Thankfully, Genshin Devs offers a lot of ways to get 4 or 5-star characters in Genshin Impact for free. In this guide, I will share how to get a 5-star character in Genshin Impact for free or without wishes through events.
For absolute noobies, I would also be sharing how Genshin’s in-game currency, aka Primogems, StarGlitter & Stardust, works. Other new players can skip to the relevant part of the guide using the quick links below.
Quick Takeaway: In this guide, find the opportunities available throughout the year to unlock free characters in Genshin Impact through the anniversary selector and Lantern Rite. Additionally, it explains how to unlock constellations for 5-star characters using the upcoming “Masterless Stella Fortuna.” For newcomers, it also includes a rough estimate of the pulls/wishes that can be earned simply by playing.
Quick Links To The Various Parts Of The Article
- How to Get Characters in Genshin Impact for Free
- How To Get A 5-star Character In Genshin Impact for Free
- Unlock free 5 Star Genhin Impact Character’s Constellations
- How To Get A 4-star Character In Genshin Impact for Free
- Final Verdict: Can You Get All Characters In Genshin Impact For Free
- FAQs
How To Get Characters In Genshin Impact for Free
Use Primogems, StarGlitter, & Stardust To Unlock Free Characters
Like most games, Genshin Impact features in-game currency that can be obtained by spending money or gradually through gameplay. Primogems are star-shaped and used to wish for characters.
The cost of one wish is 160 Primogems, and every 10th wish guarantees you a 4-star weapon or 4-star character with a possibility of a 5 Star one.
As a free-to-play player, you can get Primogems from
- Doing Genshin Daily Commission gives you 60 primogems. By playing every day, I got 1800 primogems every month to pull for my favourite characters. If I ever felt like not playing, I simply turned my Resins into condensed Resins, which still allows you to claim daily commission.
- If your Characters are decently developed, then you can do Spiral Abyss. Getting 36 stars in the Spiral Abyss gives you 800 Primogems.
- Similar to Spiral Abyss, Genshin Impact has launched a new endgame mode, Stygian Onslaught. This game mode features different difficulty modes to fight bosses, allowing you to earn up to 450 Primogems for clearing the first 3 levels. However, I found it to be a little difficult than Spiral Abyss. Thankfully, you can take help from your friends as this mode allows co-op.
- You can get an additional 800 Primogems from doing Imaginaurium Theatre every month
Following these steps, you will be able to get a total of 3,850 Primogems, which equates to 24 pulls/wishes every month.
Other Sources To Get Free Wishes When Nearing Pity To Hit Hard Pity
Similarly, you can get additional pull using the Starglitter & Stardust, which you earn passively when you wish for characters. Every time I unlocked a constellation of any four or five-star characters, I received 5 StarGlitter or 25 StarGlitter, depending on whether the character was already a 6-star.
Using StarGlitter, I was able to purchase Interwined Fate to pull on limited character banners and Acquaint Fate to pull on standard banners.
Moreover, each time you pull, you will get 15 Stardust regardless of whether you get a 3-star weapon, a 4-star character, a 4-star weapon, or a 5-star character. Genshin allows you to buy 5 Interwined Fate & Acquaint Fate every month using Starrdust.
How To Get A 5-star Character In Genshin Impact for Free
During Genshin’s version 5.0 Stream, Devs announced that every year, Genshin players would get a free 5-star selector. You will be getting a free standard banner character to choose from on Genshin Impact’s anniversary.
In 2025, you & I will get the opportunity to choose 1 free character from
- Dehya
- Mizuki
- Keqing
- Qiqi
- Jean
- Tighnari
- Diluc
Last year, Genshin Impact celebrated its anniversary from 28th September to 9th October 2024. Along with a free standard character, you will also get 10 Interwined Fate to pull on the limited banner.
Can I Get A Free Genhin Impact Character’s Constellations For Free?
Watch the official announcement above with subtitles on
With the Genshin Impact version “Luna I” launching on 2025/12/01, 3:59, players will be able to participate in the brand new “To Temper Thyself and Journey far” event to unlock constellation characters for certain characters for free.
Players can unlock up to one constellation per cycle and up to four constellations for four different characters in a year for free!. However, it is to be noted that you would need to have at least one copy/C0 of the character to unlock the free 5-star constellation in Genshin Impact.
Moreover, you can only unlock free constellations of only 25 characters mentioned in the list below. So if you are new and don’t have any of the 5-star characters mentioned below, then you won’t be able to unlock the constellation.
