanted status and bounties | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | Progressbar says it also clears lockdown areas |
| Vanity. All is vanity | Unlocks all outfits | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| Eat of knowledge | Unlocks all craftable recipes | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
| You long for sight but see nothing | Removes map fog | Saint Denis Times after “Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern” (Chapter 3) | Toggle | One guide writes “and see nothing” |
| A fool on command | Makes Arthur drunk | Available without a newspaper | One-shot | None found |
Money and Honor: what changes in play
The $500 cheat is small, but because you can repeat it, it covers most store purchases if you keep typing. The two Honor cheats matter more than they look. Honor changes store discounts, some of Arthur’s dialogue and parts of the story, so maxing it or resetting it partway through a chapter changes how later scenes play. Use the Honor phrases on a side save if you care about the story you’d get without them.
Weapons and horses: practical caveats
Infinite ammo is a toggle, so you can switch it off for a tough fight you’d rather play straight. The weapon set codes are one-shot grants and don’t need switching off afterwards. Spawned horses are useful for a quick ride, but they start with no bond. That is why “Better than my dog” is more useful with your bonded horse: the longer whistle range works best on a horse that actually comes when called.
Dead Eye: in order or straight to the top
The five level phrases are written to be entered in order, from “Guide me better” up to “I seek and I find.” If you only want full Dead Eye, entering the level 5 phrase on its own is the fastest route. One guide describes that phrase as filling the meter rather than raising the level, so check your Dead Eye stat after entering it.
Wanted level: which phrase to try first
“You want punishment” raises your wanted level when you want a fight with the law. To end one, start with “You want everyone to go away,” which clears both your wanted status and your bounties. If it doesn’t do what you need, try “You want freedom” before deciding the code is broken.
Outfits, recipes and map
“Vanity. All is vanity” unlocks outfits, but it won’t bring back a lost Arthur Morgan hat, which has its own recovery process. Removing map fog with “You long for sight but see nothing” is a toggle, though the areas it has revealed stay revealed. Turn it off before you save if you want exploration to count.
The best RDR2 cheats, ranked
For most players the best cheat is “Abundance is the dullest desire.” It unlocks earliest, toggles cleanly and fixes the most common frustration. The ranking uses three criteria taken from published guides. Usefulness counts most, then how early the cheat becomes available, then how little it disturbs the story’s balance. A toggle you can switch off ranks above a permanent change.
| Rank | Phrase | Effect | Why it ranks here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abundance is the dullest desire | Infinite ammo | Available from Chapter 1, toggles off cleanly |
| 2 | Run! Run! Run! | Race horse | No newspaper, just a trip to Fort Riggs |
| 3 | You long for sight but see nothing | No map fog | Saves hours of exploring |
| 4 | Be greedy only for foresight | Infinite Dead Eye | No newspaper, toggles |
| 5 | Greed is now a virtue | $500, repeatable | The closest RDR2 gets to a money cheat |
| 6 | You want everyone to go away | Clears bounties | Ends a messy chase in one line |
| 7 | You flourish before you die | Full refill | An emergency reset you can use anywhere |
| 8 | Eat of knowledge | All recipes | Skips the crafting grind |
There is a fair case against all of them. RDR2’s economy, Honor system and slow survival loop are the game itself, and cheats remove the friction that makes Arthur’s story land. On a first run, play the story without cheats and keep them for a second playthrough.
How to unlock cheats: newspapers by chapter
Gated cheats unlock when you buy the right newspaper after a specific story mission. The phrase is printed in a boxout inside the paper. Newsboys sell papers in Valentine, Rhodes, Strawberry, Blackwater, Annesburg and Saint Denis. The New Hanover Gazette is sold in Valentine and Annesburg, the Saint Denis Times in Rhodes and Saint Denis, and the Blackwater Ledger in Blackwater and Strawberry.
