Skyrim Codex

Kill, Resurrect & Disable NPCs in Skyrim

Click a target and use the kill, resurrect, disable and enable commands in Skyrim to remove enemies, revive the dead, or clean up bugged NPCs.

These commands all act on a targeted reference — an NPC, enemy, or creature you click while the console is open. With one selected you can kill it, raise it from the dead, or remove it from the world entirely. They are the go-to fixes for tough fights and for cleaning up NPCs that get stuck or block a doorway.

How to target and kill an NPC

  1. Open the console with the tilde key (~) — see the open the console guide.
  2. Click the NPC or creature. Its reference ID appears at the top of the screen, confirming it is selected.
  3. Type kill and press Enter. The target dies immediately.

The four commands

  • kill — kills the targeted NPC (leaves a lootable body).
  • resurrect — revives the targeted corpse; resurrect 1 keeps its current inventory.
  • disable — removes the targeted reference from the world without killing it.
  • enable — re-adds a reference you previously disabled.

Notes & tips

  • Essential NPCs cannot be permanently killed — kill only drops them to their knees, which protects main-story characters.
  • Use disable rather than kill for a bugged or stuck NPC; it is cleaner and reversible with enable.
  • killall kills every nearby non-essential actor at once — handy but indiscriminate.
  • See the full command list for more targeted-reference commands.

Frequently asked questions

How do I kill an NPC with the console in Skyrim?

Open the console, click the NPC to target it, then type kill and press Enter. The targeted NPC dies instantly. To kill everything nearby at once, use killall.

How do I bring a dead NPC back to life?

Target the corpse and type resurrect. By default this revives the NPC with full health. Use resurrect 1 to bring them back without resetting their inventory.

What is the difference between disable and kill?

kill makes an NPC die (leaving a body). disable removes the reference from the world entirely without a death, which is the cleaner fix for a bugged or blocking NPC. enable brings a disabled reference back.

Can these commands break a quest?

Yes. Killing or disabling a quest-critical NPC can soft-lock a quest. Essential NPCs cannot normally be killed and will only fall unconscious, which protects the main story — be cautious with disable on anyone quest-related.