Veteran players with C6 characters can still go for the duplicate copy/C7 and earn the brand new “Masterless Stella Fortuna” ascension material that allows you to level up characters up to 100. According to the devs, leveling up your character to 100 will enhance their abilities by raising their base stats.
List of Genshin Free Constellation Characters:
- Baizhu
- Dehya
- Wanderer
- Nilou
- Cyno
- Tighnari
- Kamisato Ayato
- Yae Miko
- Shenhe
- Arataki Itto
- Kokomi
- Sangonomiya Yoimiya
- Kamisato Ayaka
- Eula
- Hu Tao
- Xiao
- Ganyu
- Albedo
- Tartaglia
- Klee
- Keqing
- Mona
- Qiqi
- Diluc
- Jean
At present, developers appear to be prioritizing older 5-star characters for free constellation eligibility, and it remains unclear if the roster will expand; if it does, the most likely window would be a future anniversary cycle.
While many players are outraged that Genshin devs are not giving free characters, I think they made it clear during the presentation that they want to support players who invested in characters early on. So if you pulled for Arataki Itto when the character came out, ignoring the META, then you should definitely be rewarded.
How To Get A 4-star Character In Genshin Impact for Free
Every year, Genshin gives away a 4-star Liyue character to celebrate the Chinese New Year during the Lantern Rite event. Just like the 5-star selector for the anniversary, you will get a 4-star selector banner for all Liyue 4 stars.
This year, Genshin 4-star selector had the following characters to choose from-
- Beidou
- Chongyun
- Gaming
- Ningguang
- Xiangling
- Xinqiu
- Xinyan
- Yaoyao
- Yanfei
- Yun Jin
- Lan Yan
Choose the character that will be the most valuable for your account.
Get 4 Star Characters Through Events
Genshin also gives away 4-star characters for free through limited-time events like the Tournament of Glory in Bloom Event in 2025. During this event, everyone got a free copy of Ororon.
Not just characters, we even got a free Bennett skin during the Adventures in Blazing Hue event. I grabbed the Bennett skin while playing the event. However, these are limited-time events, and rewards won’t be available if you miss them.
Unlock Characters By Playing The Game
As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock more characters to round out your roster. Your team will end up with solid elemental coverage.
Here’s how you can add each element to your lineup:
- Geo: Pull Noelle from the guaranteed beginner’s banner. Later on, reaching Natlan grants access to Kachina, a Geo polearm user who shines with the Cinder City artifact set.
- Hydro: Barbara unlocks when you reach AR 18. Similar to Kachina, we will also be getting Aino as a free Hydro Claymore character in Nod Krai.
- Anemo: Unlock Lynette once you reach AR 25.
- Pyro: Earn Amber through the Archon Quest, and unlock Xiangling by clearing Abyss Floor 3.
- Dendro: Once you clear Abyss Floor 4, you unlock Collei.
- Cryo: Complete the Archon Quest to get Kaeya.
- Electro: Complete the Archon Quest to get Lisa.
- The Traveler remains your original free 5-star, able to switch between Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Pyro, or Hydro as you explore new regions.
You Might Also Be Interested in
Final Verdict: Can You Get All Characters In Genshin Impact For Free?
I know there are a lot of free primogems that an F2P player can earn through playing Genshin, but it’s still not possible to unlock all characters. There is always a possibility of losing your 50-50, and new characters are always a patch away. So, it’s important you choose the right character with the pulls you earn.
I always try to pull for supports like Xilonen, Citali, Kazuha, and so on, as I believe them to be a great value to my account overall. However, you can go for DPS or any character you like, but you won’t be able to get all characters in Genshin Impact for free.
F.A.Qs
Genshin gives a free copy for a 5 star standard banner character every year on the anniversary and a 4-Star Liyue character every year during Lantern Rite event. Some limited time events like Tournament of Glory in Bloom will give you free 4 star character like Ororon as well.
You can choose a copy of Diluc from free 5 Star selector on Genshin Impact's Anniversary.
You can unlock Collei after clearing floor 4.
Once you reach AR25 you unlock Lynette.
You get free Kachina after completing earlier storyline of Natlan Archon Quest.
No, Kazuha is a limited 5 star character and only be unlocked by wishing and winning your 50-50.
Dendro and Pyro Traveler strongest version of the travel, one enable powerful dendro reaction while Pyro one can hold Cinder city artifact sets.
Genshin is rumored to be giving away Aino a free 4 Star hydro character to help travelers solve and complete puzzles.