Golden Chests explained (what they drop and why they matter)

Golden Chests in Borderlands 4 are reusable loot containers found in the game’s major hub towns. Opening one costs a Golden Key and pays out gear that is guaranteed to be at least Epic (purple) quality, with a solid chance to roll Legendary items from the world loot pool. All drops scale to your current character level, which makes these chests useful both while leveling and as a quick gear bump at endgame.

Expect the same item categories you’d see in high-tier caches elsewhere: weapons, shields, class mods, and ordnance.

Golden Chest locations (hub towns and regions)

You’ll find one Golden Chest in each major hub. Here’s where to look:

Town (hub) Region Nearby sub-area
The Launchpad The Fadelands The Howl
Carcadia Carcadia Burn Ruined Sumplands
Belton’s Bore Terminus Range The Low Leys
The Lockaway Dominion Carcadia District
Tip: these chests are visually obvious—large, gold, and marked with a skull emblem—often placed near each hub’s central vendors or fast travel point.

Golden Keys (how they work)

Golden Keys are single-use, account-wide consumables used to open Golden Chests. They aren’t farmed from enemies or bosses; they’re granted through time-limited promotions and giveaways via SHiFT codes. Because keys are consumed on use and reward gear at your current level, many players save a portion of their keys until they reach level cap.

You can see your Golden Key total in the currency panel; it appears as a gold skull icon beneath Eridium.

How to redeem SHiFT codes for Golden Keys

Redeem codes either on the web or in-game.

  • On the web: sign in or create a SHiFT account, link your platform, then redeem codes under the Rewards tab at the official site: shift.gearboxsoftware.com.
  • In-game: open the pause menu, select SHiFT, choose Rewards, and enter the 25-character code to claim your key on the current platform.
Note: SHiFT codes are often time-limited and can typically be used once per account. Some promotions grant platform-specific cosmetics in addition to Golden Keys.

Recent example codes

The following codes have been circulated for Golden Keys. Availability can change; redeem promptly and check the in-game Rewards history to confirm claims:

  • T9RJB-BFKRR-3RBTW-B33TB-KCZB9 — 1 Golden Key (no stated expiry)
  • THRBT-WW6CB-56TB5-3B3BJ-XBW3X — 1 Golden Key (limited-time)
Tip: if you play on multiple platforms, ensure your SHiFT account is linked to the one where you want the key credited before redeeming.

When to use your keys

Because chest drops scale to your level, opening during the campaign can smooth difficulty spikes with immediate purple-grade upgrades. If you prefer to maximize long-term value, save a few keys for endgame to seed your first Legendary rolls at cap.

Either approach works—the important part is not to sit on every key if a targeted upgrade would help you progress now.

What you’ll get from a Golden Chest

  • Guaranteed Epic-quality loot, with a chance for Legendaries from the global drop pool.
  • Item types include weapons, shields, class mods, and ordnance.
  • All drops match your current character level.

Golden Chests are a reliable way to inject power into your build on demand. Grab a few keys through SHiFT, open the nearest hub chest when you need a spike in performance, and save a couple for the moment you hit cap to kickstart endgame grinds.