Bethesda Game Studios has published Starfield update 1.16.236 patch notes as it attempts to pull players back in with the Free Lanes update, Terran Armada DLC, and a PlayStation 5 (PS5) version.
Details about the planet-sized content drop were published in a blog post on the publisher’s official website today. The list shows additions large and small as players gain access to quality-of-life features they’ve hoped to see for years as Starfield approaches its third anniversary.
Free Lanes is the true headline of an already big day for Bethesda, as the company calls it its “biggest update yet.” The previously promised free update adds major changes, such as the ability to travel freely between planets and a Cruise Mode, for players on PC, Xbox Series X | S, and now PS5. New space encounters, fleshed-out customization options, a new Database system, the new Moon Jumper land vehicle, additional POIs, and changes to new game+ are just the tip of the iceberg.
The list of noteworthy features update is nearly 30 bullet points long and also includes an option to always show the landing camera, the new Château des Étoiles player house, and Muria Siarkiewicz as a crew member. Highlights in the fixes category, meanwhile, include improvements to weapon workbench placement on ships, a variety of squashed quest bugs, and more.
The Free Lanes update and everything included in version 1.16.236 patch notes are available to Starfield players on all platforms at no extra cost. Those looking to get a bit more out of the Settled Systems can pick up the Terran Armada story expansion for $10. It comes with new locations and new weapons as players face the robotic, titular Terran Armada.
Today, April 7, 2026, marks what could be the most important day for Starfield since its launch September 5, 2023. Although Bethesda’s shot at translating its beloved action-RPG formula released to big player numbers, many believe it failed to live up to its enormous expectations in the long run. Bethesda’s Todd Howard even went on to address some of the post-launch criticism in May 2024, calling attention to those who expected to receive another Fallout or Elder Scrolls but got something different.
“Obviously, look, there are areas that… the maps or some other things, gameplay options, that we’re adding, other display modes on console that people have asked for,” he said at the time, “and we want to do all that stuff, it takes some time but we’re excited to get stuff out there.”
Free Lanes, Terran Armada, and the PS5 port are Bethesda’s latest attempt to keep veteran Starfield fans coming back, while also trying to convince newcomers to try it out. While we wait to see what’s next, you can check out the full patch notes below.
Starfield Update 1.16.236 Patch Notes
The Free Lanes update is Starfield’s biggest update yet! Now available on all platforms, it adds the ability to fly between planets within a star system, improvements to ships and outposts, a new Quantum Entanglement Device to transfer items when going through the Unity, the new X-Tech for better customization, the new Anchorpoint Station, and many more fixes and improvements. Learn more about the update here and read on for the full update notes.
Update Notes
Features
- Free Lanes: The player can now use cruise mode to travel in open space or to POI locations between planets inside a star system.
- Added X-Tech crafting support to Weapons and Armor. This allows players to further customize the legendary effects on their equipment.
- Added Additional Quality Tiers to weapons and suits.
- Added Rank 4 Legendary effects for weapons and suits.
- Added Upgrade modules. These can be installed to improve one attribute of a weapon or Suit.
- Added New weapon skins that can be applied to select weapons at a workbench.
- Added a buildable ship optimization terminal. The player can spend X-Tech to improve several attributes of their ship.
- Added Ship Equipment schematics. This new equipment can be added in the ship builder after it is discovered.
- Added Legendary Enemy Modifiers. Legendary enemies can now appear with new modifiers that make them more challenging.
- Added Legendary Enemy Modifiers settings into Gameplay Options, so players can adjust when they start appearing.
- Added Quantum Entanglement Device. This gives players the ability to transfer some items when they choose to go through the Unity.
- Starborn Powers can now be upgraded with Quantum Essence.
- Quantum Essence can now be added to the Favorites menu to for quick access.
- Starborn ships now reward the player with Quantum Essence when destroyed.
- Added the Database menu which allows for better location, resource, and recipe tracking based on character’s knowledge of the Settled Systems.
- Added Outpost Quality of life improvements such as a Shared Outpost Container (allowing players to house and access inventory from various outpost locations), Production Rate information, and a more precise placement mode.
- New vehicle: Moon Jumper.
- Added new Player House – “Château des Étoiles”.
- Added Colony Wars Action Heroes which provide benefits when found.
- Added Colony War Action Heroes display cases as buildable objects.
- Muria Siarkiewicz is now available to join player crew.
- Added an additional 3rd person Ship Camera distance that allows more of the ship to be visible.
- Added Always Show Landing Camera setting for those who want to see their ship land at known locations.
- Added Anchorpoint Station, a new POI that can be found in the Algorab system.
- Added New Dungeons, Space Encounters, and Points of Interest throughout the game.
- Adjusted the distribution and cooldown timers for placement of points of interest on Planets.
- Added additional photomode poses for the Rev-8.
- Terran Armada DLC Now Available.
General
- Steam – Disabled DLC will no longer re-install when launching the game.
- General crash and stability fixes.
Gameplay
- Improved loot found in containers with Expert and Master level locks.
- Reactive Equipment – Resolved an issue with the sound effects for the Reactive legendary effect.
- Addressed an issue that could cause NPCs to calculate weapon damage inconsistently.
- Fixed an issue with CombaTech magazine accuracy bonuses not applying consistently.
- The player can now jump while reloading the XM-2311, Old Earth Pistol, and Livingstone’s Pistol.
- Bounty targets in cities should now be properly interactable.
- Resolved an issue that could potentially cause non-combat background music to no longer play.
- Photo Mode – Addressed an issue that could cause issues when entering photomode while also entering an interior.
- Photo Mode – Addressed an issue that could cause the player’s right foot to display awkwardly.
Quests
- Friends Like These – Players should now be able to return the Terrormorph data at the end of the quest.
- Guilty Parties – Addressed an issue where this quest could possibly not start after completing “Background Checks”.
- Missed Beyond Measure – Addressed an issue that could cause the player to be locked with an invalid companion.
- One Giant Leap – The player’s helmet should now be visible.
- Refurbished Goods – All weapons required by the quest should now be able to be found.
- Refurbished Goods – Turning in this quest will no longer take incorrect items from the player’s inventory.
- The Hammer Falls – Addressed an issue that could cause the player to not receive the Star Eagle ship upon completion.
- Two Tales, Two Cities – Addressed a situation where the player could potentially be control locked if choosing to arrest Tahir.
Locations
- Resolved an issue that could cause some beds in Akila City to not grant Rested Bonus as intended.
- Characters should now correctly sit in chairs in the Explorer’s Refuge.
UI
- Improved and issue that could make Weapons Workbenches difficult to place in houses or ships.
- Added visual improvements to the Ship Repair UI.
- Ship Builder – Addressed an issue that could prevent unique or stolen ships from being renamed.
- Ship Builder – Resolved an issue that could cause a duplicate model of a ship to persist on the landing pad after modifying it.
- Ship Builder – Hopetech All-In-One Berth 2×2 furnished version is now accessible in game.
- Ship Builder – Improvements to UI in Large Font Mode.
- Outpost – Improvements to UI in Large Font mode.
- Players can now use the escape key to back out of renaming an item in a workbench. (PC)
- Fixed a typo with the Scan Jammer’s description.
Shattered Space
- The Oracle has updated music.
Creations
- A Perfect Recipe: Resolved an issue that could prevent the Ashta from spawning.
- Updated the description for Plushie Andreja.
- At Hell’s Gate: Plushies can now be placed in Plushie cases.
- The “Plushie Case – Mount” can now be placed closer to the “Plushie Case – Stackable” variant.
- Allied Winter Camo Skins will now show up on the Creation menu when installed.
