Blue tablets are in the Aurora, the Dunes, and the Lava Castle
The blue tablet appears in three main locations in Subnautica, and which one you reach first depends on where you explore. The Aurora wreck holds one in the Captain's Quarters. The Dunes biome has one inside a Degasi habitat. The Lava Castle in the Lava Zone contains one in a fabricator room. You do not need a specific tool to pick up a blue tablet once you reach it — just swim to it and take it.
Each location requires different preparation. The Aurora demands a radiation suit and a way to enter the ship. The Dunes habitat is accessible earlier but sits in a dangerous biome. The Lava Castle requires heat-resistant equipment and the ability to survive extreme temperatures. Plan your route based on what gear you already have.
Key Takeaways
- The Aurora's Captain's Quarters holds a blue tablet on a desk in the upper section of the ship.
- The Dunes Degasi habitat contains a blue tablet inside the main structure, accessible without special tools once you enter the base.
- The Lava Castle in the Lava Zone has a blue tablet in a fabricator room, but you need a heat suit or thermal plant to survive the area.
- You can collect blue tablets in any order — there is no single "correct" path, so choose based on your current equipment and depth rating.
Blue tablet in the Aurora wreck
The Aurora sits in the Safe Shallows and Crash Zone, making it one of the earliest blue tablets you can reach. The tablet is in the Captain's Quarters, a room on the upper level of the ship. To get there, enter through the main breach on the starboard side (the right side when facing the ship's front). Swim through the corridors until you reach the upper decks.
You will need a radiation suit to explore the Aurora without taking radiation damage. The suit reduces radiation to a safe level but does not block it entirely. Bring a repair tool if you plan to stay long, because the suit degrades as you move through irradiated areas. The Captain's Quarters itself is not heavily irradiated, so once you reach it, the tablet is straightforward to collect.
The Aurora is also unstable and will explode partway through the game. If you have not collected the tablet before the explosion, you can still enter the wreck afterward, but some sections become blocked or flooded. Collect it early if you plan to visit the Aurora anyway.
Blue tablet in the Dunes Degasi habitat
The Dunes biome sits to the west of the Safe Shallows and is home to aggressive creatures like the Reaper Leviathan. A Degasi base sits partially buried in the sand, and a blue tablet rests inside. The habitat is accessible without special suits, but you will need a vehicle or fast movement to avoid predators on the way there.
Once inside the habitat, the tablet is in one of the main rooms. The structure is not locked, so you can swim directly to it. The Dunes themselves are dangerous, but the habitat interior is safe once you are inside. Bring a stasis rifle or use terrain to break line of sight if a Reaper Leviathan spots you on the way in or out.
This location is useful if you are already exploring the Dunes for other reasons, such as collecting materials or visiting other Degasi bases. It is not the safest early-game route, but it is faster than the Aurora if you have a vehicle with decent speed.
Blue tablet in the Lava Castle
The Lava Castle is in the Lava Zone, a deep biome that requires significant preparation. The tablet is inside a fabricator room within the castle structure. To survive the Lava Zone, you need either a heat suit or a thermal plant in your base to recharge your suit's temperature resistance.
The Lava Castle itself is a large structure with multiple rooms. The fabricator room is accessible once you enter the main building. There are no aggressive creatures inside the castle, but the extreme heat is the primary threat. Make sure your suit has enough charge to reach the tablet and return to your vehicle or base.
This is the latest-game option and requires the most preparation. You will need a submarine or vehicle with depth rating above 1,300 meters to reach the Lava Zone safely. Plan this route only after you have explored shallower areas and gathered the materials needed for heat-resistant gear.
What you need before collecting each tablet
| Location | Depth requirement | Gear needed | Threats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Captain's Quarters | 200 meters | Radiation suit | Radiation, unstable ship |
| Dunes Degasi habitat | 300 meters | None (vehicle recommended) | Reaper Leviathan |
| Lava Castle fabricator room | 1,300 meters | Heat suit or thermal plant | Extreme heat |
How to use blue tablets once you have them
Blue tablets are data modules that unlock information and access in your PDA and in certain doors throughout the game. Each tablet you collect adds new entries to your databank and may unlock new crafting recipes or room access. Some doors in bases and wrecks require a blue tablet to open, so you will need to carry one to those locations.
You do not consume blue tablets when you use them — you keep them in your inventory and can use them multiple times. If you need a tablet at a specific door, make sure you have it in your inventory before you approach the door. You can drop tablets and pick them up later if you need to manage inventory space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get all three blue tablets?
Yes. There is no limit to how many blue tablets you can collect. You can visit all three locations and carry multiple tablets at once. Some players collect all of them to unlock all available data and have backups in case they drop one.
Do I need a blue tablet to progress the game?
Not necessarily. Blue tablets unlock doors and information, but the main story does not require you to collect every tablet. You can finish the game by collecting only the tablets you need for your chosen path.
What happens if I lose a blue tablet?
You can return to the location where you found it and collect another one. Each location respawns its tablet, so you are not locked out if you drop one or use it somewhere and cannot retrieve it.
Is the Aurora tablet the easiest to get?
The Aurora tablet is the most accessible early in the game because it requires only a radiation suit and a moderate depth rating. The Dunes tablet is faster to reach but more dangerous. The Lava Castle tablet is the hardest and requires late-game gear.
Can I collect the Aurora tablet after the ship explodes?
Yes, but some sections of the Aurora become inaccessible or flooded after the explosion. The Captain's Quarters remains reachable, so you can still collect the tablet, but you may have to navigate around new obstacles.