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Hearts of Iron IV console commands work on the PC, Mac, and Linux versions of the game—not on Xbox or PlayStation. The Steam edition requires a mouse and keyboard, and the command console is an in-game developer tool that is available only outside Ironman mode.
This list covers the commonly used commands for political power, manpower, research, equipment, national focuses, diplomacy, country switching, annexation, debugging, and spawning units. Syntax shown in angle brackets means you must replace the placeholder; do not type the angle brackets.
![Hearts of Iron IV Standard - PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51An0NGB2RL._SL160_.jpg)
The version context for this guide is the public Operation Postern 1.19.1 release identified in the available patch history as of August 7, 2026. Commands can behave differently in older versions, DLC configurations, or heavily modded games.
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- Start or load a single-player game with Ironman disabled.
- Enter the game itself. The console cannot be opened from the main menu.
- Press the
~key, normally found belowEsc. - Type a command and press
Enter. - Press the same key again to close the console.
On some keyboard layouts, the console key may be the grave/backtick key, Shift + 2, Shift + 3, or §. There is no single alternative that works on every layout.
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You do not normally need to launch the game with -debug just to open the console. Launch-option debug mode is relevant to some commands, including certain uses of spawn, and to exposing internal IDs.
Important restrictions
- Ironman disables console commands.
- Using commands makes a save unsuitable for achievement hunting. Paradox states that an Ironman save that loses achievement eligibility cannot be restored to an eligible state.
- Use commands primarily in single-player, non-Ironman games. Multiplayer command behavior is not reliably documented and should not be treated as a normal supported feature.
For platform details, see the official Steam listing. For the achievement restriction, see Paradox’s Ironman support article.
Essential Hearts of Iron 4 console commands
| Purpose | Command | Example or result |
|---|---|---|
| Political power | pp <amount> |
pp 500 |
| Manpower | manpower <amount> |
manpower 100000 |
| Army, navy, and air experience | xp <amount> |
xp 500 |
| Command power | cp <amount> |
cp 100 |
| Stability | st <amount> |
st 20 |
| War support | ws <amount> |
ws 20 |
| Add equipment | add_equipment <amount> <equipment_code> |
add_equipment 1000 infantry_equipment_1 |
| Add the latest equipment | add_latest_equipment <amount> |
add_latest_equipment 1000 |
| Research all technology | research all |
Completes all technology for the current country |
| Research by clicking | research_on_icon_click |
Clicking a technology icon completes it |
| Instant construction | instantconstruction or ic |
Toggles instant construction |
| Instant national focuses | focus.autocomplete |
Completes focuses immediately while active |
| Ignore focus requirements | focus.nochecks |
Disables normal focus requirements |
| Ignore focus prerequisites | focus.ignoreprerequisites |
Removes prerequisite-focus restrictions |
| Allow all diplomacy | allowdiplo |
Removes normal diplomatic restrictions |
| AI accepts offers | yesman |
Toggles universal AI acceptance |
| Switch country | tag <country_tag> |
tag GER |
| Annex a country | annex <country_tag> |
annex POL |
| Observer mode | observe |
Stops controlling a country |
| Remove fog of war | debug_fow or fow |
Toggles visible map information |
| Show internal IDs | tdebug |
Shows country, state, province, and related IDs |
| Spawn units | spawn <unit_type> <province_id> <amount> |
spawn infantry 64 10 |
| Trigger an event | event <event_id> |
Requires an exact event ID |
| Save immediately | savegame |
Forces a save |
Political power, manpower, experience, and national resources
Add political power
pp 500pp adds the specified amount of political power to the country you currently control. Change 500 to any amount you need.
Add manpower
manpower 100000manpower 1000000
The correct command is manpower, not add_manpower. It adds recruits to the current country’s recruitable manpower pool. It does not create equipment, train divisions, or bypass the normal requirements for deploying them.
Add army, navy, and air experience
xp 500This adds experience to the current country’s experience pools.
Add command power
cp 100Use this when you need command power for military decisions or abilities.
Change stability and war support
st 20ws 20
Positive values add stability or war support; negative values can remove it. Check the result in the relevant national-information panel because the game’s caps and current modifiers still affect the displayed total.
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![Hearts of Iron IV: La Résistance Expansion - PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ojRELGo7L._SL160_.jpg)
- New Focus Trees for France: New National Focuses for Free France Free France and the Vichy France Vichy France Regime, as well as an option for conservatives to restore the old French Monarchy.
- More in Depth Spanish Campaign: New National Focuses for Republican Spain Republican Spain and Nationalist Spain Nationalist Spain, as well as an expanded Spanish Civil War that can spiral into a wider conflict.
- Portuguese Focuses: Navigate the pressure of the World War, or involve yourself in the Spanish Conflict with the new Focus Tree for Portugal Portugal.
