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Stronghold Crusader cheats and cheat codes

Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition has no cheat codes to type; cheats are switched on from a menu behind the chicken icon in the game options. From that menu you can take 1,000 gold, set your popularity to 100, turn on free buildings and unlock every mission. The moment you use a cheat, achievements stay off until you restart the game. The key cheats of the original 2002 release and the HD version are gathered in a separate section.

9 codes 3 categories updated November 1, 2026

How do you open the cheat console?

Your choice is remembered

The Definitive Edition has no separate cheat console and no codes to type. The cheats sit in a menu that opens from the round chicken icon inside the game options. You can click any cheat in the menu, and if you tick the Enable Cheat Keys box, some of them also work with a hotkey. The menu can be reached both during a game and from the main menu.

Esc > Options > chicken icon
  1. Press Esc while in a game. On the main menu, use the settings button at the bottom instead.
  2. Go to Options and click the round chicken icon at the bottom of the menu.
  3. Click the cheat you want in the menu that opens. To use hotkeys, tick the Enable Cheat Keys box.
  4. Close the menu and return to the game. Nothing confirms that the cheat worked, so check your gold counter or mission list for the result.

The moment you use a cheat, achievements turn off and stay off until you fully close and reopen the game.

Esc > Options > chicken icon > Enable Cheat Keys

This is not a code to type but a menu path. In a game, press Esc, go to Options and click the round chicken icon at the bottom of the menu. If you tick Enable Cheat Keys in the cheat menu that opens, hotkeys such as Alt + K work as well.

  • The Definitive Edition was released only on PC, through Steam. We found no console version, so this page covers the PC method only.
  • The moment you use a cheat, achievements turn off and a note saying so appears at the bottom of the cheat menu. Achievements come back once you fully close and reopen the game.
  • In Sands of Time missions, cheat keys work only while the Remove time requirements for Sands of Time trails setting is on. That setting also turns off the leaderboards.
  • The Ctrl + triblade2002 method of the original and HD versions does not work in the Definitive Edition. You will find the keys for those versions in the last section of this page.

Categories

Every category has its own page

Gold, popularity and building cheats

1,000 gold, full popularity and free buildings mode.

3 codes →

Mission cheats

Unlock every mission temporarily or permanently, or reset.

3 codes →

Original and HD cheats

Ctrl + triblade2002 and Alt keys for the original and HD.

3 codes →

All codes

Copy, paste into the game
9 codes listed

Gold, popularity and building cheats

Category page →

Gives 1,000 gold

Cheat menu > +1000 Gold

Adds 1,000 gold to your treasury with every click. You can use it as often as you like, and it has no default hotkey.

  1. Open the options with Esc, go to Options and click the chicken icon.
  2. Click the +1000 Gold option in the menu.
  3. Close the menu and you will see your gold counter go up.
Achievements stay off until you fully close and reopen the game.
PC

Sets popularity to 100

Cheat menu > Reset Popularity

Raises your popularity to 100 at that moment. It drops again if your people go hungry or taxes are high, and it has no default hotkey.

Achievements stay off until you fully close and reopen the game.
PC

Turns on free buildings mode

Alt + K

Buildings go up without costing wood, stone or gold. The same key turns it off, and placement rules still apply.

  1. Tick the Enable Cheat Keys box in the cheat menu.
  2. Press Alt + K in a game and building costs disappear.
  3. Press Alt + K again to turn it off. Instead of the hotkey, you can also use the Enable Free Buildings option in the menu.
Mines and farms still have to go on suitable ground. Achievements stay off until you restart the game.
PC

Mission cheats

Category page →

Unlocks every mission temporarily

Cheat menu > Unlock All Missions (temporary)

Every mission stays unlocked until you quit the game. The locks return when you start it again.

PC

Unlocks every mission permanently

Cheat menu > Unlock All Missions (permanent)

Every mission is unlocked for good in your saved progress. Since patch 1.02 the co-op missions open as well.

The change is permanent. If you want to unlock the missions yourself, use the temporary option.
PC

Resets all mission progress

Cheat menu > Reset All Missions

Wipes your mission progress and starts the trails over. A warning window appears first when you click it.

Your progress is erased. Firefly fixed bugs in this option in patch 2.03, so keep your game up to date.
PC

Original and HD cheats

Category page →

Turns on cheat mode in the old version

Ctrl + triblade2002 (main menu)

Typing triblade2002 on the main menu while holding Ctrl turns on cheat mode. The Alt key combinations only work after that.

  1. Hold the Ctrl key while on the main menu.
  2. Without letting go of Ctrl, type triblade2002, entering the digits with the number row above the letters.
  3. Start a game and use the Alt key combinations.
Does not work in the Definitive Edition.
Original and HD PC

Gives popularity and 1,000 gold

Alt + X

In the old version, raises your popularity by 100 points and adds 1,000 gold to your treasury. Turn on cheat mode on the main menu first.

Does not work in the Definitive Edition, where you should use the cheat menu.
Original and HD PC

Unlocks every mission in the old version

Alt + C

Sources say this combination unlocks every mission. Turn on cheat mode on the main menu first.

One guide says it only works for the historical campaigns and on the main menu. Does not work in the Definitive Edition.
Original and HD PC

Common questions

How do you turn on cheats in Stronghold Crusader Definitive Edition?
In a game, press Esc, go to Options and click the round chicken icon at the bottom of the menu. You use the cheats by clicking them in the menu that opens. If you tick the Enable Cheat Keys box, hotkeys such as Alt + K work as well.
Does using cheats turn off achievements?
Yes. The moment you use a cheat, a note saying so appears at the bottom of the menu and achievements turn off. To earn achievements again, you have to fully close and reopen the game.
Does the Definitive Edition have cheat codes or a console?
No. There is no code to type and no command console; cheats are only switched on from the chicken icon menu. The Ctrl + triblade2002 method of the old version does not work in the Definitive Edition either.
How do I know a cheat worked?
The menu shows no confirmation message. Close the menu, return to the game and check your gold counter, popularity meter or mission list, where you will see the change.
Do cheats work in Sands of Time missions?
Cheat keys do not work there by default. Since Firefly's Autumn Update they work if you switch on the Remove time requirements for Sands of Time trails setting. That setting also turns off the leaderboards.
Are there cheats on console?
The Definitive Edition was released only on PC, through Steam, and we found no console version. That is why this page covers the PC method only; if a console version comes out, we will add it.

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