The economy of Destiny 2 revolves around a number of currencies and materials, and Upgrade Modules are likely to be at the top of a player's list of must-haves. They're required to upgrade the Light Level of guns and gear, yet they aren't as readily available as some of the game's other materials.

The grind for Upgrade Modules received a number of changes throughout the many seasons of Destiny 2, and it seems like Bungie has finally hit a sweet spot. Here are all the ways players can get Upgrade Modules — paid with in-game money or otherwise.

Updated November 22, 2023, by Marc Santos: This guide has been improved to include all sources of Upgrade Modules in Destiny 2, taking into account the changes the game has received since the launch of the Shadowkeep expansion.

How to Get Upgrade Modules

Players have a pretty healthy number of ways to actually acquire Upgrade Modules, some easier than others. For all intents and purposes, Banshee-14 should be considered the main source of Upgrade Modules — he sells them for 1x Enhancement Core, 10x Legendary Shards, and 5000 Glimmer a piece. Previously, Banshee used to sell modules in exchange for planetary materials. Once The Final Shape is released, the cost for Upgrade Modules is expected to change again due to the removal of Legendary Shards.

Related: Destiny 2: How the Beginning of the Game is Different in New Light

Additional Upgrade Modules can be earned at no expense to the player by increasing their Gunsmith Rank. This is done by completing daily Gunsmith bounties and dismantling weapons and armor. Upgrade Modules are rewarded upon reaching ranks 7 and 10, and more can be earned after players reset their Gunsmith rank once they reach max reputation.

One other way to earn Upgrade Modules for free is to equip the Modularity Ghost Mod. There are three versions of this mod, one corresponding to each of the core ritual activities (Strikes, Crucible, Gambit). Equip a Modularity mod for the playlist activity of choice, and successfully complete a match for a shot at earning an Upgrade Module.

Lastly, the seasonal rewards track has Upgrade Modules on both free and paid tracks. Don't forget to claim these, as well as the rest of the goodies included in the progression path.

How to Use Upgrade Modules

To upgrade weapons and armor, go to the inventory screen and inspect a piece of gear that needs upgrading. The first box under the Weapon Mods section of the Details screen is a drop-down box that shows all pieces of equipment under the same category. Select one that's of a higher level, then hold down the Dismantle for Infusion button as shown on the screen. This will consume the targeted item and raise the Light Level of the selected gear piece according to the Light Level of the sacrificed item.

Players cannot infuse gear using lower-level items. Any sacrificial gun or armor piece must always be at least one Light Level higher than the piece of gear players want to upgrade. To get higher-level items, complete activities that reward Powerful or Pinnacle gear. All the weekly ritual activities (including raids and dungeons) are often the best source of these.