Every The Last of Us 2 workbench locations for weapon upgrades

The Last of Us 2 workbench locations
(Image credit: Naughty Dog)

The Last of Us 2 workbench locations are vital for weapon and gun upgrades. They're usually in remote, but safe locations; sometimes obvious and hard to miss but they can be tucked away. Upgrading guns is essential to increasing your chance of survival, either against either clickers or humans. So I've listed all workbench locations in The Last of Us 2 below, in chapter order so you can find them as you play. Find them and you can make a big different o how all your The Last of Us 2 weapons and gear perform. 

However, be warned there is a spoiler warning around halfway which we've marked up, so don't go in and read the whole thing. Better to work through the locations as you play The Last of Us 2.

Jackson Patrol workbench locations

last of us 2 patrol workbench

(Image credit: Sony)

When you leave the supermarket, you can find the first Last of Us 2 workbench in Eugene’s hideout in the hallway of his makeshift home.

Downtown Seattle workbench locations

last of us 2 downtown Seattle workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

There’s only one workbench to find here but given size of the area it could be easy to miss. Head to the corner of 5th Avenue and Madison Street and you’ll see an overturned truck. If you face away from the underside of it, you’ll be able to climb up the outcrops directly ahead. After you’ve pulled yourself up the tent ahead of you has a workbench inside in the far right corner.

Capitol Hill workbench locations

Capitol Hill workbench 1

last of us 2 capitol hill workbench 1

(Image credit: Sony)

Capitol Hill is the first area with more than one workbench in The Last of Us 2. This first option is easily missed because it’s in an area with a lot of enemies. Look for the petrol station, and then head under the shutters into the garage. Inside you’ll find a workbench. You may find it easier to take out some enemies before attempting to get to it.

Workbench location 2

last of us 2 capitol hill workbench location 2

(Image credit: Sony)

Once you get to the section with explosive tripwires, look for the van in the picture above. Ellie and Dina need to climb through but before you do so, look to the right for this window. Smash it, and hop inside to find another workbench.

The Tunnels workbench locations

last of us 2 tunnels workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

Shortly after meeting a WLF squad and some Clickers in the underground station, push through the train carriages until you find the corpse of the soldier partially dissolved by acid. Ellie needs to throw a rope to proceed, but before you do look for a door on the right and inside you’ll find a Last of Us 2 workbench.

Hillcrest workbench locations

Workbench location 1

last of us 2 hillcrest workbench location 1

(Image credit: Sony)

There are two Last of Us 2 workbenches in this level, with the first one right at the beginning. On the row of shops right at the start, look for the clothes store on the right in the image above. Behind the checkout you’ll find a hole in the wall that leads to a basement where you’ll find a workbench.

Workbench location 2

last of us 2 hillcrest workbench location 2

(Image credit: Sony)

Shortly after your first encounter with a sniffer dog, you'll use a dumpster to climb on top of the  garage shown above. Once inside the hole in the wall, you'll find a Last of Us workbench with a trap mine on top for you to collect. You can’t really miss this one.

The Seraphites workbench locations

Workbench location 1

last of us 2 seraphites workbench location 1

(Image credit: Sony)

After moving through a shop to reach the street Ellie will say “Progress”. Continue until you find this apartment block on the left in the picture. Head onto the first floor and then into an apartment on the right. At the far end you’ll find a Last of Us 2 workbench, but beware - as soon as you use it, you’ll be jumped by a group of WLF deserters. Once you've killed them all you can use the bench normally. 

Workbench location 2

last of us 2 seraphites workbench location 2

(Image credit: Sony)

Shortly after you fight a large, hammer-wielding Seraphite and Ellie drops from a ladder into water, head left in the pharmacy. Inside, there’s a hole in the wall on the left that she can crawl through. The Last of Us 2 workbench is on your right in a dimly lit corner.

Road to the Aquarium workbench locations

Workbench location 1

last of us 2 road to the aquarium workbench 1

(Image credit: Sony)

In the first building you cut through with Jesse, look for the doorway shown above blocked by debris, before moving shelving out of the way to progress. Go prone to crawl under the rubble and head left to find the workbench.

