Red Dead Redemption 2: all the cheats, hidden codes and newspapers

If you've made it this far, it's because you want to get the most out of Red Dead Redemption 2 with its tricks, secret codes, and hidden advantages . In this Rockstar game, you can not only experience one of the best adventures in the Wild West, but you can also activate special phrases that reward you with money, weapons, infinite health, all kinds of horses, and a whole host of other interesting effects.

As with other titles from the studio, RDR2's cheat codes function as a "controlled cheat" that disables achievements, trophies, and normal saving . This means you can go wild without worrying too much, but you'll have to accept that this progress won't count towards 100% completion. On the other hand, the code system is very comprehensive, integrated with the newspapers sold by the kids , and offers a multitude of combinations to customize your playthroughs.

How to activate cheats and codes in Red Dead Redemption 2

Before you start typing phrases like crazy, it's a good idea to know where to enter the cheat codes in Red Dead Redemption 2. The process is practically the same on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, although the button you press to open the cheat menu changes.

On consoles, the first step is to go to the Pause menu and enter the Settings section . Once there, you'll see an option to press a button to open the cheat menu: on PlayStation it's the triangle button and on Xbox it's the Y button. Pressing this will bring up the section where you can manage all the available cheats.

Within that cheat menu, you'll need to press Triangle or Y again to bring up the game's internal keyboard . That's where you should type the exact code for the cheat you want to activate, respecting spaces and words, but don't worry about uppercase and lowercase letters, because the game ignores them.

On PC, the system works the same way, but if you're playing with a keyboard and mouse, the controller button is replaced with the SHIFT key in the settings menu . That is, pause, go to settings, press the indicated key, and then enter the code using the game's keyboard. If the cheat works, you'll receive an on-screen notification confirming that it has been unlocked. If you experience audio and video synchronization issues while playing, see the section on audio and video synchronization problems.

One of the advantages of this system is that, when you enter a valid phrase for the first time, the cheat is saved in the internal list and you don't have to type the code again . From then on, you simply need to access the cheat menu and activate or deactivate it with a single click whenever you want.

However, keep in mind that when you activate any cheat, RDR2 itself warns you that you temporarily lose the ability to save your game normally and unlock achievements or trophies . The idea is that you can experiment without disrupting your progress, so it's recommended to make a separate manual save before you start using cheat codes.

Newspapers and hidden codes: how they work and where to buy them

Not all Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats are available from the start: some are "locked" until you purchase certain newspapers . These newspapers are an important part of the game world; they can be read like any collectible item and also contain phrases that serve as keys to unlock advanced codes.

The game features three major newspapers : the New Hanover Gazette, the Saint Denis Times, and the Blackwater Ledger. Each is sold in several cities, but the issue is the same regardless of where you buy it, so it doesn't matter if you pick up a copy in Valentine or Annesburg, for example.

Newspaper vendors are marked on the map with a newspaper icon . They're usually kids shouting out the day's news in town centers. Just approach them and open the purchase menu to see which issues are currently available in the main story.

Access to each issue is tied to campaign progress and certain key missions . For example, immediately after completing "Eastbound" in Chapter 2, you can purchase the New Hanover Gazette No. 27 and the Blackwater Ledger No. 62, both required to unlock the infinite ammo cheat. Later, after "Hunting the Wizard" in Chapter 3, newspapers like the Saint Denis Times No. 46 and the Blackwater Ledger No. 65 appear, which allow you to activate heavy weapons.

Good news for completionists: no newspaper is missable . Even if you progress to Epilogue 2 without having bought any previous issues, vendors will still offer all the old issues alongside the new ones. So you can focus on the main story without worry and, when you feel like it, go on a shopping spree to unlock several powerful cheats in bulk.

Among the most important journals for cheating are those that unlock infinite ammo, heavy weapons, reveal the map, increase honor, grant infinite stamina, or fortify all bars . Each of these effects is associated with a specific issue of the New Hanover Gazette or the Blackwater Ledger, so it's worth carefully reviewing the list of missions that activate them.

