Enshrouded: Upgrade Storage Chests in Place

To upgrade a storage chest in Enshrouded without losing its contents, you don’t move items at all — you simply use the Hammer in build mode and select an upgraded chest from the same menu, then place it directly over the existing chest. This replaces the old chest with the new one, and all items inside are automatically transferred to the new container. This works for both small and large chests, as long as you have the required materials and the new chest is the same size or larger than the old one.

Background: Why Chest Upgrades Matter

Enshrouded’s storage system starts with a basic Small Chest that holds 16 slots. As you gather more resources — building materials, food, weapons, and crafting components — 16 slots fill up fast. Upgrading to a Large Chest (32 slots) or a Large Chest with Magic Storage (48 slots) is essential for organizing your base. The magic variant also connects to a global network, letting you access its contents from any other magic chest, which is a huge quality-of-life improvement for large bases.

The upgrade system is designed to be painless, but many players don’t realize you can upgrade in place. They waste time emptying chests, dismantling them, and rebuilding. Understanding the in-place upgrade mechanic saves you that hassle and keeps your inventory organized.

How the In-Place Upgrade Works

The process is straightforward but requires you to be in the right mode. Here are the exact steps:

1. Open your build menu by pressing the Hammer key (default: Q on PC).
2. Navigate to the Storage tab in the build menu.
3. Select the upgraded chest you want (e.g., Large Chest or Large Magic Chest).
4. Move your cursor over the existing chest. You’ll see a green outline indicating a valid placement.
5. Click to place the new chest. The game will replace the old chest and automatically move all items from the old chest to the new one.

This works even if the old chest is full. The new chest must have at least as many slots as the old one — you can’t downgrade a Large Chest to a Small Chest in place. If you try, the game will show a red outline and won’t allow placement.

Choosing the Right Chest Upgrade

There are three chest types in Enshrouded, each requiring different materials. Here’s what you need to know:

• Small Chest — 16 slots. Crafted with 8 Wood Logs. The starting point.
• Large Chest — 32 slots. Requires 12 Wood Logs and 6 Metal Scraps. A solid mid-game upgrade.
• Large Magic Chest — 48 slots. Requires 12 Wood Logs, 6 Metal Scraps, and 2 Magic Essence. This chest connects to the magic network.

When upgrading, always check your inventory for the required materials. The game will not let you place the new chest if you’re missing any component. Also, note that the Magic Chest is the only one that links to the global network — if you want that feature, you must upgrade to that specific type.

Common Problems and Solutions

While the in-place upgrade is reliable, players occasionally run into issues. Here are the most frequent ones:

• Red outline when placing — This means the new chest is too small or you’re not aiming at the center of the old chest. Make sure you’re upgrading to a chest with the same or more slots.
• Items missing after upgrade — This almost never happens, but if you suspect it, check the new chest’s inventory. The game transfers items instantly; there’s no delay. If items are truly gone, reload your last save.
• Can’t place because of objects nearby — The new chest might be slightly larger. Clear a small area around the old chest if you get a collision error.
• Magic network not working — After upgrading to a Magic Chest, you need to interact with it once to register it to your network. If it’s not connecting, place it again or restart the game.

Comparison: In-Place vs. Manual Replacement

Some players prefer to dismantle and rebuild, but that’s slower and riskier. Here’s a quick comparison:

• In-place upgrade — Takes 2 seconds, no inventory management, items stay put. Requires you to have the new chest’s materials.
• Manual replacement — You must empty the old chest into your inventory, dismantle it (losing materials), then build a new chest and refill it. This takes several minutes and risks losing items if your inventory is full.

The in-place method is clearly superior. It’s also the only way to upgrade a chest that’s part of the magic network without breaking the link.

Cost and Material Requirements

Upgrading in place does not refund the materials from the old chest. You pay the full cost of the new chest. For example, upgrading from a Small Chest to a Large Chest costs 12 Wood Logs and 6 Metal Scraps — the old Small Chest is consumed in the process. This is worth it because the extra slots are permanent.

If you’re short on materials, focus on gathering Metal Scraps early on — they drop from scavengers and can be found in ruins. Magic Essence is rarer, obtained from defeating certain enemies or looting chests in the world. Plan your upgrades around what you have.

Safety and Precautions

There’s no real risk in upgrading in place — the game handles item transfer automatically. However, always ensure you have enough space in the new chest. For example, if your Small Chest is full (16 items) and you upgrade to a Large Chest (32 slots), you’ll have 16 empty slots. That’s fine. But if you somehow try to upgrade to a chest with fewer slots (which the game prevents), items could be lost — so don’t try to force it.

Also, be aware that placing a new chest over an old one will remove any custom name you gave the old chest. You’ll need to rename the new chest if you used names for organization.

Alternatives to Upgrading

If you don’t want to upgrade, you can simply build additional chests. However, this takes up more floor space and doesn’t give you the magic network benefit. Another alternative is to use the Magic Chest from the start — if you have the materials, skip the Small and Large chests entirely. The magic chest’s network feature is especially useful for large bases, as you can access all your materials from a single crafting station.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upgrade a chest without a hammer?

No, you must be in build mode with the Hammer equipped. Press Q (default) to enter build mode, then select the storage tab. Without the hammer, you can’t place or replace any building object.

What happens to items if I upgrade to a smaller chest?

The game prevents you from placing a smaller chest over a larger one. You’ll see a red outline and the placement will fail. You must first empty the larger chest, dismantle it, and then build the smaller one — but this is rarely useful.

Do magic chests share inventory with other magic chests?

Yes, all Large Magic Chests you place are linked to the same network. You can access the combined inventory from any magic chest or from a crafting station that’s connected. This is the main reason to upgrade to magic chests.

Can I upgrade a chest that has items in it?

Yes, that’s the whole point of the in-place upgrade. The game automatically transfers all items from the old chest to the new one. You don’t need to empty it first.

Is there a limit to how many times I can upgrade?

No, you can upgrade as many times as you want, as long as you have materials. However, there are only three tiers, so once you reach the Large Magic Chest, there’s nothing higher to upgrade to.

Does upgrading reset the chest’s contents or durability?

No, items are preserved, and chests don’t have durability. The only thing that resets is the custom name you may have set.

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