One of the earliest quests in Borderlands 4 requires you to get clearance for an elevator to reach a new area. Many players are getting stuck on the Recruitment Drive quest in Borderlands 4, but there's a simple solution to get the elevator up and running.

The Recruitment Drive quest begins as soon as you complete the tutorial segment of Borderlands 4 and meet Claptrap on the beach. It's a straightforward mission that introduces you to the bandits of the region, but the elevator part is a bigger roadblock than the bandits. Here's how to get clearance for the elevator in Borderlands 4.

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How to Get Clearance for the Elevator in Recruitment Drive

Borderlands 4 Elevator

Once you reach the elevator at the end of the Recruitment Drive mission, you won't be able to activate it and reunite with Claptrap. Your next objective is to get clearance for the elevator, and the dead Timekeeper goons surrounding the elevator are your key inside.

To get elevator clearance, turn around and interact with the corpse sitting against a crate by the railing. You'll pull out his Bolt, which will give you access to the elevator. It's easy to miss the interaction prompt since the font is so small, and you have to be close enough for it to show up in the first place, which is why some players get stuck here.

Borderlands 4 Elevator Clearance

Once you've borrowed the access key, activate the elevator, and Claptrap will be brought up to your level. You'll finish off the Recruitment Drive quest by establishing your first safehouse inside this building, giving you a fast travel point, some vending machines that sell weapons and gear, and some small side quests to take care of. This is just the first of many safehouses you'll find in Borderlands 4.

Keep an eye out for additional safe houses as you explore each planet in Borderlands 4. Now that you've established a foothold on Kairos, you can start farming for the best early game weapons so you can prepare for the challenges ahead.

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Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
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Released
September 12, 2025
ESRB
Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
Developer(s)
Gearbox Software
Publisher(s)
2K
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DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
Looter Shooter, Action, Adventure, RPG
OpenCritic Rating
Strong