Full list of cheats: money, weapons, health, horses, and more

Red Dead Redemption 2 features a huge list of cheats, organized by type of perk: money, weapons, stats, horses, honor, wanted levels, and various effects . Most are English text codes, usually short phrases that you must type into the cheat menu for them to take effect.

The process for entering them is always the same, but some require having previously purchased a specific newspaper. Even so, all codes work the same on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC , making it easy to use this same list regardless of the platform.

Money tricks and gold bars

One of the first desires of any virtual outlaw is to get their hands on dollars and gold bars without breaking a sweat . In RDR2, there's at least one direct code related to money in the campaign, in addition to several methods and glitches reported by the community for quickly acquiring large amounts.

In story mode, you can use a code that adds $500 to your wallet each time you activate it , by entering the phrase "Greed is now a virtue." It doesn't require a newspaper beforehand and works like other cheats: you enter it only once, and then it will be available in the menu to use whenever you want, with the usual limitations on saving and achievements.

Beyond the code, the community discovered a very popular glitch for duplicating gold bars . It relies on exploiting a bug when picking up a bar from a specific chest and reloading the game at the exact moment so that the bar reappears, allowing players to accumulate many in a short time. It's important to note that these types of exploits can be patched by Rockstar in any update , so they aren't guaranteed to work in the long run.

In Red Dead Online, things get more complicated because the game is designed for slower player progress and higher prices. There are no classic cheat codes in online mode, but there are methods to farm money and gold relatively quickly , such as chaining together certain missions, free events, and roles that offer good rewards. They aren't "cheats" in the strictest sense, but they serve the same purpose: helping you fill your pockets without getting frustrated.

Weapon Cheats and Infinite Ammo

If you want to always be well-armed, RDR2 offers a good selection of cheats focused on unlimited ammo and special weapon packs . Some require progressing through the story and buying specific newspapers, while others can be activated from the start.

The star cheat is infinite ammo , activated with the phrase "Abundance is the dullest desire." Some guides indicate that it's unlocked by purchasing Chapter 1 or Chapter 2 newspapers, such as the New Hanover Gazette No. 27 or the Blackwater Ledger No. 62, which are obtained after completing the mission "Eastbound." Once you've entered the code, you'll never have to worry about counting bullets again.

In addition to unlimited ammo, there are codes to obtain different weapon sets . For example, "A simple life, a beautiful death" adds the basic weapons pack to your inventory with no prerequisites, ideal at the beginning of the adventure. "Greed is American Virtue" grants heavy weapons like the Pump-Action Shotgun, Bolt Rifle, Mauser Pistol, and Semiautomatic Pistol, although to use them you must have purchased newspapers linked to Chapter 3 missions.

You also have a cheat code to unlock stealth weapons : "Death is silence." This gives you a machete, throwing knives, and a tomahawk, no newspaper required. And if you're feeling like a Wild West gunslinger, "History is written by fools" grants you a double-barreled shotgun and a double-action revolver.

The combat skills section is rounded out with a series of codes that directly modify the Dead Eye level . “Guide me better” sets it to level 1, “Make me better” raises it to level 2, “I shall be better” raises it to level 3, “I still seek more” takes it to level 4, and “I seek and I find” places it at the maximum level 5. Additionally, “Be greedy only for foresight” grants unlimited Dead Eye, turning Arthur into a veritable slow-motion shooting machine.

Health, stamina, and skill tips

Beyond weapons, one of the most useful categories of cheats is the one that affects health, stamina, and Dead Eye bars . Thanks to these codes, you can boost your overall stats, fill them to the maximum, or even keep them permanently fortified for the duration of the cheat session.

The code “Seek all the bounty of this place” increases Arthur 's base health, stamina, and Dead Eye , as if you had upgraded those stats over time . It's a quick way to make Arthur more resilient from the early stages of the story.