- Espionage: Use your Intelligence agency to train spies to specialize in certain types of information warfare and develop passive resistance to enemy espionage, then let them perform Missions and Operations.
- Support Resistance: Use your agents to assist allied resistance movements, giving them what they need to damage the enemy.
Equipment commands and internal item codes
The exact syntax is:
add_equipment <amount> <equipment_code>Working examples include:
add_equipment 1000 infantry_equipment_1
add_equipment 500 fighter_equipment_1
add_equipment 200 medium_tank_chassis_1
ae 100 convoy_1ae is an alias for add_equipment. The command requires the game’s internal equipment code, not the name displayed in the production interface. For example, use infantry_equipment_1, not a translated display label such as “Infantry Equipment I.”
Equipment is placed in the national stockpile. It does not automatically form divisions, deploy units, or provide manpower. A misspelled code, incorrect variant number, or reversed argument order commonly produces no visible result. The command can add equipment that has not been researched, but the item may not behave as expected if its technology or design is unavailable.
For codes, use an equipment reference appropriate to your installed version and DLC setup. Modded games may add or replace equipment identifiers.
Research and technology cheats
Research every technology
research allThis completes all technologies for the country you currently control.
Research technologies by clicking
research_on_icon_clickAfter enabling it, click a technology icon to complete that research immediately. Enter the command again if you need to turn the behavior off.
research all is different from a command such as research <technology_id>, which requires the exact internal identifier for one technology. Technology IDs can vary in mods and are easy to mistype.
National focus commands
These commands are separate toggles:
focus.autocomplete
focus.nochecks
focus.ignoreprerequisitesfocus.autocompletecompletes national focuses immediately while it is enabled. Current command references warn that it can also affect AI focus completion.focus.nochecksdisables normal focus requirements.focus.ignoreprerequisitesallows focuses to be selected without completing prerequisite focuses.
Because these are toggles, entering a command again may disable it. If the AI begins completing focuses unexpectedly, turn off focus.autocomplete before continuing.
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![Hearts of Iron IV: Battle for the Bosporus Expansion - PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516cSC57p5L._SL160_.jpg)
- National Focus Tree for Bulgaria: Balance the factions in a divided land or reclaim territory lost in 1919. Follow the historical alliance with Germany or resist the German pressures on Tsar Boris, standing up for a free Bulgaria.
- National Focus Tree for Greece: Riven by political division, Greek neutrality is maintained by the controversial Metaxas. Build a strong relationship with the Allies under the guidance of King George II, follow arch-conservatives into fascism or restore the glories of Greek Empire in the east.
- National Focus Tree for Turkey: Robbed of its empire in the last war, what future is there for Turkey in a new one? Continue or halt the reforms of Kemalism, stand as the protector of the Balkans in a new regional faction, restore the Sultan to the throne or found a new Islamic state.
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- New 3D Unit Models for Balkan and Turkish Armies
Diplomacy, country switching, and annexation
Remove diplomatic restrictions
allowdiploThis allows diplomatic actions that would normally be restricted by the game’s rules.
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yesmanyesman toggles universal AI acceptance. It can make diplomatic testing much faster, but it also affects the normal behavior of other countries until disabled.
Switch to another country
tag GERtag switches your player control to the specified country. It does not merely select that country. After switching, commands that affect the “current country”—such as pp, manpower, and xp—apply to the new country.
Annex a country
annex POLannex changes ownership of the target country’s territory. It is not a peace-conference simulation and may produce unexpected puppet, resistance, or diplomatic results.
Country tags are usually three-letter identifiers, but they do not always match the country’s displayed name. Civil wars, revolutions, releasable nations, and mods can change which tag is active. Use a country-tag reference or enable tdebug and inspect the relevant tooltip rather than guessing.
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Remove fog of war
debug_fowfow
These are the documented command and alias for toggling fog-of-war visibility.
Display internal IDs
tdebugtdebug adds debug information to tooltips, including identifiers for countries, states, provinces, units, and other internal objects. It is especially useful before using commands that require a map ID.
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![Hearts of Iron IV: Man the Guns Expansion - PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513ub6QWQ9L._SL160_.jpg)
- New Alternate American History: Use the American Congress to push for reform, at the risk of plunging the nation into another civil war.
- New Alternate British History: Push for early decolonization of the British Empire or restore the ancient privileges of the monarchy.
- Ship Design: Research new components and refit older vessels to take advantage of new knowledge. Outfit your submarines with snorkels or improved stealth.
- Admiral Traits and Skills: Tailor and level up your Admirals with new traits and skills.
- Governments in Exile: Welcome a government in exile to your democracy, boosting their legitimacy in return for more manpower and elite troops fighting to free their homeland.
