In Cyberpunk 2077, shards serve as vital lore items, mission objectives, and data files that enrich your experience in Night City. Knowing how to access and navigate the shards menu efficiently ensures you never miss crucial plot details or encrypted quest intelligence. This guide provides clear instructions on locating the menu, reading collected data, and decrypting special files.
Navigating to the Journal Menu
To open your shards collection, first pause the game to access the main character menu. Hover over the Journal tab located along the top navigation bar of your screen. A drop-down sub-menu will appear displaying options such as Quests, Tarots, and Shards.
Select the Shards option from this menu to open your entire inventory of collected text and audio logs. You can open this interface at almost any point during gameplay, provided you are not currently in active combat or a restricted dialogue sequence.
Organizing and Reading Collected Shards
The shards menu categorizes your findings into distinct sections such as World, Literature, Articles, and Encrypted Data. This structured layout helps players quickly locate newly acquired files or review older background story elements. Selecting any category displays a list of specific titles on the left side of the screen.
Clicking on a specific title displays its full text on the main viewing panel. Reading these documents regularly offers valuable insight into Night City's factions, corporate secrets, and side story lines.
How to Decrypt Encrypted Shards
Certain quest-related shards are locked behind encryption and require a manual hack before you can read their hidden contents. Scroll to the bottom of your shard categories to locate the Encrypted section. Selecting a locked shard presents a prompt on the right panel to begin the decryption process.
Pressing the designated button opens a mini-game where you must match sequence codes within a grid. Successfully completing the hacking sequence unlocks the file, allowing you to proceed with associated quests or uncover confidential data.
Tips for Finding and Managing Data Files
Shards are scattered abundantly throughout Night City on defeated enemies, nightstands, and computer terminals. Developing a habit of picking up glowing blue and purple containers ensures a steady stream of extra lore and eddies. Checking your shards menu right after picking up quest items helps avoid confusion during story missions.
