Finding Every Mass Effect Keeper Location Without Losing Your Mind

You're standing on the Citadel, looking at a weird, green, multi-legged insectoid thing that’s basically ignoring you. Chorban wants you to scan them. All of them. It sounds easy enough until you realize the Citadel is a massive, sprawling space station and these guys are tucked into corners you didn't even know existed. Tracking down every single mass effect keeper location is arguably the most tedious rite of passage for any Mass Effect player, but honestly, it’s worth the XP and those sweet, sweet Credits early on.

Don't touch the keepers. That’s the golden rule of the Citadel. Of course, the first thing the game asks you to do is go around and scan them with a device that probably violates a dozen Council laws.

If you miss one, you’re stuck running laps around the Presidium like a lost tourist. It’s frustrating. Most people give up at 19/20 or 20/21. The struggle is real.

Why the "Scan the Keepers" Quest is Such a Headache

The quest "Citadel: Scan the Keepers" is given by Chorban or Jahleed. You usually bump into Chorban in the Citadel Towers right after your first hearing with the Council. He’s the nervous Salarian poking at a keeper. If you talk to him, he gives you the scanner. If you scare him off, you can still get the quest later from Jahleed in the C-Sec offices, but it’s just easier to grab it from Chorban right away.

There are 21 keepers in total. The game tells you that you only need 20, but there’s an extra one just in case you can’t find a specific one, or if you want that extra bit of data. However, in the Legendary Edition, the requirements and placements stayed mostly the same, though the lighting changes actually make some of them harder to spot against the high-res textures.

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Finding every mass effect keeper location isn't just about the reward. It’s about completion. It’s about knowing you saw everything this station had to offer before Saren tried to tear it apart.

Hunting in the Presidium: The Upper Crust Locations

The Presidium is huge. It’s peaceful, sure, but it’s a lot of walking. Start at the Citadel Tower. This is where you met Chorban.

There’s one keeper right next to where Chorban was standing. You can't miss it. As you head down the stairs toward the main transition area, look to your left in a small alcove for the second one. The third one in the Tower area is tucked away in the far corner, past the Council Chamber entrance, near some decorative greenery.

Now, head to the Embassies.
Inside the Embassy lounge, where the bar is, go out onto the balcony. There’s one keeper chilling out there enjoying the view of the Presidium ring. Walk back inside and head toward the Elcor and Volus embassy office. There's one in the back of that room. Then, check the hallway leading to the Executor’s office—another one is hiding there.

The Financial District and Wards Access area has a few more.

1. Near the Empyrean Light store (the one with the grumpy Salarian shopkeeper), there’s a keeper in the back corner.
2. Check the bridge leading toward the Consort’s Chambers. There’s one standing right on the walkway.
3. Inside the Sha'ira's (the Consort) lobby, you’ll find another one tucked away.

Down in the Wards: Where Things Get Gritty

The Wards feel different. It’s cramped. It’s dark. It’s exactly where a silent bio-organic robot would want to hang out.

Go to the Upper Wards first.
Near the Med Clinic (where you meet Dr. Michel), there’s a keeper just standing in the hallway. If you head toward the Markets, look behind the stalls. There’s one tucked in a corner near the back of the Upper Markets area.

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Flux and the Casino hold another secret.
Head up the stairs to the back of the casino area in Flux. There’s a keeper by the machines. People often miss this one because they get distracted by the Quasar stations or the dancing. Don't be that person. Scan the bug.

The Lower Wards are a bit of a maze.
Head down the stairs from the Upper Wards toward the C-Sec Academy. On the way, in a corridor that seems to lead nowhere, you’ll find one. Another is located near the entrance to the Ward Access lift.

The C-Sec Academy and Docking Bay

C-Sec is a hub of activity, but the keepers don't care about police business.

• Requisition Office: There’s one right in the room where you buy gear.
• Traffic Control: Go up the stairs in the C-Sec main hall to the air traffic control area. One is hanging out by the monitors.
• The Docks: Take the elevator to the docking bay where the Normandy is parked. Walk all the way to the end of the dock, past your ship. There’s a keeper at the very tip of the platform.

The One Everyone Misses

There is one specific mass effect keeper location that ruins everyone's "perfect" run. It’s the one in the Wards Access corridor.

When you take the elevator from the Presidium to the Wards, there’s a long hallway. Most people just run through it. Stop. Look in the side alcoves. There is a keeper just standing there in the middle of a transit hallway that serves no other purpose. It’s the definition of "hidden in plain sight."

Another tricky one is the keeper near the Preaching Hanar.
While the Hanar is arguing with the C-Sec officer about its right to spread the word of the Enkindlers, look behind the pillar nearby. The keeper is just doing its thing, completely oblivious to the theological debate happening five feet away.

Nuance: Should You Actually Do This?

Kinda.

From a lore perspective, scanning the keepers is frowned upon. The Council thinks it might disturb them. If the keepers get disturbed, they might stop working. If they stop working, the Citadel dies. No pressure.

But from a gameplay perspective? You need the XP. Early game Mass Effect is notoriously stingy with leveling. Completing this quest gives you a solid boost that can help you unlock better Persuasion or Intimidation options before you leave for your first major planet.

Interestingly, there is a small consequence in Mass Effect 2. If you help Chorban, you’ll run into him again on Illium. He’s a bit paranoid, thinking the keepers are going to "get him," but he shares some interesting data that hints at the Reapers' true nature long before the big reveal. If you don't do the quest, or if you kill Chorban (which you shouldn't), that flavor text is gone.

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Troubleshooting the "Glitchy" Scans

Sometimes, you’ll click "Scan" and nothing happens. Or the keeper just disappears. This usually happens because you’ve already scanned it and the game’s UI didn't update properly, or you’re standing at a weird angle.

The keepers have hitboxes that can be a bit wonky. If it’s not triggering:

• Save and reload. It’s the classic Bioware fix.
• Walk away until the area deloads, then come back.
• Check your quest log. It might actually be counted even if the animation didn't play.

Also, remember that you cannot scan them once you reach a certain point in the main story. Once the Citadel gets... let's say "complicated" toward the end of the game, the quest is gone. Do it as soon as you become a Spectre.

Actionable Steps for a Perfect Run

If you want to knock this out in twenty minutes and never think about it again, follow this flow:

1. Grab the Quest: Talk to Chorban immediately after the first Council meeting in the Citadel Tower.
2. Tower Sweep: Scan the 3 in the Tower before you even leave the area.
3. Presidium Loop: Hit the Embassies (3), the Bank/Shop area (2), the Consort’s area (2), and the Hanar/Presidium hub (1).
4. The Elevator Trick: Take the Wards Access elevator and scan the one in the middle of the hallway.
5. Ward Cleanup: Go to the Upper Wards (2), Flux Casino (1), and the Med Clinic area (1).
6. C-Sec and Docks: Hit the C-Sec Requisition office (1), Traffic Control (1), and the Docking Bay (1).
7. Final Turn-in: Go back to Chorban or Jahleed. Honestly, Jahleed is usually easier to find later on in the C-Sec offices.

Once you’ve scanned 20, the quest completes. You can find the 21st for extra credit, but it's mostly there as a safety net.

Don't overthink the lore implications while you're doing it. Yes, you're technically interfering with ancient, semi-sentient space-biological-robots that maintain a massive trap for organic life. But hey, you need those 200 Credits for a new pistol upgrade. Priorities, right?

Focus on the Tower and Embassies first since they are the most clustered. The ones in the Wards are the real time-wasters because of the elevators. If you're playing the Legendary Edition, use the fast-travel terminals to save your legs. Your Mako-weary knees will thank you later.