If you’ve ever stood staring at a locked base building blueprint or a high-tier tech upgrade you can’t unlock, you already know how critical salvaged data is to progressing in No Man’s Sky. I’ve spent hundreds of hours hopping across star systems chasing rare resources, and I used to waste hours digging in the wrong spots before I figured out the most efficient routes to farm this valuable material. Whether you’re a brand new player just setting up your first base or a veteran traveler looking to unlock every endgame blueprint, knowing how to find salvaged data in No Man’s Sky will cut down your grind time drastically. You don’t need fancy gear or a maxed out starship to get started, either — most of these methods work with the basic tools you get within the first hour of gameplay.
How to Find Salvaged Data in No Man’s Sky Using Basic Exploration Methods
The most accessible way to gather salvaged data is to hunt for buried tech capsules on almost any planet surface. You’ll first need to have the Terrain Manipulator mod installed on your multi-tool, which you unlock within the first 30 minutes of the main story path. Once you have that equipped, pull out your Analysis Visor whenever you’re exploring on foot, and look for small glowing yellow icons that look like tiny old hard drives.
These icons mark buried salvaged data capsules, and they show up on your visor when you’re within 300 units of a site. When you get within 50 units, you’ll be able to hear a faint beeping sound that gets louder as you get closer to the capsule. I used to dig straight down when I spotted an icon, but I quickly learned digging at a 45-degree angle is far faster, and you won’t risk caving yourself in or losing track of the signal. Each capsule gives you between 1 and 4 units of salvaged data, so even a short 20-minute exploration run can leave you with enough data to unlock multiple common blueprints. Once you get used to spotting the icon, you’ll be able to pick up 20+ units of data per hour even if you’re still learning how to find salvaged data in No Man’s Sky.
Best High-Yield Locations to Farm Salvaged Data Fast
If you want to farm large stacks of salvaged data in the shortest time possible, you don’t want to waste time exploring random lush planets. Certain locations have far higher concentrations of buried tech capsules, and they often come with fewer interruptions from hostile fauna or aggressive Sentinels. I’ve tested dozens of farming routes across 10+ save files, and these are the three most reliable spots to stock up on data fast:
- Dead or barren planets: These worlds have 2-3x more buried salvaged data sites than biomes with heavy plant life, and Sentinels are almost always passive on these planets unless you attack them first. The lack of vegetation also means you won’t have to cut through trees or bushes to reach dig sites.
- Abandoned building complexes: You'll find 5 to 10 salvaged data capsules buried within 50 units of every abandoned outpost, factory, or observatory, plus extra loot like navigation data and rare upgrade modules. You can spot these complexes from your starship when you’re flying low over a planet surface.
- Crashed freighter crash sites: Large freighter wreckage sites have dozens of buried data capsules scattered around the perimeter, plus you can salvage rare parts from the freighter itself if you have the right tools. I once walked away with 72 units of salvaged data from a single large crash site in less than 18 minutes.
So if you spot a crashed freighter icon on your system scanner when you enter a new star system, make that your first stop before you head down to any other planet. Just make sure you bring enough oxygen and hazard protection if the planet has extreme weather, because you’ll be spending a while digging around the wreckage. I also recommend installing the augmented drill mod on your Terrain Manipulator before you head out, as it cuts digging time in half for all buried resources.
Lesser-Known Tricks to Get Extra Salvaged Data Without Digging
Digging isn’t the only way to get your hands on salvaged data, and these alternative methods are perfect if you don’t enjoy spending hours digging through dirt or you’re already completing other in-game activities. My favorite non-digging method is completing expedition reward tracks, which are limited-time seasonal events that run every few months. Almost every expedition gives out stacks of 50 to 200 salvaged data as tier rewards for completing simple tasks, like scanning 10 creatures or visiting 3 different planets in a system. I once got 200 units of salvaged data from a single expedition playthrough that only took me 3 hours total, which saved me weeks of grinding.
You can also get salvaged data as a reward for helping to build structures in a player-owned settlement. Whenever a settlement posts a construction request, turning in the required materials will often give you 5 to 15 units of data as a thank you, plus you’ll gain standing with the settlement’s residents. If you frequent the Space Anomaly, pick up 2 or 3 exploration-focused Nexus missions every time you visit — many of these missions give 10 to 20 units of salvaged data as a bonus reward on top of the standard payout. These methods don’t give as much data per hour as targeted farming, but they’re a great way to build up a stockpile passively while you do other things you enjoy in the game.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hunting for Salvaged Data
Even if you know the best locations to farm data, small mistakes can waste a lot of your time and turn a quick farming run into a frustrating grind. The most common mistake new players make is ignoring their Analysis Visor’s full range. The Analysis Visor has a 300 unit detection range for buried tech, so you should keep it up as you walk across the planet surface and sweep it left and right to spot data sites you would have missed otherwise. I used to run straight from one marked icon to the next, but once I started sweeping my visor as I moved, I started finding twice as many data sites per trip.
Another mistake is wasting time digging up every single capsule you find. If you’re trying to farm as much data as possible, don’t stop for isolated single capsules that give 1 or 2 units of data. Focus on clusters of 3 or more icons, because those are usually larger sites that give far more data per dig. I also can’t tell you how many times I’ve landed on a dead planet with a full stack of data sites marked, only to realize I forgot to bring extra ferrite dust to refuel my Terrain Manipulator. Always keep at least 200 ferrite dust in your inventory before you head out on a farming run, or you’ll end up wasting time mining rock just to refuel your tool. Finally, try to stay at least 100 units away from Sentinel drones or Sentinel pillars while you’re digging, because triggering a wanted level will force you to run or fight instead of focusing on farming.
At the end of the day, farming salvaged data doesn’t have to be a tedious, hours-long grind if you know where to look and what tools to use. I still keep a stockpile of 100+ units of data in my inventory at all times, just in case I find a new base location or unlock a new tech tree I want to explore right away. Once you get the hang of how to find salvaged data in No Man’s Sky, you’ll be able to unlock every blueprint and upgrade you want without wasting time digging in the wrong spots. Don’t be afraid to test out different methods too — you might find that running Nexus missions works better for your playstyle than spending hours digging on dead planets, or that you love hunting for crashed freighters to get double the loot per trip. No matter what method you pick, you’ll be building out your dream base and upgrading your starship in no time.