Your Companion Is Stuck in Power Armor
You found a spare suit of Power Armor, told your trusty companion to hop in, and now they refuse to get out. You’re standing there, trying to trade gear or dismiss them, but they just stand there, a silent, hulking statue in your settlement. This is a classic and frustrating Fallout 4 bug that has plagued players since launch.
The game’s companion AI, while generally robust, has a few infamous quirks. Getting stuck in Power Armor is perhaps the most persistent. Your companion isn’t being stubborn on purpose; the game’s code has simply lost the script for the “exit armor” command. The good news is, you’re not permanently down a suit of armor or a companion. Several reliable methods can force them out.
This guide will walk you through every proven solution, from simple console commands to clever in-game workarounds, ensuring you can free your companion and reclaim your hardware.
Understanding Why Companions Get Stuck
Before we fix the problem, it helps to know what causes it. Fallout 4 handles companion Power Armor use through a specific set of AI packages and triggers. Normally, when you command a companion to enter a suit, the game assigns them as the “owner” of that frame.
When you tell them to exit, it should clear that ownership and trigger the exit animation. The bug occurs when that ownership flag doesn’t clear properly, or when the exit animation trigger fails. This can happen due to:
– Fast traveling while they are entering/exiting.
– Dismissing them to a settlement while they are still in the armor.
– Entering an interior cell or dialogue at the exact wrong moment.
– General script lag, especially in dense settlements.
The core of every fix is to reset that ownership flag or manually trigger the exit state the game missed.
Prerequisites Before You Start
First, ensure you’ve tried the basic, intended method. Stand close to your companion and open the command wheel. Select “Talk” and then choose the “Exit Power Armor” command. If this works, great! If they just stare at you or the option isn’t there, proceed with the solutions below.
Also, if you care about achievements, note that using the console on PC will disable them for that play session. You can re-enable them with mods, but the vanilla game treats any console use as a disqualifier. The in-game methods are achievement-safe.
Method 1: The Console Command Fix (PC Only)
This is the fastest and most reliable method for PC players. The console allows you to directly manipulate the game state.
Open the console by pressing the tilde key (`~`). Your mouse cursor will appear. Click directly on your companion in the Power Armor to select them. You should see their reference ID appear in the center of the console window, typically starting with a number.
With them selected, type the following command and press Enter:
openactorcontainer 1This command forcibly opens their inventory menu as if you were trading with them. Once the trade menu is open, look for the Power Armor Frame in their inventory. It will be listed as a wearable item.
Simply select the Power Armor Frame and press “Take” or “Transfer” to move it to your own inventory. The moment you do this, your companion will instantly pop out of the armor, leaving it as a separate item in your inventory. You can then drop the frame to place it back in the world.
If clicking on them is difficult, you can also use their base reference ID. For example, for Piper, you would type prid 00002f1f to select her, then openactorcontainer 1. This two-step command ensures you have the right target.
Method 2: The Stealth Boy Pickpocket Trick
This is a clever, in-game exploit that works on all platforms without console commands. It requires a Stealth Boy or a piece of armor with the “Chameleon” legendary effect.
The goal is to enter stealth mode and pickpocket the Fusion Core from the Power Armor your companion is wearing. When a suit of Power Armor has no core, the occupant is forced to exit.
First, enter stealth. If you’re using a Stealth Boy, activate it. If you have Chameleon armor, crouch while wearing it. Get directly behind your stuck companion.
Open the pickpocket interface. You will see your companion’s standard inventory. Crucially, you will also see a separate entry for the “Power Armor” they are wearing. Within that sub-inventory, you should find the Fusion Core.
Select the Fusion Core and attempt to steal it. Your chance of success will be very low, as this is considered a “hostile” action. This is where save-scumming is your friend. Quick-save before attempting the theft.
If successful, the core will be transferred to your inventory. Immediately exit the pickpocket screen and step back. Within a few seconds, the Power Armor will lose power, and your companion will automatically initiate the exit animation, climbing out of the suit.
Method 3: The Settlement Workshop Workaround
This method is less direct but highly effective if you are near one of your settlements. It uses the settlement building system to override the companion’s state.
First, if you haven’t already, dismiss your stuck companion to the settlement you are currently in. Use the “Talk” command and select “It’s time for us to part ways.” Choose the current settlement as their new home.
Once they are assigned to that settlement, enter workshop mode by holding the designated button (V on PC, View on Xbox, Touchpad on PlayStation).
