Dead Cells Guide | How To Get All Keys and Door Locations

Keys in Dead Cells are essential for unlocking doors and accessing hidden areas, blueprints, and special rewards. These keys cannot be carried between runs and disappear upon death or use. 

Some keys are easy to find, while others require special runes or defeating powerful enemies. This guide details how to acquire all keys in the game, categorized by their purpose and location.

Progression Keys

Gardener’s Keys

The Gardener’s Keys unlock three doors leading to an area with an explosive beast design. Acquiring these keys requires specific runes. The first key is obtained using the Ram Rune, the second requires the Spider Rune (or Homunculus Rune), and the third is found disguised as a small rose. 

Interacting with the rose three times will drop the key. These keys are also necessary for obtaining Moonflower Keys.

Village Key

The Village Key is found in the Misty Fjord and is required to open two gates for progression. The keys are hidden within sublocations, and one of them can be obtained by traversing the top of the tower using the Spider Rune and Belier Rune. 

Additionally, the key unlocks a secret room containing the Parry Shield Blueprint.

Crypt Key

The Forgotten Tomb requires four Crypt Keys to progress. Two of these are located outside teleportation idols, while the other two are dropped by elite pursuers at the end of the area. If the pursuers have been defeated previously, the player won’t have to fight them again. 

The final two doors lead to a location containing gold.

Cemetery Key

The Cemetery Key is required to open the underground section of the Graveyard, granting access to the Forgotten Tomb. This key is hidden within a sublocation inside the Graveyard.

Architect Key

The Architect Key unlocks a hidden area in the cemetery, found in a secret underground location. This area contains a hidden product category design and a Parting Gift Mutation door.

Boss and Area Access Keys

Watchmaker’s Key

This key is found in the chapel’s H-shaped room and is used to unlock the door to the Timekeeper boss.

Clock Tower Key

The Clock Tower Key provides access to a room containing the Revenge Shield Blueprint. To obtain this key, the player must strike four Chapel Bells in order from the quietest to the loudest.

Castle Keys

Two Castle Keys are required to open the main doors leading out of the premises. A third key is needed to access an extra room containing a Boomerang Blueprint, a Scroll of Strength, and random additional items. The keys drop from elite enemies found three-quarters of the way through the castle.

Cavern Key

The Cavern Key is necessary for opening the passage to the Cave location. It can only be obtained after defeating the Hand of the King for the first time. The key is found in the gap of the starting location, where a massive door originally stood. 

Using the Homunculus Rune allows access to this key. Once used, the key permanently unlocks the passage to the Cave.

Special and Hidden Keys

Moonflower Keys

Moonflower Keys are used to unlock the Accept Mutation. To acquire them, the player must have three active Boss Cells and the Gardener’s Keys. The three Moonflower Keys are hidden behind doors requiring Gardener’s Keys and can be found in the following locations:

• Prison Towers
• Cemetery
• Abandoned Crypt

Once all three keys are collected, the player must travel to the castle and locate three secret doors containing the Accept Mutation. Reaching the Graveyard from the Prison Towers requires three Boss Cells to open the door. These doors are hidden in niches within the walls.

Christmas Key (Garland Key)

This festive key grants access to a holiday-themed costume. It is found in a secret area, identifiable by ivy growing above the tunnel.

Prize and Loot Keys

Prize Door Keys

Some keys are obtained from enemies and are used to unlock doors containing valuable items such as weapons, skills, or scrolls. These include:

• Old Service Key – Found in the Ancient Sewers.
• Golden Key of Cells – Located deep within the prison, it opens a door containing an Enhancement Scroll.
• Iron Key of Cells – Found in the Prison Depths, unlocking doors with items.
• Steel Cage Key – Found in the Corrupted Prison.

Astronomical Laboratory Keys

• Upper Key (Apex Key) - Grants access to the Sonic Crossbow Blueprint, located in a hard-to-reach area within the Astronomical Laboratory.
• Allen Key - Used to unlock the Astrolab Tower, accessible by defeating an elite enemy.
• Elevator Key - Required to access the elevator, dropped by an elite enemy.
• Guardian’s Key - Grants access to the boss entrance. This key is dropped by two Elite Threshers after the elevator.

Final Notes

Acquiring keys in Dead Cells is crucial for accessing hidden areas, secret blueprints, and special items. Many of these keys require exploration, defeating elite enemies, or using specific runes.

Mastering key locations and unlocking their rewards will enhance the gameplay experience, making each run more rewarding and efficient.

Also, check our Dead Cells Review and other guides below:

• Dead Cells Guide | How To Unlock All Crossover Outfits