Rise ye Tarnished. We have a DLC to vanquish. The Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, has dropped, and everyone is eager to explore the secrets shrouded in the Realm of Shadows. Sadly, there are some issues ceasing players to start their voyage.
If you are facing any errors while starting the DLC or are unsure about the prerequisites for Shadow of the Erdtree, you have found yourself at the right article. Let’s start digging.
How to Fix “Can’t Access Shadow of Erdtree” Error in Elden Ring
If you don’t already know, you must complete certain conditions to start The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC (which will be discussed in detail in the coming sections). Once the conditions are met, go to the Cocoon of the Empyrean Site of Grace and interact with the lifeless arm hanging out of the egg.
Under normal circumstances, you will walk up to it, and a prompt “Touch the Withered Arm” will appear. Proceed, and you will be able to travel to the Realm of Shadow. But don’t panic if the prompt doesn’t appear. We’ll help you troubleshoot it.
If you have completed all of the prerequisites and are still not able to start the DLC, here is what you need to do. Since the problem just appears to be a glitch hence there is no one answer for what will work. The solutions below might or might not be what you are looking for.
Restore Licenses
There appears to be a problem with the game’s license that prohibits the player from accessing the DLC. Restoring the permit in most cases fixes the issue. Depending on the platform you are on, here is how to do it.
PC
If you are on a PC, you will need to reinstall the DLC to restore your license. For Steam:
- Right-click on Elden Ring in your Library and go to properties.
- Go to the DLC tab and untick the “Shadow of the Erdtree.”
If you own the game on Microsoft Store:
- Go to your Windows settings and navigate to Apps > Installed Apps.
- Scroll down and locate Elden Ring.
- Click on the three dots next to the name and select Advanced Options.
- There you should see “Shadow or the Erdtree” under add-ons.
- Uninstall and then reinstall from the Microsoft store.
Xbox
You can follow these steps to restore your license on Xbox:
- Navigate to your library and press Option by selecting Elden Ring.
- Click on Manage.
- You should see the DLC. Simply uninstall it and then install it again to fix the issue.
PlayStation
The process is a bit simpler for PlayStation.
- Go to Settings.
- Navigate to Users and Accounts > Others.
- You will see the option to restore licenses.
Restart Your Device
Next up, try the universal fix for all things broken. Restart your device and try launching the game once again. Some users on PC also reported that simply exiting Steam or Microsoft Store and relaunching it also fixed the issue for them.
Hopefully, this should resolve the issue, and if not, keep following along with the list of fixes.
Update Your Game To Latest Version (Patch 1.12)
You can only access the DLC if your base game is updated to the latest patch. Make sure you have the latest patch version, which in this case is Patch 1.12.
Verify the Integrity of Your Game Files
If you are on PC, then you can verify the integrity of your game files. If you have any broken or corrupted files, it may cause the DLC to not work as well. Here is what you need to do:
Steam:
- Go to your game library and right-click on Elden Ring.
- Click on Properties and navigate to the Installed Files tab.
- There you should see the option to “Verify Integrity of Game Files”.
- Click on it and wait for the process to finish.
Microsoft Store:
If you own the game through the Microsoft Store:
- Open the Xbox App on Windows.
- In the library, scroll down and locate Elden Ring.
- Click on the game, and you should see three dots next to the Play button.
- From the dropdown menu, click on Manage.
- Under the Files tab, you should see Verify and Repair.
Reinstall The Game
If all else fails, the final resort would be to reinstall the whole game. It might be painstakingly time-taking but as a true gamer, nothing can stand between you and the journey you are about to embark on through the Realm of Shadows.
How to Access Elden Ring: Shadow of The Erdtree DLC
We are going to present a detailed breakdown of what you need to do inside the game to access the DLC content.
Beat Starscourge Radahn
The first thing you will need to do is beat Starscourage Radahn, which, by the way, is not going to be a small feat. This gigantic demigod is powerful enough to take you down in a couple of blows and not break a sweat.
You will find General Radahn in Redmane Castle once you near the end of Ranni’s Questline. If you have already beaten him, then you can move on to the next part of the puzzle.
Beat Mohg, Lord of Blood
The next domino you need to topple is Mohg, Lord of Blood. The blood magic-wielding demi-god who is responsible for capturing Miquella.
You will find the monster in Mohgwyn Palace, which can be accessed using the Haligtree Secret Medallion. Defeat Mohg and you are one step closer to accessing Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring.
Touch The Withered Arm
Now the only thing left to do is to pay Miquella a visit. Travel to Cocoon of Empyrean site of grace. From there, head for the Throne inside the Mohgwn Palace. You should see a large Cocoon with a Withered Arm handing out.
Next to the cocoon should be an NPC, Needle Knight Leda, to whom you can talk. Walk up to the Cocoon, and you should see the prompt “Touch the Withered Arm.” The next prompt would state, “Head to the Shadow Realm”. Select yes to start Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
That’s how you can start Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring. If you have purchased, and downloaded the DLC, and completed all of the prerequisites, then you shouldn’t have any problem playing it as well. Happy Hunting!