Now, look at your companion in the Power Armor. In workshop mode, the Power Armor frame they are wearing should be highlighted as a placeable object, separate from the companion themselves. If the game is recognizing it correctly, you will get a prompt to “Store” or “Scrap” the Power Armor.
Select “Store.” The entire Power Armor frame, with all its attached pieces, will be removed from the companion and placed into the settlement’s workshop inventory. Your companion will be standing there, free and clear. You can then retrieve the frame from the workshop and place it normally.
When the Workshop Method Fails
Sometimes, the game won’t let you highlight the armor in workshop mode because it’s still firmly “equipped” by the companion. If this happens, try this escalation:
– Assign the companion to a settlement object. Use workshop mode to command them to a guard post, farming plot, or scavenging station.
– Wait or sleep for 1-2 in-game hours. This forces the AI to process the new assignment.
– Return and check. Often, the act of traveling to their assigned post will break them out of the stuck animation state, and they may exit the armor on their own, or the armor may now be selectable in workshop mode.
Method 4: Triggering a Combat Forced Exit
The game’s AI prioritizes survival. You can use this to your advantage by putting your companion in a situation where the Power Armor becomes a liability the game must resolve.
Travel to an area with low to moderate enemy presence. The interior of Corvega Assembly Plant or the outskirts of Lexington are good choices. Let the enemies detect you and initiate combat.
During the fight, the companion AI may decide to exit the Power Armor to use a different weapon, take cover, or execute a specific combat maneuver. This is not guaranteed, but in the chaos of combat, the script that is stuck may be overridden by more urgent combat scripts.
For a more forceful version of this, you can make the companion’s suit completely unusable. If you can, during combat, shoot the Fusion Core on the back of their armor. A critical hit on the core will cause it to explode, forcibly ejecting the occupant and dealing some damage to them. This is a last resort, as it damages the core, the armor, and your companion.
Preventing Future Power Armor Companion Bugs
Once you’ve freed your companion, follow these practices to avoid a repeat performance.
– Always remove the Fusion Core from a suit before asking a companion to enter it. They can enter a core-less suit, but they will not become “stuck” to it in the same way. You can then insert a core after.
– Never fast travel while a companion is in the process of entering or exiting a frame. Wait for the animation to complete fully.
– When dismissing a companion who is in Power Armor, do it while they are standing next to the suit’s original location. The game handles the transfer of ownership back to the cell more cleanly.
– Consider the “Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch” mod. This massive community-created fix addresses hundreds of bugs, including several related to companion Power Armor behavior.
What to Do If Nothing Works
In extremely rare, persistent cases, a companion might be truly hard-locked. If all else fails, your last resorts are:
Reload a Previous Save: It’s the oldest trick in the book, but if you have a save from before they got stuck, it’s a guaranteed fix. Consider this a reminder to save often and in multiple slots.
Complete Companion Dismissal: If you are using a companion with a personal quest, like Nick Valentine or Paladin Danse, progressing their questline to a point where they are forcibly removed from your service (e.g., during “Dangerous Minds” or “Blind Betrayal”) will also strip them of any equipped gear, including stuck Power Armor. They will return to their default state when they rejoin you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use these methods on Dogmeat? No. Dogmeat cannot enter Power Armor, so this bug does not apply to him.
Will I lose my Power Armor pieces? No. All methods either return the full frame to your inventory or store it in the workshop. The armor pieces attached to the frame remain intact.
What about modded companions? Modded companions use the same basic AI system. The console command and pickpocket methods are most likely to work. Check the mod page for specific known issues.
My companion exited but the armor is now invisible. This is a related bug. Enter workshop mode and try to store the invisible frame. If that fails, leave the cell (travel far away) and return. The frame should re-render.
Reclaim Your Gear and Your Companion
Getting a companion stuck in Power Armor is a rite of passage for Fallout 4 players. While frustrating, it’s a solvable problem. The console command is your instant fix on PC, while the Stealth Boy pickpocket trick is a satisfying in-game solution for all players.
Start with the simplest talk command, then move to the workshop storage method if you’re at a settlement. Keep a Stealth Boy in your inventory for emergencies, and remember the golden rule: never let a companion enter a suit with a Fusion Core already installed. With these tools, you’ll never have to abandon a valuable set of X-01 armor to a permanently suited-up companion again.
Now, go reclaim your gear, get your companion back to their regular outfit, and get back to exploring the Commonwealth. A whole wasteland awaits, and you’ll need every suit of Power Armor you can find.
