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How to dock in Starfield
- Get within 500 m. Bethesda says your ship must be within 500 m of the station or ship. Use the scanner to check distance and available interactions. Bethesda’s docking instructions and space interaction guidance describe the range requirement.
- Target the station or ship. Aim at the correct object and use your platform’s target or interact control to bring up its options. Choose Dock when it appears.
- Hail a station if prompted. Not every station requires a hail. If one does, hail it and request permission; once granted, hold the Dock input shown on screen.
- Use the configured Dock control. Default controls are listed below, but remapped bindings can differ. Follow the on-screen prompt if it does not match the defaults.
- Enter after docking. Hold the enter control shown by the game. For a hostile ship, choose Board from the docked options instead.
Default docking controls by platform
| Platform | Target or open options | Dock |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard | E | R |
| Xbox | A | X |
| PlayStation | X | Square |
These are the defaults in Bethesda’s docking instructions, keyboard controls, Xbox controls and PlayStation controls. If you changed your bindings, check Settings > Bindings/Controls and use the current prompt shown in game.
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If the Dock prompt still does not appear
- Confirm the target is a station or ship you intend to interact with, rather than a nearby object.
- Check that you are no farther than 500 m away.
- At a station that requires permission, hail it and request docking clearance.
- Verify your bindings in Settings and try the control shown on screen.
Bethesda’s published guidance documents these checks but does not establish a universal recovery step for a Dock prompt that remains missing after them. It does not identify this symptom as a known bug, so there is no documented basis to promise that reloading, restarting, or changing ships will fix it.
Docking with a hostile ship is different
Boarding a hostile ship has combat prerequisites beyond ordinary docking. Bethesda’s boarding guidance says to disable the ship’s shields and engines without destroying it. Other active attackers prevent boarding. Once docked, select Board rather than the ordinary enter option.
#1 Best Overall
- Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits
- Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets
- Pilot and command the ship of your dreams.
Did the Free Lanes update change docking?
Bethesda’s Free Lanes update page says the update launched April 7, 2026, introducing Free Lanes and Cruise Mode. It describes travel features but does not say that it changed the documented docking process. Check the current in-game prompt, especially if your controls have been changed.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- TELL YOUR STORY - In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become.
- EXPLORE OUTER SPACE - Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. Meet and recruit a memorable cast of characters, join in the adventures of various factions, and embark on quests across the Settled Systems. A new story or experience is always waiting to be discovered.
- CAPTAIN THE SHIP OF YOUR DREAMS - Pilot and command the ship of your dreams. Personalize the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection.
- DISCOVER, COLLECT, BUILD - Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes.
- LOCK AND LOAD - Space can be a dangerous place. A refined combat system gives you the tools to deal with any situation. Whether you prefer long-range rifles, laser weapons, or demolitions, each weapon type can be modified to complement your playstyle. Zero G environments add a chaotic spectacle to combat, while boost packs give players freedom to maneuver like never before.
Rank #2
- Includes: Starfield Standard Edition (Disc)
- Travel to the stars in this next-gen RPG from the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4
- Create a character according to your imagination and explore the endless expanses in unparalleled freedom
- The goal of this epic journey? The answer to humanity's greatest question
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