Expand Storage in Arknights Endfield: Use Backpack and Depot Upgrades

What to know

• Backpack capacity is fixed and cannot be permanently upgraded
• Depots are the real long-term storage and scale with construction
• Depot Loaders automate transfers from your Backpack to storage
• Early setup prevents inventory bottlenecks later in progression

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Right from your first few hours in Arknights Endfield, storage management becomes a quiet but critical system. Resources pile up quickly, enemies drop materials nonstop, and before long your Backpack hits its limit. This guide breaks down how Backpack and Depot storage actually work, what you can and cannot expand, and how to set up an efficient system early so storage never slows you down.

How Backpack and Depot storage systems differ

Backpack storage and its hard limits

The Backpack is your character’s personal inventory. Every item you pick up in the field—loot drops, gathered materials, dismantled parts, crafted outputs delivered to you—goes here first.

The important thing to understand is that Backpack capacity is fixed by design. Most early loaders have a capacity around 50 slots, with each slot holding a stack of a single item type. Once the Backpack is full, you cannot pick up new items until space is cleared.

There is currently no upgrade path, skill, research, or item that permanently increases Backpack size. This is intentional. The Backpack is meant to be temporary, not a warehouse.

Depot storage and why it matters more

The Depot is your real storage solution. It is an AIC-connected system that can hold thousands of items per resource type, often up to 10,000 units depending on the depot configuration.

Unlike the Backpack, Depots scale with progression. You expand storage by:

• Building additional Depots
• Connecting them properly to AIC
• Adding Depot Loaders to automate transfers

Most of your long-term resources—ores, refined materials, components, production outputs—are meant to live in Depots, not on your character.

Arknights Endfield Backpack vs Depot

Feature	Backpack	Depot
Used during exploration	Yes	No
Capacity	Very limited	Extremely large
Expandable	No	Yes
Automation support	No	Yes
Intended purpose	Temporary carry	Long-term storage

Why you cannot expand Backpack capacity

Many players look for a Backpack upgrade early, but the game clearly pushes a different philosophy. Endfield’s logistics loop is built around movement and transfer, not hoarding.

Backpack limitations encourage you to:

• Build infrastructure early
• Use AIC systems correctly
• Return to base or depots regularly
• Automate material handling instead of manual carrying

Instead of expanding the Backpack, the game gives you better ways to empty it automatically, which is functionally more powerful.

How to expand your total storage using Depots

How to unlock and build Depots early

Depots become available very early through base progression and tutorial objectives. Once unlocked, they can be placed within your AIC-controlled area.

Each Depot dramatically increases how many resources you can store overall. Multiple Depots stack their capacity, so storage scales horizontally rather than through upgrades.

How Depot Loaders change everything

Depot Loaders are the single most important storage structure in the early game. They act as a bridge between your Backpack and the Depot network.

If linked to AIC Level 2, this transfer can happen passively while you play, meaning you no longer need to manually dump items every time you return to base.

How to expand storage with multiple depots

Storage expansion does not rely on upgrading a single Depot. Instead:

• Each new Depot adds its own capacity pool
• Specialized depots can be placed near production zones
• Remote depots reduce travel and overflow during exploration

Later regions often benefit from localized depots, especially near high-yield gathering areas.

How to manage storage efficiently from the start

Step 1: Build a Depot Loader as soon as possible

This should be one of your first infrastructure goals. Even a single loader dramatically reduces micromanagement and prevents Backpack lockups.

Step 2: Link the loader to AIC Level 2

AIC Level 2 enables automated transfers. Without this connection, you will still need manual interaction, which defeats much of the system’s purpose.

Step 3: Prioritize high-value and high-volume items

Items like pylons, construction materials, and refined components should always move to the Depot first. These fill Backpack slots quickly and are rarely needed on-hand.

Step 4: Handle trash items proactively

Low-value drops can clog your Backpack fast. If an item is not used in crafting, has low sell value or is easily farmed later it is often better to discard or recycle it at a Recycling Station rather than store it indefinitely.

Step 5: Use remote depots for long routes

As you move farther from your main base, Backpack pressure increases. Remote depots let you dump materials without full backtracking, especially useful during exploration-heavy objectives.

Common storage mistakes to avoid

One frequent mistake is treating the Backpack like a traditional RPG inventory. Doing this leads to constant overflow and wasted time.

Another is delaying Depot construction. Players who push combat or exploration without infrastructure often hit progression walls that feel artificial but are entirely avoidable.

Finally, ignoring automation means spending unnecessary time managing menus instead of advancing content.

Storage expansion means easy automated farming

Storage in Arknights: Endfield is less about carrying more and more about building smarter systems. Your Backpack will always be limited, but that limitation pushes you toward automation, depots, and efficient logistics. Once you lean into that design, inventory stops being a problem entirely and becomes part of the game’s strategic depth.

System	Expandable	How expansion works
Backpack	No	Fixed by design
Depot	Yes	Build more depots and loaders
Automation	Yes	AIC-linked Depot Loaders
Regional storage	Yes	Remote depots and outposts

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Thanks for taking the time to go through this storage guide for Arknights Endfield. If it helped you understand things better, do share your thoughts, impressions, or doubts in the comments section. We keep a close watch and try to respond promptly to ensure you always get the support you need.