Subnautica 2: How to Get Bioscanner (Blueprint Location & Crafting Recipe)

TL;DR

• The Bioscanner is an upgraded Scanner that can read alien tech and unlock Biomods.
• Find the degraded Bioscanner inside the Cicada Wreck, roughly 1,800 meters east of the Lifepod.
• You need a Repair Tool to enter the wreck and reach the blueprint.
• Craft it at a Modification Station using 1 Scanner, 2 Enameled Glass, and 3 Conduit Crystal.
• Use it to scan fauna, flora, and Axum tech to unlock Biomods at the Biolab.

The Bioscanner is one of the most important tools in Subnautica 2. It upgrades your basic Scanner and lets you analyze alien technology and lifeforms. Without it, you cannot unlock the higher-tier Biomods or scan Axum structures. This guide shows you exactly where to find the blueprint and how to craft it.

What Is the Bioscanner in Subnautica 2?

The Bioscanner is a modified version of the standard Scanner. It is powered by Axum technology, which is the alien civilization you encounter deeper in the game. The regular Scanner works fine for early blueprints and basic objects. But once you reach the second major region, you need the Bioscanner to progress.

Here is what makes it different:

• It scans Axum alien technology that the regular Scanner cannot read.
• It scans fauna and flora to unlock Biomods at your Biolab.
• It is the only tool that lets you interact with key alien structures like the Power Plant turbine.

If you are still working on early tools, check out our guide on how to craft the Scanner first before chasing the Bioscanner.

What You Need Before Getting the Bioscanner

Before heading out, make sure you have the right gear. Going unprepared means a wasted trip.

• Repair Tool – You cannot enter the wreck without it. There is a damaged door blocking the path. See our guide on how to get the Repair Tool.
• Tadpole submarine – The wreck is nearly 1,800 meters east of the Lifepod. A Tadpole makes the journey much easier. Learn how to build a Tadpole if you have not done so yet.
• Flashlight – The wreck interior is dark and narrow. Bring it. Here are the Flashlight blueprint locations.
• Extra food and water – It is a long swim through more hostile territory.
• Enough oxygen – The deeper parts of the wreck take time to navigate. See how to increase oxygen if needed.

Where to Find the Bioscanner Blueprint

There is only one degraded Bioscanner in the entire game. It sits inside the Cicada Wreck (EVA Prep), which is located in the second major region of the map, the one with darker, greener water and alien structures.

Bioscanner Location: Step by Step

1. Head to the Alien Ruins. This is the main landmark in the second region. If you have the Blackbox – Iso Signal active from the NOA Terminal, follow it. It leads directly to the wreck.
2. From the Alien Ruins, travel at roughly 125 degrees (between east and southeast). Keep going until you spot a tall tower with four purple lights at the top. It is visible even in dark water.
3. The Cicada Wreck sits to the left of that tower, on the edge of a tall cliff. It is about 600 meters southeast of the Alien Ruins Signal and roughly 1,800 meters east of your Lifepod.
4. Look at the base of the wreck for a damaged door. Use your Repair Tool to open it.
5. Head inside and swim through the vents and holes in the walls. Keep going straight and follow the tunnel downward.
6. You will pass through a cracked opening and descend down a broken chamber.
7. At the bottom, near another damaged door, you will find the degraded Bioscanner.
8. Scan it once to unlock the crafting blueprint.

While you are there, also scan the Modification Station inside the wreck. You will need that to build the Bioscanner, and missing it here means another trip later. The wreck also contains a Photovoltaic Charger and the Iso Blackbox, so explore carefully before leaving.

You can exit through the damaged door at the bottom using your Repair Tool as a shortcut back out.

How to Craft the Bioscanner

The Bioscanner is not made at the Fabricator. It is a tool upgrade built at a Modification Station, which is only available in the second major section of the game.

Bioscanner Crafting Recipe

• 1x Scanner – Your existing standard Scanner is consumed in the upgrade.
• 2x Enameled Glass – Crafted at the Fabricator using Glass and Creature Enamel.
• 3x Conduit Crystal – Found near the Alien Power Plant in the far eastern region, roughly 750+ meters east of the Alien Ruins.

