Halo Infinite's 12 Skulls are difficult to find but unlock neat gameplay effects, basically "cheats," when you collect them. In this Halo Infinite Skulls Locations Guide, you'll learn all how to get every Skull and what each of them does. Some skulls appear on your map in the open world if you get near them, and they appear as, well, human skulls, with glowing runes on them, when you find them.

Skull Effects range from fun cheat-like effects, like the skull named Boom that doubles explosion radius, to effects that increase difficulty, like the Blind skull, which makes your HUD and weapons invisible. You only need to collect each skull once and you can then toggle the skull in your pause menu forever after.

Note that some Skulls marked by a ★ in this guide are only available in missions that cannot be replayed at this time but developer 343 Industries has confirmed mission replay will be added later. If you missed a Skull in a mission, you'll need to start a new game, or, if you are mid-mission, you can just restart that mission. We recommend using the Walkthrough as an additional tool to avoid missing skulls in missions so you can see exactly how far into the mission they are. We try to summarize that same information on this page.

If you do need to restart a game to pick up a missed Skull, you can instead choose "New Game" in the campaign menu rather than continuing your current playthrough. There are four save files for each account, so starting a new game will not reset your progress on your first playthrough.

How to Find All Skull Locations in Halo Infinite

These Skulls have been organized in the order they're found. Skull order can vary based on how you approach each of the island landmasses, though. Click or tap on the links below to jump to a Skull's location. Keep in mind that the Skulls further down the list are all later in the game.

Easily missable mission Skulls have a star next to them.

• Boom Skull ★
• Cowbell Skull ★
• IWHBYD Skull
• Blind Skull
• Catch Skull
• Fog Skull
• Famine Skull
• Black Eye Skull
• Thunderstorm Skull
• Mythic Skull ★
• Grunt Birthday Party Skull ★
• Bandana Skull ★

If you've got Skulls you want to use, you can jump down to the How to Use Skulls section here to learn how to add active Skulls to your current campaign playthrough:

• How to Use Skulls
• All Halo Infinite Skull Effects

The video below shows all Skull locations as well as how you'll need to move through the world to get them.

Tips for Finding Skulls

If you're determined to find Skulls yourself, one of Halo's hardest-to-find collectibles, you're going to want to scan often and analyze the space a Skull is stated to be in.

• If you're looking for a Skull in a campaign mission, look up. Almost all Skulls in the missions are hidden high up and often require you to use the Grappleshot to get in high spots.
• Skulls will highlight in gold briefly when scanned. They are small, though.
• If you scan a Skull while you're out in the open world it'll be marked on your map after begin successfully scanned.
• You can hear Skulls! They have a unique sound that gets louder as you approach it.
• There's almost always something that'll point you toward a Skull in the open world. This may be a unique enemy, dead Marines and Banished that were there before you arrived, or irregular markings.

Boom Skull Location

Location: Mission 1 - Banished Warship Gbraakon

If you're not there already, return to the narrow two-floor room a few hallways after the room with the AR projection (and broken elevator). When you enter this room you'll see two Grunts on the bottom floor accompanied by a Brute and several Brutes on the top floor. The adjoined hallways will have more Brutes and Grunts plus a few Jackals. Clear out the enemies in the room at least before starting the process to grab the Skull.

Walk to the wall with the ascending crate-like platforms (this is on the right side of the room). Hop on the middle moving platform when you can (this can be done from either floor).

Ride it up and cross to the Skull hidden in this secret spot. You can exit the Skull spot by running between the platforms as they're ascending.

Boom Skull Effect: Doubles explosion radius
Boom Skull Description: "Behold, the Temple of Boom."

Cowbell Skull Location

Location: Mission 2 - Foundation

In the room immediately after the big elevator (not a grav lift, a proper elevator) and memory, you'll come into a hallway with a window straight across from your entry point. Proceed down the hallway.

You'll come across a few Grunts and Jackals. This particular space is small and overlooks a pit of a large room. Kill them so you're not distracted, but instead of continuing down the path and into the next room, use the Grappleshot to pull yourself up into one of the first two pillars. Then, turn around and face the windowed hallway you came from and look up.

Scan, and you should see the Skull highlight in an unsuspecting support beam far above the hallway window. Use the Grappleshot and careful jumping to work your way up there then you can grab the Cowbell Skull. It may take an attempt or two to get up there, but all you need is the basic Grappleshot to get to this Skull.

Cowbell Skull Effect: Acceleration from explosions is increased.
Cowbell Skull Description: "Because we needed more Cowbell."

IWHBYD Skull Location

Location: The Tower (Island 1 - Recovery)

The Tower Skull is marked as part of the mission collectibles, but it can be collected after you've completed Recovery and The Tower, unlike other mission collectibles.

To get this Skull, you're going to need to climb to the top of the Tower. This is much easier if you've upgraded the Grappleshot twice to unlock the 40% shorter cooldown, but you can do it without the upgrade. If you're attempting this without the upgrade you'll especially need to get as much height and distance when flinging the Chief around the tower. Using the Grappleshot, scale the side using the support beams as ledges.

