How to unlock transmog and change your appearance in Diablo 4

A female Barbarian wearing transmog armour.
(Image credit: Blizzard)

Diablo 4 isn't just about slaying demons—it's about looking damn good while doing it. Thankfully, the game has a simple yet effective transmogrification system that lets you apply the appearance of various armour and weaponry to your current setup—no more running around Sanctuary with mismatched threads in clashing colours!

Access to transmog in Diablo 4 is unlocked relatively early, but there are a few steps you need to take before you can go wild with your wardrobe. So, if you've nailed your character creation, here's how to finish off your hero's whole vibe with armour transmog. 

How to unlock Diablo 4's transmog 

The first thing you need to do in order to access Diablo 4's transmogrification is to complete the Prologue and head to Kyovashad, the first hub area in the game. It shouldn't take too long to reach, between one and two hours. From there, head over to the Blacksmith who can be found outside the shop that sells weapons and armour. If you can't find him, look for the anvil icon on the minimap. He's to the southeast of the Kyovashad fast travel point.

Salvaging gear through the Blacksmith is currently the only way to unlock transmog items in Diablo 4. You should have picked up a fair few armour items during your time with the Prologue. Most gear items can be salvaged for transmog in the game, save for accessories and some unique weapons. 

Salvaging items and changing appearance of a female Barbarian in Diablo 4.

(Image credit: Blizzard)

How to change your appearance 

Now you've salvaged some gear and unlocked its look, you can head over to your wardrobe. It'll be a wardrobe icon on the map, and in Kyovashad it's just up north from where the Blacksmith is. 

You should now be able to see the gear you've salvaged and the option to apply its appearance. Each piece of gear you have equipped can either have its default look, unequipped look or the appearance of anything you've taken to the Blacksmith. Each armour type has nine colour options too: Green, yellow, red, blue, purple, grey, brown, orange or the armour's natural look. Ensembles can be saved for quick changing, with the first slot free and the other four slots costing gold.

There are some slight limitations—understandably, you can't apply the appearance of different weapon types—so no applying staff transmogs over wands or maces over a sword. You also can't change the colour of your armour if it's on the default look. You'll have to unlock the transmog for it first.

You can also change some of your character's appearance from the wardrobe. Head to the Appearance tab at the top of the screen. From here, you can tweak your character's makeup, jewellery, markings and markings colour. Unfortunately, you can't change things like your hairstyle or hair colour.

Salvaging items and changing appearance of a female Barbarian in Diablo 4.

(Image credit: Blizzard)
Diablo 4 guide:Diablo 4 mount: 
Diablo 4 level unlocks: Diablo 4 Altars of Lilith: Diablo 4 Murmuring Obols:

Diablo 4 guide: Everything you need
Diablo 4 mount: Race across the map
Diablo 4 level unlocks: New vendors
Diablo 4 Altars of Lilith: Stat boosts and XP
Diablo 4 Murmuring Obols: Get Legendary gear

Mollie Taylor
Features Producer

Mollie spent her early childhood deeply invested in games like Killer Instinct, Toontown and Audition Online, which continue to form the pillars of her personality today. She joined PC Gamer in 2020 as a news writer and now lends her expertise to write a wealth of features, guides and reviews with a dash of chaos. She can often be found causing mischief in Final Fantasy 14, using those experiences to write neat things about her favourite MMO. When she's not staring at her bunny girl she can be found sweating out rhythm games, pretending to be good at fighting games or spending far too much money at her local arcade.