Do not confuse the in-game tdebug command with the -debug launch option. You can open the ordinary console without the launch option; -debug may be needed for particular debug-dependent commands or for troubleshooting.
Spawn units with the console
The documented format is:
spawn <subunit_type> <province_id> <amount>Examples:
spawn infantry 64 10
spawn light_armor 219 5The command needs a valid internal subunit type, a province ID, and a numeric amount. A state ID cannot be substituted for a province ID. Use tdebug to identify the map information.
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There is a discrepancy between current command references: some state that spawn requires the game’s -debug launch option, while others document it as an ordinary console command. If a valid command produces no result, close the game, add -debug to the game’s launch options, restart, and try again. This launch option is separate from entering tdebug in the console.
Events and saving
Trigger an event
event <event_id>For example, a mod or an expansion may define an event with a namespace and number. You must enter the exact event ID:
event example.1Do not use that example unless it exists in your game. Event IDs vary between the base game, DLC, patches, and mods, so copying an ID from a different version can fail or trigger an unintended event.
Force a save
savegameUse this after testing commands or before switching countries if you want a manual recovery point. It is still wise to keep a separate backup save before using commands that alter ownership, events, or national focuses.
Why a Hearts of Iron 4 command may not work
- Ironman is enabled. Start a separate non-Ironman game.
- The console key is wrong for your keyboard layout. Try the grave key,
Shift + 2,Shift + 3, or§. - The syntax is wrong. Check the order of arguments, especially for
add_equipmentandspawn. - You used a display name instead of an internal ID. Equipment, technology, event, subunit, province, and country identifiers are not always the names shown in the interface.
- You used a state ID where a province ID was required. This is a common reason for failed
spawncommands. - The command needs launch-option debug mode. Try
-debugifspawnor another debug-related command does nothing. - A mod changed the identifier. Mods can add, remove, or override commands, events, equipment, technologies, and national spirits.
- The command is a toggle. Commands such as
ic,yesman, and focus commands may need to be entered again to switch them off.
Version and command-list differences
Online command databases do not agree on how many commands Hearts of Iron IV has. One current database lists 438 entries, while another lists 172. The difference reflects whether a source includes aliases, debug commands, tweakable variables, DLC-specific entries, and commands requiring special conditions.
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- Follow the historical path of Mussolini's Italy or rewrite history by restoring power to the monarchy, leading a Communist revolution or replacing Mussolini with one of a variety of new contenders.
- Defy the odds to defeat the Italian invader or resist the conqueror from abroad using unique Government in Exile abilities.
- Surrounded by France, Germany and Italy, the mountain nation of Switzerland finds strength in its neutrality, balancing competing factions and overtures from the great powers.
- Demilitarize zones of the map or entire nations, bid on the capital ships of defeated powers, or claim control of enemy resources or factories as reparations.
- Design and build your own planes, from nimble interceptors that prioritize speed to durable bombers crafted to unload tons of destruction from high above.
For that reason, a command appearing in a list is not a guarantee that it works identically in every patch or mod. The safest approach is to test commands in a disposable non-Ironman save and use internal codes from the same game version and mod set.
FAQ
Can you use Hearts of Iron 4 console commands on Xbox or PlayStation?
No. Hearts of Iron IV is available for PC, Mac, and Linux, and its console commands are intended for the keyboard-and-mouse versions. It does not have a normal Xbox or PlayStation command-console release.
Why will the console not open in Hearts of Iron IV?
Make sure you are inside a single-player, non-Ironman game rather than at the main menu. Press the key below Esc, usually ~ or the grave/backtick key. Depending on your keyboard layout, try Shift + 2, Shift + 3, or §.
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What is the manpower command in HOI4?
Use manpower <amount>, such as manpower 100000. The commonly repeated add_manpower command is not the documented current syntax.
How do I add equipment in HOI4?
Use add_equipment <amount> <equipment_code>. For example, add_equipment 1000 infantry_equipment_1. You must use the internal equipment code, not the display name.
Do console commands disable achievements permanently?
They are incompatible with achievement-eligible Ironman play. If a save loses its achievement eligibility, Paradox says that eligibility cannot be restored; use a fresh Ironman game for achievements.
Why does the HOI4 spawn command do nothing?
Check that you used a valid subunit code, a province ID rather than a state ID, and a numeric amount. Some command references also say that spawn requires the -debug launch option. Enable that option if a valid command still produces no result.
The Bottom Line
For reliable testing, create a non-Ironman single-player save, open the console with the layout-appropriate key, and use exact internal IDs. The most useful starting commands are pp, manpower, xp, research all, add_equipment, tag, tdebug, and savegame. Keep a backup before using annex, event commands, or focus toggles, and expect differences in mods and future patches.
Reference coverage for this list was checked against the HOI4 Commands database, spawn documentation, and the 1.19.1 patch history.
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