On the other hand, "You flourish before you die" completely fills all the bars, leaving them at the maximum possible at that moment. If you want to go a step further, "You Seek More Than The World Offers" not only restores them but also fortifies them , making them take much longer to run out. This last trick requires having purchased advanced newspapers, such as the New Hanover Gazette No. 36, which is unlocked after the mission "The King's Son" in Chapter 6.

Stamina also has a specific code: “The Lucky be strong evermore” grants infinite stamina to Arthur and his horse . Some lists mention it as a cheat associated with Blackwater Ledger #68, available after completing the quest “Dear Uncle Tacitus” in Chapter 5. In any case, once entered, you can run and sprint without worrying about depleting your stamina core.

By combining these stat cheats with weapon and Dead Eye cheats, you can achieve a near-godlike setup : maxed-out bars, infinite ammo, unlimited Dead Eye, and a top-tier arsenal. Perfect for a crazy afternoon of gameplay without worrying about resources or risks.

Horse tricks, carriages and bonding

Horses are at the heart of movement in Red Dead Redemption 2, and naturally, they also have their own set of cheat codes. These tricks allow you to summon special mounts, improve your relationship with them, or extend the range of your whistle so they always come to you, no matter where you are.

One of the most practical is “Better than my dog,” which greatly expands the range at which you can call your horse . With this code, even if your mount has strayed quite far, it will still respond to the whistle, preventing strenuous walks or unnecessary quick trips.

As for specific mounts, there are several codes to summon different types of horses . “Run! Run! Run!” spawns a very fast racehorse, “You want more than you have” summons a white Arabian horse, considered one of the best in the game, and “You are a beast built for war” creates a sturdy warhorse, which is unlocked after purchasing newspapers from Epilogue 1, such as Blackwater Ledger No. 72.

If you'd rather not always use the same mount, "You want something new" summons a random horse each time you activate it, perfect for adding variety to your stable. And if you're looking to boost confidence, "My kingdom is a horse" increases your bond with all your horses, making advanced maneuvers like drifting and quick stops easier.

It's not all about animals: there are also codes to spawn horse-drawn vehicles . “Keep your dreams simple” summons a medium-sized caravan or wagon, “Keep your dreams light” summons a lighter carriage, and “The best of the old ways” brings out a classic stagecoach. Finally, “Would you be happier as a clown?” generates a flamboyant circus wagon, available after purchasing certain newspapers in Epilogue 1, such as Blackwater Ledger No. 73.

Honor tricks and wanted levels

The honor system and wanted level are two key mechanics in RDR2, and of course, they can also be manipulated with cheat codes. With these, you can become a frontier saint or the biggest villain on the map in a matter of seconds, as well as alter the legal consequences of your misdeeds.

To quickly increase your honor, there's the cheat code "Virtue Unearned is not virtue," which raises your honor rating without requiring you to perform good deeds. Some guides recommend purchasing the Blackwater Ledger No. 67 after completing the "Urban Pleasures" quest in Chapter 4 to use it, though once entered, it will remain in your list permanently.

If you fancy the exact opposite, "You Revel in Your Disgrace, I See" reduces your honor to very low levels, turning Arthur into a truly feared outlaw . And if at any point you want to return to moral neutrality, "Balance. All Is Balance" restores your honor to a middle ground.

Regarding the wanted level, there are also specific codes. “You want punishment” increases your Wanted level, making law enforcement take your presence very seriously. Conversely, “You Want Freedom” lowers your Wanted level, making it easier to move around areas where you were previously pursued.

When you want to completely escape the authorities, you can use "You want everyone to go away," which removes all bounties and restricted areas from the map. It's a quick way to clear your name so you can continue exploring undisturbed, at least during your cheat session.