| Chapter | Mission to complete | Newspaper | Cheat unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapter 1 story missions | New Hanover Gazette | Abundance is the dullest desire |
| 3 | Advertising, the New American Art | Saint Denis Times | Greed is American virtue |
| 3 | Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern | Saint Denis Times | You long for sight but see nothing |
| 4 | Urban Pleasures | Saint Denis Times (sources vary) | Virtue unearned is not virtue |
| 5 | Dear Uncle Tacitus | Blackwater Ledger | The lucky be strong evermore |
| 6 | The King’s Son | Saint Denis Times (sources vary) | You seek more than the world offers |
| Epilogue | Complete the Epilogue | Saint Denis Times | You are a beast built for war |
Chapter 1 and Chapter 3: the papers worth the trip
Chapter 1’s New Hanover Gazette, which you can buy once you reach Valentine, gives you infinite ammo. Fextralife names issue No. 27. Chapter 3 unlocks more cheats than any other chapter: heavy weapons and the map-fog cheat both come from Saint Denis Times issues sold after its two listed missions.
Cheats found in the world
At least one code needs no newspaper at all. “Run! Run! Run!” is written on the chalkboard at Fort Riggs in West Elizabeth, according to PC Gamer. One guide says the “Share” phrase sits in a chest at Pleasance House. Most major lists say it needs no unlock, so if the game rejects it, check that chest.
Tip
Buy a newspaper after every main mission, especially in Chapters 1 and 3. Issue numbers differ from guide to guide, so trust the boxout in the paper you’re holding.
Cheats, saves and trophies: what you lose
While any cheat is on, the game won’t save, and achievements and trophies are blocked. Turning every cheat off can restore saving, but once a cheat has been activated on a save file, trophies and achievements stay disabled for that save.
Heads up
Any active cheat blocks saving and trophies or achievements. If you leave one on and play for an hour, you lose that hour unless you switch everything off before saving.
Saves and trophies with cheats on
You can’t carry active cheats from one session to the next, because saving is off while they run. The phrases you’ve entered stay in the list, though, so switching them back on after loading takes seconds. If you’re going for the platinum or 100% (the RDR2 trophy list guide covers the full set), play your trophy run on a slot that never has cheats switched on.
Recovering a save stuck because of cheats
When saving stays greyed out after cheating, the fix is almost always in the cheats list.
- Make a manual save in a separate slot before typing any phrase.
- Keep your main progress slot apart from your cheat slot, and never overwrite one with the other.
- When you want to save, open the cheats list and switch off every entry, including one-shot spawns that still show as active.
- Try the save again. If it’s still greyed out, reload the clean slot. You lose only the cheat session.
- GTABase notes that restarting the game puts you back on normal progress if anything stays locked.
Tip
Spawn horses and wagons on an open road or in a field. The game often won’t place a stagecoach or buggy near buildings, fences or narrow trails, and a failed spawn looks like a broken code.
Why your RDR2 cheat isn’t working
Most failed codes come down to four things: missing punctuation, a cheat you haven’t unlocked yet, spawning too close to buildings, or trying it in Red Dead Online. The game rejects gated phrases until you’ve bought the matching paper.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Invalid” message | Missing full stop, comma or question mark | Retype with exact punctuation |
| Phrase rejected | Newspaper not bought yet | Finish the mission and buy the paper |
| Horse or wagon doesn’t appear | Too close to buildings | Move to an open road or field |
| Wanted level won’t clear | Guides disagree on the phrase | Try “You want everyone to go away”, then “You want freedom” |
| No cheat menu | You’re in Red Dead Online | Switch to Story Mode |
| Effect blocked | Active mission or scripted scene | Finish the mission and try again |
| Can’t save | A cheat is still active | Switch off every cheat in the list |
Hidden cheats found after launch
Players kept finding cheats for years after RDR2’s October 2018 launch, which is why counts drift between guides. MP1st reported that the infinite Dead Eye code, “Be greedy only for foresight,” surfaced about a month after release. In September 2025, a GamingBible story about “Keep your dreams simple” showed that even documented codes still catch players by surprise.
Did you know?
GamingBible reported in October 2023 that a Red Dead Redemption 2 player found a hidden cheat code five years after launch, during their third playthrough.
Lists written in late 2018 simply missed codes that later guides added. Treat any brand-new “secret code” as unconfirmed until at least two reputable guides list it.