Once you're as high as you can and you've met the top of the tower, you'll need to shoot the Grappleshot at an angle to scale The Tower and fling the Chief up. Then, while facing the top rim of The Tower, you can use the Grappleshot again to get a grasp on the top. This might take a few tries, but the trick is to move the Chief around as you're being pulled up by the Grappleshot so that he moves in an arc rather than just being pulled in a straight line.

This is of course a lot faster if you've already unlocked the Wasp or stolen a Banshee. You'll find the IWHBYD Skull on top of a platform in the middle of the roof.

Just below it is a neat Easter Egg too.

IWHBYD Skull Effect: Rare combat dialogue becomes more common.
IWHBYD Skull Description: "Did they really just say that?"

Blind Skull Location

Location: Island 1 - Recovery

This skull is between the two southern mountains on the first landmass.

Approach from the western mountain pair and, about halfway through, you should see what almost looks like a toppled pillar rather than a fallen Ring column structure. Cross it and you'll see dead Marines in glowing blue gunk below.

Upon approaching the first with the rocket launcher you'll be attacked by a Banished ship. You can evade it in the nearby rocks as it flies by.

Jump down next to the next Marine's corpse. Down and to the right of these you should see blue light reflected off the silver column wall in the cavern. Jump down there.

You should start hearing a creepy noise. Across the chasm is another blue light. Use the Grappleshot to get over there and you'll find the Blind Skull

Blind Skull Effect: Hud and weapon do not display onscreen
Blind Skull Description: "Great for shooting photos, bad for shooting enemies."

Catch Skull Location

Location: Island 2 - Excavation (Northern Island Landmass)

On this northernmost island, there's are two circle roads on the northside. The southern of the two is home to three heavily equipped Brutes (two on the tall side of the gorge) and, even more deadly, two Hunters.

These Banished Hunters are vicious. Ranged weapons with an impact are your best chance against them. They will kill you if you take a Brute Chopper or Ghost. Once they're dead you can steal the skull sitting in the tree stump they were guarding. You can also attempt to run pull away from the Skull on the stump then use the Grappleshot to speed up to the stump and grab it before the Hunters come back!

Catch Skull Effect: Enemies throw and drop more grenades.
Catch Skull Description: "Hold these for us."

Fog Skull Location

Location: Island 2 - Excavation

You can find this skull just to the west of FOB Alpha. It's a bit easier if you have the Wasp unlocked, but you'll want at least the Grappleshot cooldown to make this quick. Walk along the cliffside, following the path of the hexagonal pillars.

Round the corner so that you start walking under the mountain and you'll see a doll on the ground. Scan, and look up. You should see some weaponry and grenades highlighted above you. You need to get there. Back up and use the Grappleshot to swing to the pillars until you get to the opening of the platform.

You can also use a Wasp to fly directly in if you have it unlocked. There's an entrance on the other side of the skull platform as well. You'll find a sniper, pistol, and grenades here. The Fog Skull is sitting on an ominous pile of armor.

Fog Skull Effect: Diables motion tracker radar.
Fog Skull Description: "They could be anywhere"

Famine Skull Location

Location: Island 4 - Sequence

Just south of the easternmost beacon is a lone landmass.

Steal a Banshee or summon a Wasp at a FOB (or carefully try to fling yourself across with the Grappleshot, though you're going to need a lot of luck to somehow accomplish this) and fly to the island and move to its east side.

You'll hear this skull before you see it. Leap down carefully along the east side of the rock toward the golden Elite. Take the Famine skull off his hands.

Famine Skull Effect: Weapons dropped by enemies have half the ammo they normally would.
Famine Skull Description: "I'm out!"

Black Eye Skull Location

Location: Island 4 - Sequence

Travel to the lake between FOB Kilo and Riven Gate. Follow the waterfall to its base then look up at it. About midway through on the right of it is an opening, though you won't see it from the ground.

You can pinpoint the opening by scanning for the skull and getting to about the same level as it on the right side of the waterfall by using the Grappleshot. There's a ledge here you can stand on, though the water will make it difficult to see. You should see a tiny, square opening with a red light inside and the skull noise should be louder. Crouch and crawl into the opening then you can grab the Black Eye skull.

Black Eye Skull Effect: Your shields only recharge when you melee enemies
Black Eye Skull Description: "Better get punchy."

Thunderstorm Skull Location

Location: Island 4 - Sequence

The Thunderstorm Skull is atop a pillar near a tall, slim peak, just west of the northernmost beacon. If you climb the top of the hill (you don't have to, but it's a great view and shows how to spot this skull), you'll find an audio log, a sniper, a dead Marine, and a few paces down the hill, a dead Brute.

Just beyond the Brute on a lower ledge is a Grunt. Even further down are more dead Grunts, and a peculiar tall pillar next to them. If you have the sniper, you can use the scope to see the skull. Hop down from the cliff for a far drop down to the skull's pillar.

Use the Grappleshot to climb up the pillar if you miss it. Alternatively, you can try flying over in a Wasp or Banshee.

Thunderstorm Skull Effect: Upgrades the rank of most enemies.
Thunderstorm Skull Description: "Promotions for everybody."

