How to customise character in Starfield

A blonde-haired NPC in Starfield.

A blonde-haired NPC in Starfield.
November 9, 2023: This guide will give you a run through with the Starfield character creation system.

If you're ready to dive into a vast space adventure, you'll definitely want to customise character in Starfield. After all, what's the point of spending hundreds of hours completing quests, exploring uncharted planets, and flying across the cosmos if you can't spruce up your avatar?

In this guide, we'll break down how to customise your character in Starfield. This is a Bethesda game after all, so fortunately there are near-limitless options to tweak your character's appearance. Our details are based on some early leaked footage of the game, so it could change upon launch.

For more on the game, read up on the confirmed Starfield download size. We've also got a Starfield achievements list, plus a look at whether you can land anywhere in Starfield.

How do I customise character in Starfield?

Your first option to customise the player character in Starfield arrives in the early stages of the tutorial. After a conversation with an NPC called Heller, he passes you a tablet laden with customisation options.

This is a compulsory part of the game, though you can of course blitz through and just select the default character options. However, since character customisation is an unskippable part of the introduction to Starfield, it's your main chance.

What customisation options are in Starfield?

As you'd expect from a Bethesda game, the character customisation options in Starfield appear to be plentiful. Currently, there are five customisation options, namely: Biometric ID, Body, Face, Background and Traits.

To start off, you're given the option to select from a range of presets, called Personnel Records in Starfield. You can use any of these as defaults if you like, or as springboards to then edit further.

Once you're happy with your base character, you can tab across to the Body menu. Here, there are sliders to change your build, ranging from muscular to heavy or thin. On that hub you can also select your body type, walking style, and skin tone.

Tab across again and you'll end up on the Face tab. This lets you go much more in-depth on your space traveller's facial features. There's a more in-depth skin tone slider, plus the ability to tweak your head shape, facial hair, and overall hair style. Starfield has 45 different hair styles for you to choose from, so there's bound to be one for you.

Elsewhere on the Face menu, there seems to be plenty more options if you scroll down. However, the leaked footage doesn't show more of this, so we can't say for sure what else is on offer.

Lastly, you can also tweak your character's background and traits. These are the in-universe origins of your character, ranging from Beast Hunter to Bounty Hunter or even Chef. These alter some of the perks you'll begin with, depending on how you want your Starfield play style to be. Traits are the some perks you can pick individually, which have passive tweaks to anything from your companion closeness to the credits you earn.

Once you're happy with your Starfield character, it's a case of confirming your choices, picking their pronouns, and giving them a name. Then, you'll dive back into the action, complete with your new character.

A pile of old junk in Starfield.
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Can I customise my character after the tutorial in Starfield?

Thankfully, the answer is yes! You can change the appearance of your character in an Enhance Clinic located in most of the major cities in Starfield. However, keep in mind that it is impossible to change the background and traits of your character after the tutorial stage, so make sure that you are 100% sure about your choices in these areas.

That's it for our guide on how to customise character in Starfield! For more on the game, read up on the confirmed cities list, plus details on how to fast travel in Starfield.