Mods and trainers vs. in-game cheats on PC
The built-in cheats are the only official route on PC. They’re a Rockstar feature with documented limits. Third-party mod menus, trainers and memory editors aren’t supported, their effect on saves and achievements is undocumented, and Rockstar support won’t help if one breaks your game. Memory editing can corrupt a save, and in Red Dead Online any modification risks a ban.
Getting the same results without cheats
You can earn most of what the cheats give you through normal play, and trophies keep counting the whole time. What you give up is time. Looting bodies after the early gunfights, searching drawers and cupboards, and selling gold bars covers money, and the RDR2 gold bar locations guide and the RDR2 money making guide map the fastest routes. Fast travel arrives later as a camp upgrade, which the RDR2 fast travel guide explains. Pelts from the legendary animals guide unlock many of the outfits that “Vanity. All is vanity” would hand you.
Do RDR2 cheats work on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S?
Yes. Both consoles run the last-gen version through backward compatibility at 30fps, so the codes and buttons don’t change. A native PS5 or Series X|S version has not been announced, even though the 2010 Red Dead Redemption got a free PS5 and Xbox Series X|S upgrade on December 2, 2025.
The rumors point in different directions. Insider NateTheHate, who has a strong track record, says an RDR2 upgrade is still targeted for 2026 (RUMOR), but a similar claim about fall 2025 didn’t come true. Insider Tez2, whose record is mixed, reportedly says Rockstar has paused the plans to focus on GTA 6, which launches November 19, 2026 (RUMOR). Nothing has been announced about whether cheats or saves would carry over. The RDR2 next-gen upgrade guide and the Red Dead Redemption 3 guide track what is actually known.
Did you know?
According to Take-Two’s fiscal Q2 2027 results, published November 9, 2026, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold more than 89 million units, up from 87 million in the company’s August report.
FAQ
How do you go to cheats in RDR2?
Pause > Settings > Triangle or Y (Cheats prompt on PC), then press it again to type. See the entry steps above.
How do you unlock everything in RDR2?
No single code does it. Outfits, recipes, camp upgrades and map fog each have their own phrase in the master table.
Do cheats disable trophies in RDR2?
Yes. Once a cheat has been activated on a save, trophies and achievements stay disabled for that save, even if you switch the cheats off.
Can you save with cheats on in Red Dead Redemption 2?
No. Saving returns once every cheat in the list is off.
What is the RDR2 money cheat?
“Greed is now a virtue,” which adds $500 each time you enter it.
What is the infinite ammo cheat in RDR2?
“Abundance is the dullest desire,” unlocked from the Chapter 1 New Hanover Gazette.
How do you get rid of a bounty with cheats?
“You want everyone to go away” clears bounties. See the wanted level notes for the backup phrase.
What are the Dead Eye level cheats?
Five phrases from “Guide me better” to “I seek and I find,” listed in order in the master table.
How many cheats are in RDR2?
33 confirmed phrases. Guides that list 37 count variants separately.
Do RDR2 cheats work in Red Dead Online?
No. They work in Story Mode only.
Why isn’t my RDR2 cheat working?
Usually punctuation, a missing newspaper or a cramped spawn spot. The troubleshooting table covers each fix.
Do cheat codes ruin the game experience?
On a first run they can. On a second playthrough they do no harm.
The safest way to start is to make a clean manual save, buy the Chapter 1 Gazette in Valentine and try infinite ammo on a separate slot.
Byline and sources
- Fact-checked by Terrence Abiola against the sources listed below before publication.
- Published
Checking and sources
- Researched from 8 sources, listed below.
- Every claim is checked by Terrence Abiola; anything we cannot confirm is corrected, labelled or removed.
Sources (8)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Cheats: All Cheat Codes and How to Unlock Them - Push Square (pushsquare.com)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats - PC Gamer (pcgamer.com)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats and every code available - GamesRadar (gamesradar.com)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Cheats (PS4, Xbox & PC) - GTABase (gtabase.com)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Cheats - GameRevolution (gamerevolution.com)
- RDR2 Cheats: Every Code and How to Unlock Them - HeyCash (heycash.com)
- Here Are All Of Red Dead Redemption II's Cheat Codes (So Far) - Game Informer (gameinformer.com)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 cheat code list - Digital Trends (digitaltrends.com)
