Solving the safes and portable safes in Resident Evil 2 can be one of the more complex parts of the game, especially for players who want to make the most of their inventory and access crucial weapon upgrades. Some of these puzzles come with in-game clues, while others require a bit of experimentation or outside help to crack. Here’s a breakdown of every safe combination and how to unlock those tricky portable safes, without needing to hunt for hints in the game itself.
Police Station Safe Locations and Combinations
In total, there are three main safes scattered throughout the Raccoon City Police Department, each hiding helpful items. You don’t need to uncover the clues in the game to unlock them—just input the correct combination as soon as you locate the safe.
Note: The directions refer to how the dial turns, not which direction you press the controller. For instance, “9 Left” means turn the dial counterclockwise to the number 9, not press left nine times.
West Office Safe – 1F
-
Combination: 9 Left, 15 Right, 7 Left
-
Location: First Floor, West Office
-
This safe contains a useful upgrade for your weapon.
Waiting Room Safe – 2F
-
Combination: 6 Left, 2 Right, 11 Left
-
Location: Second Floor, Waiting Room
-
Another valuable item awaits inside, usually related to your firearm.
How to Solve Portable Safes
Portable safes function differently from standard safes. Instead of dialing numbers, you must press buttons in a precise sequence. If you make a mistake, the safe resets entirely. Each correct button lights up a green LED until all eight are active.
To visualize the layout of the buttons, imagine the numbers like this: 1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
First Portable Safe (Leon)
-
Suggested Combination: 4-3-6-7-5-2-1-8
-
This should unlock the safe for Leon. If it doesn’t, your game may have randomized the sequence.
First Portable Safe (Claire)
-
Suggested Combination: 8-5-1-3-7-5-4-2
-
This is a likely solution for Claire’s version. As with Leon, this could vary depending on your save.
Even if these don’t work for you, don’t worry—portable safe codes can be randomized. You’ll just need to solve it manually by trial and error.
Second Portable Safe and Manual Solving Strategy
The second Portable Safe is found in the Linen Room on the second floor. However, this room is locked during your first visit, so you’ll have to return later in the game.
Because the code for this safe is almost always different per player, here’s how to break the sequence manually:
-
Start pressing buttons randomly until two green lights appear. This means you’ve found the start of the sequence.
-
Repeat the two buttons and try a third. If the safe resets, try a different third button.
-
Continue this pattern, building your sequence one button at a time. Each correct addition lights up a new green LED.
-
Once all eight are lit, the safe will open.
To keep track of the order, jot down the button numbers on paper. Some players find it easiest to solve from top to bottom or left to right.
What You Get from Portable Safes
Each Portable Safe rewards you with a Spare Key. These are essential to unlocking storage lockers in the Safety Deposit Room on the first floor of the Police Station. This room is where you’ll find vital equipment like the Shotgun or Grenade Launcher, depending on which character you’re playing as.
By solving both portable safes and collecting the Spare Keys, you’ll be able to open previously inaccessible lockers, giving you a significant boost in inventory capacity and firepower.