You're standing in front of a locked drawer in the Village, staring at the prompt that says you need a small key. It’s frustrating. You know there’s probably a Gold Chicken Egg or a high-value treasure sitting right behind that piece of wood, but the game isn't exactly generous with where it puts the keys. Resident Evil 4 Remake treats these things like gold dust. If you miss one early on, backtracking isn't always an option because the game loves to wall off sections as you progress.
Honestly, the RE4 small key locations are a bit of a nightmare if you're trying to do a completionist run or just want enough Pesetas to upgrade your Red9 before the first "El Gigante" fight. These keys are single-use items. You find one, you use one, and it vanishes. Unlike the Crank or the Insignia Key, these aren't plot-critical, which actually makes them easier to overlook. But if you want the "Bandit" or "Burglar" trophies, or just that sweet, sweet loot, you've gotta be meticulous.
Why the Village Small Keys Matter Early On
Most players think they can just loop back later. You can't. Once you head to the Castle, the Village is gone for good. The first of the RE4 small key locations you'll likely encounter—or miss—is in the Valley. This is the area where you meet the first group of Ganados throwing dynamite from the rafters. It's chaotic. Most people just grab the Eagle Medal and run for their lives. Big mistake. Inside the shack on the south side, there's a small key sitting in a case.
If you miss that one, you're already behind.
Then there’s the Village Chief’s Manor. After the narrow escape from Bitores Méndez, you'll find a key on a stack of papers in the corner of the dining room. It’s just sitting there. No glowing prompt from across the room, just a prompt once you're basically touching it. This key is specifically meant for the locked drawer back in the Village Square—the one in the house where you probably hid from the Chainsaw Man earlier.
The Lake and the Fish Farm Grind
The Lake area is where the RE4 small key locations start getting spread out across the water. You’ve got the boat, the fuel is a pain to find, and Del Lago is waiting. Don't rush to the boat. Check the Fish Farm. At the very end of the boardwalks, near the building where you find the boat fuel, there's a small shed. Inside a drawer? Another key.
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What's tricky here is that the game expects you to remember a locked drawer way back at the Lakeside Settlement. You know, the place where Luis was tied up in a sack? Yeah, that one. If you don't grab the Fish Farm key, you're leaving a Pearl Bangle behind. It’s worth a lot of money when inlaid with some decent gems.
Tracking RE4 Small Key Locations in the Castle
The Castle is a different beast entirely. It’s vertical. It’s confusing. And the keys are hidden in places that make the Village look like child's play. When you first enter the Castle and survive the catapults, you'll eventually hit the Audience Chamber. There's a locked drawer there, but you won't find the key for a while.
The first Castle key is actually in the Bindery. This is the room where you do the lithographic stone puzzle. Look for the small desk near the window. It’s incredibly easy to miss because you’re usually focused on the creepy armor or the puzzle itself.
The Grand Hall and Beyond
Later, in the Grand Hall, things get even more obscured. There’s a key hidden in a hallway leading toward the Armory. You have to look for a small dresser. Most people just sprint through here because the Golden Knights (Armaduras) are terrifying on Professional difficulty. Don't sprint. Stop. Look.
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Then there's the one near the Ballroom. After you've dealt with the Novistadors—those invisible bug things that everyone hates—you’ll find a key tucked away in a corner of the prep room. This opens the drawer back in the Audience Chamber. If you didn't open it earlier, you'll have to hike all the way back. It’s a trek, but the reward is usually an Ornate Necklace or something equally pricey.
The reality is that RE4 small key locations are designed to reward players who slow down. The remake is faster than the 2005 original. Leon moves better, the combat is snappier, and the tension is higher. Capcom knows this. They placed these keys in the "quiet" moments specifically to see if you're paying attention or just trying to survive.
I've seen plenty of players complain that they ended the game with three "Small Keys" in their inventory. That's a tragedy. That’s thousands of Pesetas wasted. If you have the key, you must have missed a drawer. If you found a drawer, you probably haven't searched the previous two rooms thoroughly enough.
The Misconception About Key Priority
A lot of people think you should save keys for "better" chests. That's not how it works. There are exactly as many keys as there are locked drawers in the game. You don't need to prioritize. You just need to find them. If you’re playing on Hardcore or Professional, these keys are actually your lifeline. Upgrading your weapon damage is the only way to keep the crowd control manageable, and those upgrades are expensive.
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Critical Locations You Probably Missed
- The Lakeside Settlement: You have to go back here after getting the Insignia Key. There’s a door you couldn't open before. Behind it, a forest path leads to an altar. There’s a key there.
- The Church: People forget the side room in the Church. There’s a key on the desk. This opens the drawer in the save room right outside.
- The Castle Battlements: While you’re dodging the giant throwing rocks, there’s a key in one of the towers. Most people are too busy not dying to look for it.
The most annoying one? Definitely the one near the Mines. In the area where you fight the two El Gigantes with Luis, there’s a small key in the transition area before the lift. It’s literally just sitting on a crate. If you trigger the cutscene, it's very easy to just walk right past it and never think about it again.
Managing Your Inventory
The "Attache Case" is iconic, but it’s small at the start. Small keys take up a single slot. It doesn't seem like much, but when you're carrying a shotgun, a rifle, and three types of grenades, that one slot matters. Don't carry keys longer than you have to. If you find a key, look at your map.
The map actually marks "Locked Drawers" once you’ve seen them. This is a godsend. If you see a little white icon of a drawer on your map, and you have a key, go there immediately. Do not pass go. Do not collect 200 dollars. Just get the loot.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Run
To ensure you never miss any RE4 small key locations again, you need to change how you play the chapters. Every time you finish a major combat encounter, do a "sweep."
- Check every corner: The keys aren't always in boxes. They are often just sitting on furniture.
- Buy the Treasure Map: The Merchant sells treasure maps for Spinels. Buy them. While the map doesn't show the key itself, it shows the locked drawer. If you see a treasure icon that looks like a drawer, you know there is a key somewhere nearby in that chapter.
- Backtrack before the "Point of No Return": In the Village, this is the boat ride to the mural. In the Castle, it’s the elevator to the Clock Tower. Once you hit these points, those drawers are locked away forever.
If you’re struggling with Pesetas, these keys are the answer. A single treasure from a locked drawer, when combined with the right gems (look for the "Five Color" bonus), can net you 20,000 to 30,000 Pesetas. That's a whole barrel upgrade or a scope for your stingray.
Stop rushing. Leon might be in a hurry to save Ashley, but those locked drawers aren't going anywhere—until the chapter ends and you're locked out. Keep your eyes on the desks, the side tables, and the random crates in the corner. That’s where the real money is hidden.