Europa Universalis IV ships with a built-in console you can open at any time during a normal game — no launch options, mods or external tools required. The console is enabled by default in single-player games that are not in Ironman mode, so opening it is the first step before entering any command on this site.
How to open the console in EU4
- Start or load a single-player game that is not in Ironman mode.
- While in the game (not the main menu), press the
`(grave/backtick) key, found just belowEscand left of1. - A text box appears at the bottom of the screen. Type a command and press
Enterto run it. - Press
`again to close the console.
Console keys by keyboard layout
The backtick key does not exist on every keyboard. If ` does nothing, try one of these instead:
`(grave / backtick) — US / UK layouts, left of1~(tilde)Shift+2orShift+3§/½— Scandinavian and German layoutsAlt+2+1on the numpad — a universal fallback when nothing else works
Console won't open? Troubleshooting
- You are in Ironman. The console is disabled in Ironman saves. Start a normal game to use cheats.
- Wrong keyboard layout. Switching your Windows input language to English (US) makes the
`key behave as the game expects. - The window isn't focused. Click inside the game first, then press the console key.
Next steps
With the console open, browse the full list of console commands, or jump straight to popular cheats like adding money, switching country and adding monarch points.
Frequently asked questions
What is the console key in EU4?
The default key is the grave/backtick (`) just below Esc, left of the 1 key. Depending on your keyboard layout you may need the tilde (~), the § key on Scandinavian keyboards, or Shift+2 / Shift+3. Press the same key again to close the console.
Why won't the EU4 console open?
The most common reason is that you are in an Ironman game, where the console is disabled. Outside Ironman, the cause is almost always your keyboard layout — try the backtick, ~, §, or Alt+2+1 on the numpad, or change your Windows input language to English (US). Make sure the game window has focus and you are in a running game, not the main menu.
Do console commands disable achievements in EU4?
Achievements can only be earned in Ironman mode, and the console is disabled in Ironman — so you cannot use console commands to unlock achievements. In a normal (non-Ironman) game the console works freely, but no achievements are tracked there anyway.
Can you use the console in EU4 multiplayer?
The console is generally disabled in multiplayer sessions to prevent desyncs and cheating. Console commands are a single-player, non-Ironman feature.