Various tricks: map, outfits, recipes, camp, and curious effects

In addition to the major categories, Red Dead Redemption 2 includes a good number of "miscellaneous" codes that affect outfits, the map, recipes, camps, and visual or status effects . They don't significantly impact direct combat, but they do change the gameplay considerably.

One of the most striking is "You long for sight and see nothing" (also listed as "You Long for Sight but See Nothing"), which reveals the entire map at once without needing to explore every corner. Activating it usually requires purchasing newspapers like the New Hanover Gazette No. 31 or the Blackwater Ledger No. 66, which appear after the mission "The Pleasures of Civilization" in Chapter 4.

If you enjoy customizing Arthur's appearance, the code "Vanity. All is Vanity" unlocks all available outfits and costumes , allowing you to change your look whenever you want without having to visit any shops. In addition, there are other cosmetic effects like "A fool on command," which makes the character behave as if he's completely drunk.

For crafting enthusiasts, the "Eat of Knowledge" cheat allows Arthur to learn all the crafting recipes , including hunting, cooking, and upgrades. This way, you won't have to discover them piecemeal by combining ingredients or reading specific documents.

The camp also benefits from the "Share" trap, which grants all available camp upgrades in the ledger and raises the maximum supply levels. It's a way to have your base fully equipped without spending time or resources upgrading each aspect individually.

By combining these various codes with those for weapons, horses, and honor, you can shape the gameplay experience to your liking, whether to create a chaotic game full of excesses or to set up a kind of "photo mode" where you just explore the world without worrying about progression systems.

Other practical tricks and popular glitches: horses and infinite skins

Beyond the official codes entered in the cheat menu, the community has discovered glitches and curious systems that, while not traditional cheats, allow you to gain significant advantages such as horses of any breed or duplicating large hides for trading. And if you also suffer from performance issues like stuttering, try these tricks to reduce stuttering.

One of the best-known methods is the trick to get any tame horse for free in Saint Denis, without resorting to classic exploits. It works like this: during the day, if you approach a specific location in the city, a horse will appear that can be of any breed, even those that only appear in the Epilogue, such as the Mustang or certain Arabians.

As long as it's daylight and the horse has spawned, if you're not happy with the breed, you can save and reload the game to force the animal to respawn. Each time you repeat this process, the horse's breed will change completely randomly. This means it could take five minutes or five hours to see the model you want, but the system doesn't exploit serious game bugs; it simply takes advantage of the way certain spawns are generated.

When the mount you want finally appears, simply capture it, mount it, and take it to the stable to saddle it and officially claim it as yours . Otherwise, you risk losing it if you stray too far or if something happens in the area.

Another much-discussed glitch is the ability to duplicate large hides, such as those of alligators, bears, bison, bulls, elk, moose, oxen, or cows. These hides are so bulky that Arthur rolls them up and places them on the back of his horse, and they are very valuable both to the trapper and for certain specific crafting recipes.

For this trick to work, you need to own at least two horses and have unlocked the horse hitching post at your camp using the ledger. The process involves arriving at the hitching post with a large hide on your main horse, activating the system to call another horse, and watching as the first horse's hide floats in the air.

Touching the floating hide will cause it to fall to the ground, but if you call your main horse back, you'll see it's still carrying the hide on its rump. Repeating this mount swap will cause the hide to reappear, allowing you to accumulate multiple copies in a matter of minutes . It's a perfect method for profiting from a perfect hide that was hard-earned to obtain.

Although these types of glitches are not official codes, in practice they function as unlimited cheats to obtain specific resources, with the caveat that Rockstar can correct them through patches at any time, just as happens with the famous gold ingot exploit.

With this arsenal of codes, newspapers, and minor glitches, Red Dead Redemption 2 becomes a veritable playground for those who enjoy experimenting with its systems. You can set up serious, cheat-free sessions to fully appreciate the story, or dedicate entire sessions to testing infinite ammo, fortified health, luxury horses, fully explored maps, and fully stocked camps , completely changing the pace and tone of the adventure to suit your mood.