Workbench location 2

last of us 2 road to the aquarium workbench 2

(Image credit: Sony)

After swimming under the bus approach this hole in the wall, climb upwards and follow the corridor. The room at the end has the Last of Us 2 workbench inside. Jesse might try and go through a different hole to progress the story, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Flooded City workbench locations

Workbench location 1

last of us 2 Flooded City workbench location 1

(Image credit: Sony)

Once you’ve got through the first gate, keep an eye out for the entrance way in the picture on the left of the path in The Last of Us 2. You can park the boat and head inside, where you’ll find the workbench on the left.

Workbench location 2

last of us 2 Flooded City workbench location 2

(Image credit: Sony)

At the point where you need to get through another shutter, this time in a bar/arcade, head onto the first floor and look into the corner of the room at the top of the stairs for a Last of Us 2 workbench.

*Potential spoilers after this point*

We won't say why here, but it's very difficult to address the relevant events in The Last of Us 2 from this point on without drifting into spoilers (though if you've reached that point in the game, you'll be fine).

On Foot workbench locations

Last of Us 2 On Foot workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

When you get into the large boat workshop with Mel, look in the area underneath the first floor for the workbench.

The Forward Base workbench locations

last of us 2 forward base workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

Check the mess tents surrounded by soldiers, you'll find a workbench in one of them. You can easily walk past at this point, though, so be sure to stay alert.

Hostile Territory workbench locations

last of us 2 hostile territory workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

After getting past the Scars in the two buildings that are leaning into each other, there's a Scar workbench right before the end of the level in a small campsite.

The Forest workbench locations

last of us 2 forest workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

Once you’ve killed the Seraphite woman that stole Abby’s backpack, you’ll need to cut through an auto repair shop. You will find another workbench in there but it's dark and can be easy miss.

The Coast workbench locations

last of us 2 coast workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

Once you’ve left Lev and Yara behind, you can't miss the next Last of Us 2 workbench which is directly inside the next building you have to go through.

The Shortcut workbench locations

Workbench location 1

last of us 2 shortcut workbench location 1

(Image credit: Sony)

Once you’ve got past a room with the Clicker and the Shambler, you’ll need to cut through the electronics store you can see above. Once inside, head left past the product displays and you'll find the Last of Us 2 workbench in the far corner.

Workbench location 2

last of us 2 shortcut workbench location 2

(Image credit: Sony)

After your skyscraper firefight with Seraphites you’ll reach a ladder. At the top you’ll find the mural in the picture above, and you'll find the workbench in the next room on the right, next to another ladder.

Ground Zero workbench locations

last of us Ground Zero workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

When looking for a generator to unlock the doors in the hospital, Abby needs to get through a hole in a wall to find it. When she drops to the other side the workbench is in the room directly to your left.

The Village workbench locations

last of us 2 The Village workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

After the point where Abby and Yara duck down as two Seraphite troops run past, you'll find this workbench in the first house on the left at the top of the hill.

The Escape workbench location

last of us 2 escape workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

When following Lev you'll enter a Radio Tower where you'll find a workbench immediately in front of you after dropping in through the window. It’s easy to find, but it’s also easy to run past so be alert!

Pushing Inland workbench locations

last of us 2 pushing inland workbench location

(Image credit: Sony)

When you reach the house with the Clicker on the roof, head inside and then downstairs. The workbench is in the kitchen but there are multiple Stalkers and Shamblers here and it's likely easier to clear out all the enemies before you try and use it.

The Resort workbench locations

(Image credit: Sony)

After Ellie has made it into the train car and through the fence into the Rattlers’ compound, you’ll see two guards torturing a chained-up infected. The final workbench is in the building immediately behind them.

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Freelance Writer

Lloyd Coombes is a journalist and copywriter on the video game and technology beat. Lloyd is proficient in writing reviews, previews, op-eds, and features, contributing all that and more to websites like GamesRadar+ and countless others. He also used to be a singer in pop-punk band Counties, although he's currently focused on his day job as the games editor over at Dexerto. 

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