Skyrim has three official DLCs: Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn. If you play Special Edition, Anniversary Edition, the Switch version or Skyrim VR, you already own all three and don’t need to buy anything. Here you’ll find the order they came out in, what each one adds, when you can start it and exactly where it begins. Everything is verified as of 19 October 2026.
Skyrim DLC in release order
The add-ons came out across 2012 and 2013. All three started with 30 days of Xbox 360 exclusivity, so they reached PC only after that.
| DLC | PC release | What it’s about | When you can start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawnguard | 2 August 2012 | vampires, the Dawnguard faction against the Volkihar vampire clan | from level 10 |
| Hearthfire | 5 October 2012 | building a house, adopting children | after a task for the jarl, with 5,000 gold |
| Dragonborn | 5 February 2013 | the island of Solstheim, Miraak | after the quest The Way of the Voice |
Release order is also a sensible play order, but nothing forces you to follow it. Each add-on opens up on its own condition, so in practice your level and main quest progress decide what you can play first.
Dawnguard: vampires and vampire hunters
Dawnguard pits two factions against each other: the vampire hunters of the Dawnguard and the Volkihar vampire clan. According to UESP, it adds 39 quests.
You can start it from level 10. Guards or the characters Durak or Agmaer will approach you, or you’ll hear a rumour from a city guard. One thing to watch: after installation, Dawnguard doesn’t add a quest to your journal straight away. If your level is lower, you simply wait for the first quest.
Hearthfire: your own home and family
Hearthfire is the housing add-on. You buy a plot of land, build a house on it and later you can adopt children. There are three plots and each one costs 5,000 gold. You buy them from the jarl or the jarl’s steward in these holds:
- Falkreath
- Hjaalmarch (Morthal)
- The Pale (Dawnstar)
You build at the drafting table and the carpenter’s workbench. Hearthfire doesn’t depend on the main quest, but you can only buy a plot after completing a task for the jarl of that hold. UESP lists the exact conditions for each plot.
Dragonborn: Solstheim and Miraak
Dragonborn takes you beyond Skyrim to the island of Solstheim, where you run into Miraak. The add-on brings new shouts, including one that lets you control dragons, and 10 achievements.
You can only start it after finishing The Way of the Voice from the main quest. In the first town you visit afterwards, cultists ambush you. To reach Solstheim, take the ship Northern Maiden from the Windhelm docks, which sails to Raven Rock.
Which editions include the DLC
All three add-ons are part of Special Edition, Anniversary Edition, the Nintendo Switch version and Skyrim VR. Special Edition is a remaster that includes them from the start.
Anniversary Edition also adds the Creation Club content released up to 11 November 2021, including 26 new Creations such as Ghosts of the Tribunal and The Cause. The differences between the editions and what the Anniversary Upgrade adds are covered in our edition comparison.
Skyrim VR has all three add-ons, but not the Anniversary Upgrade content.
If a quest gets stuck
On PC you can push a stuck quest forward with the setstage command, which moves a quest to the stage you choose. Quest IDs and stage numbers are on the quest’s page on UESP. Save before you try anything, because some commands can break a quest or a save. The details are in our list of console commands. There is no command console on PlayStation, Xbox or Switch.
If you’re just starting out, read the beginner’s guide first. Dawnguard and Dragonborn only open up after your first hours anyway.
Join our Discord and ask other players which add-on to start with: GamersTogether Discord.
FAQ
Release order works: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, then Dragonborn. Each add-on has its own unlock condition, though, so you can mix it up. Dawnguard from level 10, Hearthfire after a task for the jarl and with 5,000 gold, and Dragonborn after The Way of the Voice.
From level 10, guards or Durak or Agmaer will approach you, or you’ll hear a rumour from a city guard. The quest isn’t added to your journal right after installation.
After The Way of the Voice, cultists ambush you in the first town you visit. Then head to the Windhelm docks, where the Northern Maiden sails to Raven Rock.
From the jarl or the jarl’s steward in Falkreath, Hjaalmarch (Morthal) or The Pale (Dawnstar). Each of the three plots costs 5,000 gold, and you can buy it only after a task for the jarl.
Not in Special Edition, Anniversary Edition, the Switch version or Skyrim VR. All three add-ons are included.
Information verified on 19 October 2026. More guides are waiting in our Skyrim guides.