Battlefield 6 pushes soldier cosmetics toward grounded, military-inspired looks. Skins fit the setting, and a surprising number are earnable without spending anything. Here’s how skins work, where to change them, every path to unlocks, and what to expect across the two factions.

Change character skins (Loadout → Appearance)

From the main menu, open the Loadout tab and use the Appearance button along the bottom row. You’ll pick a class first, then an individual soldier. Each class features multiple soldiers, and each soldier has a distinct skin catalog.

  • Most skins are camos or color variants.
  • Some skins swap in entirely different character models.

How skins are unlocked in Battlefield 6

Most character skins are earned through in-game challenges. Some items were available only during the beta, and others came from a limited-time free season pass in a previous title. Beyond that, there are three reliable routes:

  • Finish the Battlefield 6 campaign to claim campaign-specific rewards.
  • Complete class-specific challenge tracks for each soldier.
  • Purchase premium cosmetics or editions that include exclusive sets.

Mastery skins sit at the top of class challenges. Completing Tier 3 for a class unlocks a dramatic visual upgrade for that class’s default NATO and Pax Armata units. The same Tier 3 completion unlocks different camos or colorways for other faction-specific soldiers.

Factions and squad identity

Two forces face off in Battlefield 6, each with multiple units and national backgrounds represented. Skins are scoped tightly to identity: they’re factional, class-bound, and—critically—often tied to a specific soldier. A skin earned for one soldier cannot be equipped by someone else.

NATO

NATO is the stand-in for the traditional US-led side, leaning on equipment and kit you’d expect from modern Western forces.

  • Coyote Squad
  • United Albion
  • Desert Locusts

Pax Armata

Pax Armata is a fictional paramilitary built from a mix of African and European influences. Its roster includes fighters from Northern and Eastern Europe, North Africa, Gibraltar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Algeria. In the field, Pax Armata deploys fictional vehicles alongside platforms reminiscent of German and Russian hardware.

  • Fireteam Vedmak: Balkan recruits focused on speed and stealth, dressed in olive drab with green camo to blend into foliage.
  • Espada: A multinational detachment active in the Tajikistan theater, wearing tan vests over deep green uniforms for mountainside combat.
  • Kahina Unité: North African airborne troops with Algerian roots, outfitted for terrain across the Iberian Peninsula.

Edition bonuses and cross-game rewards

Phantom Edition class skins: Buying the Phantom Edition grants a black-and-red skin set for select members of NATO’s Coyote Squad. These skins can only be equipped by those specific characters.

Carryover rewards from a previous title: Event participation granted several items usable in Battlefield 6, including skins for the M45A1 and M44 pistols. Two soldier cosmetics also carry over: the Commander skin for the Pax Armata Espada Engineer and the Sovereign Soldier skin for the NATO Coyote Squad Support. As with all character cosmetics in this game, these remain locked to their original faction and soldier.

Campaign collectibles: every free reward you can earn

Collecting dog tags during the story missions unlocks a small set of cosmetics and boosters. There are 30 dog tags across the campaign and 10 total rewards tied to them.

Reward Type Class/Vehicle How to unlock
Dead Center Dog tag — Collect all 3 dog tags in “Always Faithful” (Mission 1)
Danger Ahead Player card background Player card Collect all 3 dog tags in “The Rock” (Mission 2)
Elite Raider Player card icon Player card Collect all 3 dog tags in “Operation Gladius” (Mission 3)
Urban Sprawl Character skin Recon Collect all 4 dog tags in “Night Raid” (Mission 4)
Gridlock Character skin Support Collect all 3 dog tags in “No Sleep” (Mission 5)
Career XP booster Double XP Account Collect all dog tags in “Moving Mountains” (Mission 6). Duration not specified.
Canopy Drop Vehicle camo Vehicle Collect both dog tags in “Nile Guard” (Mission 7)
Gridlock Character skin Assault Collect all 4 dog tags in “Operation Ember Strike” (Mission 8)
Urban Sprawl Character skin Engineer Collect the dog tags in “Always Forward” (Final mission)
Winner Take All Dog tag — Retrieve all 30 campaign dog tags across all missions

Note: Some cosmetics were tied to time-limited events or beta periods and may no longer be obtainable.

What to focus on next

If you’re chasing the most distinctive looks, prioritize Tier 3 class challenges for Mastery skins on the default NATO and Pax Armata units. Then fill out your collection with campaign rewards and any limited-time items you can still claim. Ground rule to remember: skins stay with their original soldier and faction, so plan your unlocks around the characters you actually play.