How to Thoroughly Fix "Ship has Unattached Modules" in Starfield

As a passionate Starfield player and spaceship building enthusiast, I‘ve spent countless hours designing and customizing ships. But no matter how meticulous I try to be, I still occasionally see those dreaded words – "Ship has unattached modules."

If you‘re anything like me, dealing with unattached ship modules can quickly zap the joy from an otherwise fun experience crafting your interstellar dream machine. But with the right techniques, you can efficiently diagnose and resolve unattached modules to get back to adventuring across the galaxies!

In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn:

What causes modules to detach in Starfield‘s ship builder
How to visually identify unattached modules on your ships
Proven tips to properly re-attach and connect floating modules
Strategies to prevent unattached modules when designing ships
Additional troubleshooting if issues persist

I‘ve helped dozens of frustrated spaceship commanders fix this pesky issue. So whether you‘re playing Starfield on PC, Xbox, or PlayStation, use this guide to finally conquer unattached modules!

Understanding Starfield‘s Ship Building System

Before diving into fixes, let‘s quickly cover how Starfield‘s ship builder works. Your options for customizing ships are incredibly robust – but that flexibility comes with complexity.

Starfield gives you an incredibly flexible ship builder for maximum customization

You can start with preset hulls or build entirely unique shapes. From there, you add modular pieces like wings, engines, crew quarters, and weapons. The key is connecting modules to valid hardpoints on your ship‘s framework based on power draw and physical layout.

If pieces aren‘t joined correctly, they end up floating uselessly in space around your ship, unable to function. This manifests as "unattached modules," which prevents you from undocking.

Now let‘s explore exactly why this happens and how to fix it…

Reasons for Unattached Ship Modules

Before you can properly reconnect them, it helps to understand what causes modules to detach in the first place. From my experience, here are the most common culprits:

Placing modules too far from attachment points on your ship‘s framework
Failing to align modules with the physical contours and shape of your ship
Exceeding the power limit of your selected reactor class as you add more modules
Encountering placement bugs that prevent modules from connecting

I‘ve also noticed certain types of parts are more prone to accidental detachment – exposed engines in particular. The game‘s attach logic seems to struggle with them at times.

But whether it‘s engines, weapons, crew pods, or any other module, the "unattached" error ultimately comes down to improper placement.

Identifying Which Modules Are Unattached

When you try to launch only to be blocked by the unattached module warning, the first step is figuring out which parts are affected.

The quickest way to diagnose detached modules is:

Hover over your ship with the build menu open and press "LB" on your controller. This highlights all attached modules in red.
Any modules NOT highlighted red are unattached. Look for them floating in space around your ship.
Make note of which specific modules are unattached so you can systematically reconnect them.

You can also enter your ship‘s interior – unattached modules will have a "Detach" option rather than "Uninstall" when interacting.

Use Lighting to Pinpoint Module Issues

Try turning off interior lighting to easily spot unattached modules outside your ship

Another trick I like to use is disabling the ship‘s interior lighting from the electrical panel. This plunges the interior into darkness, making it incredibly easy to spot any floating unattached modules outside through the windows.

How To Reattach and Connect Unattached Modules

Once you‘ve identified your detached parts, it‘s time to get them properly connected. Reattaching unattached modules takes patience and practice.

Position Modules Near Attachment Points

Focus first on moving the unattached modules closer to your ship‘s framework. Get them near connection hardpoints before trying to lock them in. You‘ll hear clicking when modules get close to attaching.

Align Modules with Your Ship‘s Contours

Pay attention to matching the physical shape and angle of modules with your ship‘s architecture. If pieces aren‘t aligned, they won‘t connect regardless of proximity.

Watch Your Reactor Power Limits

As you add more modules, make sure your total power draw doesn‘t exceed your currently equipped reactor class limits:

Reactor Class	Power Limit
Class I	400
Class II	800
Class III	1200

If so, you‘ll need to upgrade your reactor or remove some power-hungry modules first.

Enter Build Mode to Add Hardpoints

If you‘re consistently struggling to find attachment points, enter build mode and add hardpoints to your framework where you want modules to connect. This gives you more options.

Persist Through Frustrating Placements

Some modules with awkward shapes may take trial and error before they lock in. Don‘t get discouraged – keep adjusting the angle and distance. Listen for clicking sounds indicating you‘re close to connecting.

Once properly attached, your formerly unattached modules become fully operational parts of your ship!

Preventing Unattached Modules When Building Ships

Learning how to fix detached modules is useful – but it‘s even better to avoid unattached issues altogether when designing your ships.

Here are some pro tips to integrate from the start:

Frequently highlight attached modules as you build to catch any detachments early
Focus first on framework shape and hardpoints before placing modules
Resize and rotate framework to accommodate modules appropriately
Analyze reactor class limits and plan module power draw accordingly
Use symmetry tools and snap points to easily mirror matched sets of modules

Planning ahead will make your shipbuilding process smoother. But mistakes still happen – so also get comfortable with recoupling detached pieces using the steps above.

Troubleshooting Persistent Unattached Module Issues

Hopefully the guidance in this guide allows you to successfully reattach any loose modules. But if you still can‘t get certain pieces connected no matter what you try, here are some additional troubleshooting steps:

Try completely uninstalling the problematic modules and adding fresh copies
Reload an earlier save from before the detachment happened
Verify game files or reinstall Starfield if connection issues persist
Check Starfield forums and patch notes for bugs related to module attachment

Though frustrating, handling detached modules is thankfully very manageable once you know how. With the strategies outlined here, you‘ll be piloting your flawlessly designed ships free of "unattached" errors.

Safe journeys through the Settled Systems, Captain! Let me know if you have any other questions.