7 Skyrim hidden chest locations that will help you get rich quick

Skyrim Anniversary Edition — (Image credit: Bethesda)

If you're looking for hidden chests in Skyrim you've come to the right place. The Skyrim hidden chests are perfect if you're after a shortcut towards powerful gear and riches in Skyrim – making this an easy way to conquerer the early game. Each chest contains a random collection of weapons, armor, soul gems, potion ingredients, and trading items – all scaled to your level. Better still, the Skyrim hidden chests respawn, so you can go back time and time again to get your hands on all of the loot.

With these Skyrim hidden chest locations, it's worth noting that you'll need to trick the local merchants to get your hands on the goods. What you'll be doing here is accessing the secret stashes of key characters throughout the game, so you'll need to trick the game in just the right way. Do we feel bad about robbing all of this stock from merchants and then selling it back to them to make a tidy profit? Of course, but we need all the help we can get – we're fighting dragons, after all. Read on for info on all of the hidden chests in Skyrim.

Skyrim hidden chest locations in Solitude

First head to the gatehouse just outside of the main entrance. Make sure you’re facing it so you can see Solitude through the doorway, then head right to the large green bush just in front of the small wall. Keep your cursor pointed at the ground, and investigate the area around the tuft of grass just in front of and a bit to the left of the green bush. The bit of grass is in between two patches of green leaves on the ground.

Skyrim hidden chests inside the Blue Palace in Solitude

Ready to break Skyrim again? Yes? Good. Stroll on down to Solitude’s Blue Palace and - bear with me - grab the silver platter on the table in the palace’s foyer. Hold it in front of you and go down the corridor on the left-hand side. Stop by the first bench that you get to. Now - this is the tricky bit - slide the platter behind the right-hand side of the bench, so it’s in between the bit of Nordic furniture and the wall. Once it’s stuck, walk towards and through the silver platter.

Oh, Skyrim. We love how broken you are sometimes. Now you’re in some kind of limbo space. Look to your left and you’ll see a chest in midair. Walk along the strange plank that stretches into the bizarrely empty space. Position yourself so you’re facing it, then allow yourself to fall down. Quickly tap the button to steal from the chest on your way down, and you’ll be able to grab everything in there in midair.

Skyrim hidden chest locations in Dawnstar

Head into the town, go past The White Hall and stop when you get to Iron-Breaker Mine. Go towards the clump of three rocks by the left-hand side of the entrance, the ones that are clustered beside the pine tree. Get ready, because these instructions are about to get very specific. Hover your cursor to about one quarter of the way up the right-hand side of the uppermost rock and you’ll find the invisible chest right there.

Skyrim hidden chest locations in Markarth

Make sure you’re standing outside the entrance to Markarth. Head down the rocky path that leads out of Markarth’s entrance area, past the windmill, but don’t go over the bridge. Instead, when you get to it, take a left and walk to the low rock wall that’s just in front of the Juniper tree on the left of the bridge. Make sure you’re on the side nearest to the river. Carefully investigate the area directly to the south of the wood pile (it’s only a couple of yards away at most), and there you’ll find the chest.

Skyrim hidden chest locations in Whiterun

This chest involves taking advantage of a glitch, so be prepared to break Skyrim a little bit to get it. Enter Whiterun, then when you’re at the gate turn right, and then right again to head into the sheltered alcove. There’s a barrel positioned against the wall. Jump onto it, then jump right onto the wall to the North of the barrel. Jump off the wall to find yourself outside of Whiterun. Yes, this is the game-breaking bit. Follow the outer wall all the way to the right, and don’t be alarmed when you see bits of the ground missing. When you’re right behind Jorrvaskr, the hall of the Companions (which is east of Dragonsreach on the map), walk up the eerily-empty space behind the mounds of rocks. Climb up onto the rocks, and glitch through the top one. Now you’re underneath the Skyforge, and you’ll be able to see Jorrvaskr hovering right in front of you.

Face south and you’ll also see a chest floating in midair. It belongs to Eorlund Grey-Mane, the only person who can create Skyforge steel. Run towards it, and jump when you’re a couple of meters away. You’ll start to fall through the world, but if you click quick enough you’ll still be able to open the chest to get at the goodies within.

Skyrim hidden chest locations in Winterhold College

Even if you’re not particularly eager to throw fireballs with your bare hands or summon Daedra from Oblivion (to which I reply why, dear god why would you not want that), you’re should enter Winterhold College just for this chest. Make your way into the Hall of Attainment, grab a silver platter, and go to the staircase at the back of the central room. Push the platter against the stone wall just beside the haystacks (about a yard to the side of them should do the trick).

At the same time, run forward with the silver platter right in front of you and you’ll glitch through the wall. Immediately turn to your right and click on one of the two chests floating in midair to access their contents. This one will almost definitely take a couple of tries (or at least a dozen, if you’re anything like me), as you need to get your trajectory just right to get close enough to click on the chests. You’ll be falling the entire time, so there’s little you can do to get closer to the chests besides trying again, and again, and again...

Skyrim hidden chest locations in Windhelm

For this one, you’ll need a follower. Grab your trusty buddy - they are sworn to carry your burdens, after all - and make your way to the Windhelm market. Talk to them, and select the option titled ‘I need you to do something’. Get them to wait at the market near The White Phial, while you leg it past the graveyard to the House of Clan Shatter-Shield in the residential district. Before you go any further, make sure that your crosshairs show that you can still give your follower instructions even though you’ve walked away. It does? Good. Go to the wall on the right of the entrance (if you’re facing the building), and just walk through it. This worked on PC, but console players might have a bit of difficulty at this bit.

Now you’re outside in the snowy steppes of Eastmarch. Resist the urge to build a snowman and head left over two mounds, then turn left again to walk along the outer wall. There’s a gap under the wall which you’ll want to squeeze through, but first head over a single mound in the way so you’re at the right section. Then, once you’re on the other side of the wall, turn 180 degrees so you’re facing the opposite direction and head forwards - you’ll be able to see the market hovering above you, along with your follower of choice.

From your vantage point below everything, you’ll be able to see the merchant’s chests hidden underneath their stalls. Using your cursor, make your follower ‘take all’ from each chest. If one of them says it’s stealing, don’t worry - no one will notice your follower nicking everything from each box. Fast-travel back to Windhelm, then simply meet up with your follower in the market to get your hands on all that lovely loot.