Once you have all three ingredients, go to your Modification Station and craft the Bioscanner. It replaces your Scanner, so do not worry about having a separate one in your inventory.

Where to Get Enameled Glass

Enameled Glass is crafted from Glass and Creature Enamel. Creature Enamel is found roughly 280 meters southeast of the Alien Ruins at bearing 150. You will see large tooth-like clusters near Needler Mango plants. Use the Sonic Resonator on the base of those clusters to harvest the enamel. Check out our full guide on where to find Creature Enamel for more details.

Where to Get Conduit Crystal

Conduit Crystal only grows near the Alien Power Plant in the far east. These look like kelp-like objects and grow near corrupted Rockbore and Angel Comb areas. They tend to drop just one unit per deposit, so plan to search the area carefully. For help with nearby alien structures, see our Angel Comb puzzle guide.

How to Build a Modification Station

If you have not built a Modification Station yet, you will need to do that before crafting the Bioscanner. The Modification Station blueprint can be scanned inside the Cicada Wreck, the same place you find the Bioscanner blueprint.

You will need your Habitat Builder to place it in your base. If you have not set one up yet, see our guide on how to unlock the Habitat Builder and start building your base. For ideas on what else to build early, take a look at what to build in your base first.

You also need to make sure your base has power running. No power means the Modification Station will not work. Our guide on how to add power to your base walks you through that.

What Does the Bioscanner Do?

Once you have it crafted, the Bioscanner becomes a core tool for mid and late-game progression. Here is what it unlocks:

• Scan Axum technology – Objects and structures the regular Scanner cannot read, including the large turbine at the Power Plant.
• Unlock Biomods – Scanning fauna and flora with the Bioscanner feeds progress into the Biomod tree at your Biolab. Biomods give your character genetic upgrades like improved speed, oxygen efficiency, and heat resistance.
• Re-scan creatures – Even if you scanned a creature with the regular Scanner earlier, scan them again with the Bioscanner. The Bioscanner counts differently for Biomod progress.

There are currently five Active Biomods and ten Passive Biomods to unlock in Subnautica 2 on Steam. They range from scanning a Water Slug all the way up to the Collector Leviathan. The Bioscanner is the only way to start unlocking most of them.

For players on console, the game is also available via Xbox Game Preview.

Tips Before You Go

• Do not go to the Cicada Wreck without a Repair Tool. You will hit a locked door and have to turn back.
• Scan the Modification Station inside the wreck if you have not already. You need it to build the Bioscanner.
• Stock up on batteries. The Bioscanner runs on a single battery just like the regular Scanner. Check out our guide on how to recharge tools and batteries.
• Go deeper into the wreck before leaving. The Photovoltaic Charger for the Tadpole is also here. See our guide on how to go deeper with the Tadpole Depth Module.
• Bring enough inventory space. You will want to collect materials while you are in the area. See how to increase inventory space before the trip.
• After crafting the Bioscanner, revisit alien biomes and scan everything again for Biomod progress.

Bioscanner vs Regular Scanner: Key Differences

Many players wonder if the Bioscanner fully replaces the Scanner or if they are different tools. Here is a quick comparison:

• The Bioscanner consumes your Scanner in the crafting process. It is a direct upgrade, not a second tool.
• The regular Scanner can scan basic objects, gear fragments, and early blueprints. The Bioscanner does all of that plus alien tech and creatures for Biomods.
• Both tools use a battery and work the same way mechanically. The Bioscanner just reads more.

If you are still early in the game and working through the first region, focus on unlocking blueprints first. The blueprint unlocking guide covers how that system works. Once you are ready for the second region, come back here for the Bioscanner.

Note

The Bioscanner is a big step in Subnautica 2’s progression. It is the key that opens alien tech scanning and the full Biomod system. The trip to get it takes preparation, but it is worth doing properly. Bring the Repair Tool, explore the whole wreck, pick up the Modification Station blueprint while you are there, and start farming Conduit Crystal before you leave the area.

For more help starting out and pushing through the game, check out our beginner tips and tricks and our best early upgrades and progression path.