Mythic Skull Location

Location: Mission 11: The Command Spire

After several pillar processing rooms, you'll come across a much larger one after a grav lift. Inside are plenty of Grunts and Brutes. Kill them and walk straight down the long room separated by the golden processing light that's transforming the hexagonal pillars.

Now, when the pillars start turning right, you'll come across two Sentinels, more Grunts, and an Elite. Clear the area then hop on the support beam against the wall that's to the left of the weapon rack. Use the Grappleshot to hop onto one of the floating beams as it approaches before it turns right. Climb up, then use the Grappleshot to hook onto a ledge in the dark room above you.

Look up, and use the Grappleshot again to hook onto the next higher ledge of the dark opening. You'll see a blue door.

Proceed through the hallway to find a room housing the Mythic skull.

Mythic Skull Effect: Enemies have increased health.
Mythic Skull Description: "Because it wasn't hard enough."

Grunt Birthday Party Skull Location

Location: Mission 12: Repository

This one is tricky. Master Chief receives a threatening message at a terminal that's in the middle of a large, open room. The terminal is on a structure in the middle of the room and is connected by two light bridges. After the message, the east and west doors will turn blue meaning they're open, but no bridge will connect them. Kill the incoming Banished. Backtrack toward the door you used to enter this bridge area and use the Grappleshot to get to the door on the east side (to the right of where you entered this space).

This is done most easily if you grapple to the support beam between the door platforms and climb into the oblong center.

You can jump down to the next door platform from there or use the Grappleshot to be safe. Proceed through the hallway and inside you'll find a Power Seed.

Grab it and return to the platform. Some Sentinels may spawn, so drop the power seed if you need to. With the Power Seed in hand, use your Grappleshot to get back to the first door platform. You can use the Grappleshot while holding things like Power Seeds and coils!

Cross the bridge toward the door the Banished emerged from and get ready to Grappleshot again. Now, use the Grappleshot to get to the room on the west side (left from where you entered) by crossing the same way as you did for the first. Enter the room and go to the right back side. You'll find a crucible. Insert the Power Seed and you'll hear an affirming noise. Nothing will happen. Not near you, anyway.

With that you're done with this part of the Repository skull steps. If you missed this part, you'll need to restart the level to do this as you cannot return here.

After the room with The Weapon's chat, you'll come across two ascending platforms that lead to mirrored golden rooms with ramps. Proceed through one or both of them (you don't have to go through both) and eliminate your enemies. More await at the room where the two ascending passages meet. Again, kill the enemies here. Make sure you're stocked up on grenades and ammo at this point. The next room will get you to the skull.

You'll enter a room that's also a mirror of the previous room. Two Sentinels emerge before Banished do on the left and right. Clear the room, but don't leave. That Power Seed you used before opened the window at the top of this room!

Inside it is the Grunt Birthday Party skull and you're going to have to face another challenge to get it. In this small room are four invisible Elites all equipped with Energy Swords and plenty of plasma grenades. They attack as soon as approach the skull. Use the Threat Sensor to spot them.

They shouldn't charge at you if you stand on the window sill. Use a grenade to draw one out, then dump as many rounds into it as you can. If you didn't use the plasma coils on the ground floor you can grab them with the Grappleshot and toss them at the Elites. There are plenty of weapons around, so you shouldn't run out of resources to kill them. You do need to kill them in order to get the skull. You cannot Grappleshot the skull to you. Once all four are dead you can pick up the Grunt Birthday Party Skull.

Grunt Birthday Party Skull Effect: Grunt headshots lead to glorious celebrations of confetti and cheers.
Grunt Birthday Party Skull Description: "Maybe it's the methane?"

Bandana Skull Location

Location: Mission 15: Silent Auditorium

First off: DO NOT KILL ANY SENTINELS DURING THIS MISSION. This skull can only be found at the very end of this mission, right before ascending in the final elevator.

There is a door on the right side of the room with a short light bridge that leads to it. Again, it closes and locks if you destroy any sentinels during the mission.

This is the door you're looking for:

Proceed through the door and you'll immediately hear the skull. Walk around the pillar in the middle (or use the Grappleshot to ascend it) and you can pick up the skull.

Bandana Skull Effect: Grants unlimited weapon ammo, and grenades and removes equipment cooldown.
Bandana Skull Description: "We did say Infinite."

With that, you've found all the skulls! Congratulations, Spartan!

How to Use Skulls

As soon as you find a skull you can activate it for your current playthrough. To do this, close your current gameplay session. Then in the Campaign menu instead of selecting "Continue," go to "Load Game."

There should only be one save option to choose from unless you've started more than one "New Game." Select your save and instead of pressing "Play," go up to "Skulls." You can select the Skulls you want to activate from this menu as well as change the campaign difficulty. Once you've chosen which you'd like to play with, press "Play" and the skulls will be active in your campaign.

You can see which skulls you have active in your playthrough at any time by pausing the game.

All Halo Infinite Skull Effects

If you're looking to clean up the rest of the collectibles be sure to check out these other guides:

• Audio Log Locations
• Mjolnir Armor Locations
• Spartan Core Locations
• Propaganda Tower Locations
• Forerunner Archive Locations