How do I open the console in Europa Universalis IV?

Press ~ (tilde, next to 1) on US/UK QWERTY keyboards, § on German QWERTZ, or ² on French AZERTY. If none of those work, try Shift + Alt + C , which works on most keyboard layouts.

Do cheats disable Steam achievements in EU4?

No. Unlike other Paradox titles such as Stellaris or CK3, EU4 does not disable achievements when you use console commands. You can cheat freely without losing achievements (mods may disable them though).

Which command adds gold in EU4?

The command is cash alone (adds 5,000 by default) or cash [amount] for a specific amount. Example: cash 100000 adds 100,000 ducats to your treasury.

How do I switch country mid-game?

Use tag [COUNTRY_TAG] . Tags are 3-letter codes (FRA for France, ENG for England, CAS for Castile, OTT for Ottomans). Full list on the Paradox wiki.

Do cheats work in multiplayer?

No. The console is automatically disabled in Ironman mode and in multiplayer. You can only use cheats in single-player, non-Ironman games.

Are there mods to extend EU4 cheats?

Yes. Mods like Cheat Menu and Debug Menu provide a graphical interface to trigger commands without typing in the console. Install them from the Steam Workshop.

EU4 Console Commands & Cheat Codes: Complete Guide 2026

Europa Universalis IV, now 12 years into its life, remains THE grand strategy reference. Its console commands and cheat codes let you add gold, manipulate power points, switch countries, or test alternate history scenarios that would otherwise take years of normal play. Here’s the complete guide updated for 2026.

How to open the EU4 console

The command console is the keystone of EU4 cheats. To activate it:

US/UK QWERTY: ~ (tilde)
German QWERTZ: §
French AZERTY: ²
Universal fallback: Shift + Alt + C

An input field appears at the top of the screen. Type your command, press Enter to execute, and close the console with the same key.

⚠️ The console does NOT work in Ironman mode or multiplayer — single-player only.

Most useful EU4 console commands

The most requested commands, sorted by use case.

Economy and resources

Goal	Command
Add gold (default 5,000)	`cash [amount]`
Add manpower (default 50,000)	`manpower [amount]`
Show economic balance	`balance`
Show trade prices	`prices`

Power points and stability

Goal	Command
Administrative power	`adm [amount]`
Diplomatic power	`dip [amount]`
Military power	`mil [amount]`
All powers at once	`powerpoints [amount]`
Max stability	`stability`
+6 Prestige	`prestige`
Imperial authority	`imperial_authority [amount]`
Piety	`piety`

Warfare and conquest

Goal	Command
Win all current wars	`winwars`
Win siege in province	`siege [province ID]`
Disable / enable fog of war	`fow off` / `fow on`
Add casus belli	`add_cb [CB] [target TAG]`
Remove casus belli	`remove_cb [CB] [target TAG]`
Military control of province	`control [province ID]`
Ownership of province	`own [province ID]`
Trigger revolt	`revolt [province ID]`
Start piracy in province	`pirate [province ID]`

Diplomacy and politics

Goal	Command
Switch country (play as)	`tag [TAG]`
Observer mode	`observe`
Annex country	`annex [TAG]`
Integrate vassal	`integrate [TAG]`
Vassalize	`vassalize [TAG]`
Add opinion	`add_opinion [TAG]`
Discover capital	`discover [TAG]`
Add diplomat	`add_diplo`
Kill monarch	`die [TAG]`
Kill heir	`kill_heir [TAG]`
Kill first cardinal	`kill_cardinal`

Provinces and territories

Goal	Command
Add core	`add_core [province ID]`
Remove core	`remove_core [province ID]`
Add population	`population [province ID] [amount]`
Add natives	`add_natives [province ID] [amount]`
Missionary progress	`setmissionaryprogress [ID] [amount]`

Debug and utilities

Goal	Command
List all commands	`help`
Help for a specific command	`help [command]`
Force valid events to trigger	`poll`
Trigger specific event	`event [ID] [TAG]`
Reload interface	`reloadinterface`
Save game	`savegame`
Clear console	`clear`
AI “yes man” (accepts everything)	`yesman`

Using cheats for alternate history scenarios

The real value of EU4 cheats isn’t “winning faster” — it’s testing historical what-ifs. Some classic scenarios:

Surviving Byzantium — Play as Byzantium (BYZ), use cash 999999 + manpower 999999, then tag FRA to send France against the Ottomans. Switch back with tag BYZ and see how the Empire can rise again.
Unified Europe — As a minor power, tag FRA, add_cb against every neighbor, winwars to test a lightning unification.
Non-European colonization — Give add_colonist + manpower to an Asian nation like Japan (JAP) and watch reverse colonization unfold.

These experiments give deep insight into game mechanics that pure campaigns can miss.

Combining cheats with mods

Several mods extend or streamline cheat usage:

Cheat Menu (Steam Workshop) — GUI to trigger commands without typing.
Debug Menu — Developer panel with access to hidden events.
Expanded Console Commands — Adds commands for scripting variables.

See our best Europa Universalis IV mods guide for a complete selection (article coming soon in English).

Conclusion

EU4 console commands unlock a whole new dimension of the game: they turn EU4 from a rigorous historical simulator into a geopolitical sandbox. Whether you want to learn mechanics, test risk-free strategies, or write your own alternate history, these commands are your toolkit.

For the official list maintained by Paradox, check the official EU4 wiki — the ultimate reference, updated with every patch.