{"id":42557530,"url":"https://github.com/Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","last_synced_at":"2026-03-05T00:00:53.216Z","repository":{"id":129114499,"uuid":"512002874","full_name":"Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","owner":"Cracko298","description":"A simple guide on how to extract AES-256 keys and use them to decrypt .pak file(s) in most steam-games.","archived":false,"fork":false,"pushed_at":"2024-04-25T23:31:50.000Z","size":99,"stargazers_count":436,"open_issues_count":4,"forks_count":57,"subscribers_count":8,"default_branch":"main","last_synced_at":"2026-02-20T17:59:08.395Z","etag":null,"topics":["aes-256","aes-encryption","aes-key","decryption","guide","guidebook","umodel","unreal-engine-4","unreal-engine-5"],"latest_commit_sha":null,"homepage":"","language":null,"has_issues":true,"has_wiki":null,"has_pages":null,"mirror_url":null,"source_name":null,"license":"mit","status":null,"scm":"git","pull_requests_enabled":true,"icon_url":"https://github.com/Cracko298.png","metadata":{"files":{"readme":"README.md","changelog":null,"contributing":null,"funding":null,"license":"LICENSE","code_of_conduct":null,"threat_model":null,"audit":null,"citation":null,"codeowners":null,"security":null,"support":null,"governance":null,"roadmap":null,"authors":null,"dei":null}},"created_at":"2022-07-08T19:16:09.000Z","updated_at":"2026-02-16T16:50:30.000Z","dependencies_parsed_at":"2024-04-26T00:31:26.588Z","dependency_job_id":"c1420c30-f0f0-4571-be85-d02ac8b8f352","html_url":"https://github.com/Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","commit_stats":null,"previous_names":[],"tags_count":0,"template":false,"template_full_name":null,"purl":"pkg:github/Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","repository_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/Cracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","tags_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/Cracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/tags","releases_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/Cracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/releases","manifests_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/Cracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/manifests","owner_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/owners/Cracko298","download_url":"https://codeload.github.com/Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/tar.gz/refs/heads/main","sbom_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories/Cracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/sbom","scorecard":null,"host":{"name":"GitHub","url":"https://github.com","kind":"github","repositories_count":286080680,"owners_count":30101635,"icon_url":"https://github.com/github.png","version":null,"created_at":"2022-05-30T11:31:42.601Z","updated_at":"2026-03-04T23:59:36.199Z","status":"ssl_error","status_checked_at":"2026-03-04T23:56:48.556Z","response_time":59,"last_error":"SSL_connect returned=1 errno=0 peeraddr=140.82.121.6:443 state=error: unexpected eof while reading","robots_txt_status":"success","robots_txt_updated_at":"2025-07-24T06:49:26.215Z","robots_txt_url":"https://github.com/robots.txt","online":false,"can_crawl_api":true,"host_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub","repositories_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repositories","repository_names_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/repository_names","owners_url":"https://repos.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/hosts/GitHub/owners"}},"keywords":["aes-256","aes-encryption","aes-key","decryption","guide","guidebook","umodel","unreal-engine-4","unreal-engine-5"],"created_at":"2026-01-28T20:00:26.600Z","updated_at":"2026-03-05T00:00:53.206Z","avatar_url":"https://github.com/Cracko298.png","language":null,"readme":"[![paypal](https://github.com/Cracko298/ISZ-2021-Plugin/blob/main/payp.png)](https://www.paypal.me/cracko298)\n\n# AES-Key-Extracting-Guide\n- This tutorial will go through the steps on how to extract an UE4/UE5 AES-256 Key.\n- And also how to use it in extracting the *.pak* file in the \"contents\" folder.\n- This *DOES* work with [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/) \u0026 [Epic](https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/download) *However sometimes Epic-bought games are weird*.\n- This guide does *NOT* include a guide for [Linux](https://www.linux.org/) users, or [MacOS](https://www.apple.com/in/macos/monterey/) users.\n\n# Before We Begin:\n- I am *NOT* resposible for how you use the keys you will find while using this guide.\n- This was made in the thought of extracting files for modding purposes *ONLY*.\n\n# Software Needed:\n- [UEViewer](https://www.gildor.org/en/projects/umodel#files) - For Viewing and Extracting Files.\n- [Steamless](https://github.com/atom0s/Steamless/releases/tag/v3.1.0.0) - For Removing the SteamStub/Steam DRM Restrictions on the *Shipping.exe*.\n- [AES Key Finder](https://github.com/GHFear/AESKeyFinder-By-GHFear) - For Finding AES Keys in the DRM-less *Shipping.exe*.\n- [FModel](https://fmodel.app/) - You can use this too mod and view Assets your Games. (However I will not go into detail on this *arguably better than Umodel).\n- [UE4 Mod Unlocker](https://illusory.dev/).\n\n# Guide:\n\n# Step 1 (Getting rid of the DRM restriction):\n- Firstly open/run [Steamless](https://github.com/atom0s/Steamless/releases/tag/v3.1.0.0) to get rid of the DRM restrictions on your *Shipping.exe* file.\n- Too access your *Shipping.exe* file(s) go into \"[Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/) \u003e Library \u003e *Your Game*\". Right click on *Your Game's Name* and go into \"Manage \u003e Browse Locale Files\"\n- The file explorer should have opened *probably in the background*. Go into \"*Your Game Name Folder* \u003e Binaries \u003e Win64/32\".\n- Paste the directory link into [Steamless](https://github.com/atom0s/Steamless/releases/tag/v3.1.0.0), or find the *Shipping.exe* directory in the \"browse\" button.\n- Hit the extract button in [Steamless](https://github.com/atom0s/Steamless/releases/tag/v3.1.0.0) it'll take a few second(s)/minute(s).\n- The newly created *.exe* file is the DRM-LESS game.\n\n# Step 2 (Finding the AES keys):\n- Secondly you'll need the [AES Key Finder](https://github.com/Cracko298/AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/files/9074659/AES.Key.Finder.zip) to find the AES-256 Keys.\n- Take the newly created *DRM-LESS Shipping.exe* file and copy it into the [AES Key Finder](https://github.com/Cracko298/AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/files/9074659/AES.Key.Finder.zip) folder which you extracted from the *AES.Key.Finder.zip* file.\n- Open/run the *.bat* file called *RUN Find 256-bit UE4 AES Key.bat* this will find all keys it can recover from the DRM-LESS *Shipping.exe*.\n- After the \"RUN Find 256-bit UE4 AES Key.bat\" file has ran. Their should be 1-6 folders. Only one of them contains the AES-256 key.\n- The folder(s) are just a few bits/bytes of the key. The ***file name*** inside of the folder *IS* the AES-256 key.\n\n# Step 3 (Extracting the Encrypted *.pak* file):\n- Last of all you'll need [UEViewer/Umodel](https://www.gildor.org/en/projects/umodel#files) to extract/save the game's file(s).\n- As always extract the *.zip* and open/run the application. For simplicity we'll copy the *.pak* file to the newly extract [Umodel](https://www.gildor.org/en/projects/umodel#files) folder.\n- To access your game in [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/) *again if you closed it* go to \"[Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/) \u003e Library \u003e Your Game \u003e Right Click Name \u003e Manage \u003e Browse Locale Files\".\n- As normal, file explorer should start in the background. Open the new tab, and navigate to \"*Your Game Name* \u003e Content \u003e Paks\".\n- You should have at least 1 *.pak* file(s). It's normally the biggest one however, it depends on the game.\n- Copy the *.pak* file and paste it into the [Umodel](https://www.gildor.org/en/projects/umodel#files) folder.\n- Open/run [Umodel.exe](https://www.gildor.org/en/projects/umodel#files) and select all that you want to extract/save. Make sure to choose the game version.\n- You can find the game version by right clicking *Shipping.exe* and then going into \"Properties \u003e Details\".\n- After you find your game version. [Umodel](https://www.gildor.org/en/projects/umodel#files) will come up with an AES-Encryption Window.\n- Paste the AES-256 Keys into the AES-Encryption Window. Adding a line for each key you would like to try.\n\n# Note(s):\n- If you ***NEED*** the game version. *Right-Click* the original *Shipping.exe* and navigate to: *Properties \u003e Details \u003e File Version* that's your game version.\n- If unsuccessful, you're probably using a non-Steam *.pak* file, or you have an unsupported version of UE. (Possibly UE3, or UE2).\n- If successful you've just cracked the *.pak* file.\n- Only works with *Win32* and *Win64* executables, (***.exe Only*!**) (***Not*** *.msi*, *.com*, *.bat*, or  *.cmd*).\n- This guide does ***NOT*** work for *MacOS* or *Linux* games. That also includes *Nintendo Switch*, *Playstation Consoles*, and *Xbox Consoles*, (Obviously).\n\n# Credits:\n- Congrats! You've completed the tutorial, and now know how to extract AES-256 Keys from [UE4](https://unreal.fandom.com/wiki/Unreal_Engine_4) and possibly some [UE5](https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.0/en-US/hardware-and-software-specifications-for-unreal-engine/) games.\n- Maybe consider giving me a [Follow](https://github.com/cracko298), possibly a [Golden-Star](https://github.com/Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/stargazers) or even a [Fork](https://github.com/Cracko298/UE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/fork). Anything helps out!\n- And, Thanks too everyone who supports me, it really helps. - [Cracko298 (Phinehas Beresford)](https://github.com/Cracko298)\n\n### Hey! I made a few new things for UE4 games. This time, it isn't a guide.\n\n- [UE4-EXE-Load](https://github.com/Cracko298/UE4-Load-Exe). ***Note: Probably my most useful tool for modding UE4/UE5 games. It allows automatic Loading of Application-Based ModMenu's.***\n\n - [UE4-FOV-Editor](https://github.com/Cracko298/UE4-FOV-Editor). ***Note: This ain't revolutionary, just changes FOV in real time.***\n\n### Extra Notes:\n- I accept donations if you want to help me out (No need too, this guide will ALWAYS be avaliable for free). This is via [PayPal](https://www.paypal.me/cracko298) if you want to donate.\n- All software mentioned in this guide lead to the original repo's please consider supporting those developers.\n\n# Software:\n- [Glidor](https://github.com/gildor2) for The UE4 viewing and extracting tool UEViewer.\n- [Atom0s](https://github.com/atom0s) for Steamless.\n- [GHFear](https://github.com/GHFear) for The AES Key Finder \u0026 UE4 Mod Unlocker.\n- [4sval](https://github.com/4sval) for The UE4/UE5 viewing tool FModel.\n","funding_links":["https://www.paypal.me/cracko298"],"categories":["⚙️ Engines"],"sub_categories":["Unreal Engine"],"project_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2FCracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","html_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/projects/github.com%2FCracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide","lists_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2FCracko298%2FUE4-AES-Key-Extracting-Guide/lists"}