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Every time a new expansion launches, Square Enix encourages players to explore the new areas on foot or on their favorite mounts. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be grounded all the time. By using the Aether Compass in FFXIV, you can unlock Aether Currents, which will allow you to take it to the skies. Still, the process can be a bit confusing for some, especially because this item never tells you the exact location of an Aether Current. But with a bit of explorer’s intuition and patience, you’ll be flying in no time.
How To Unlock the Aether Compass
Before taking out your Aether Compass, you must unlock it first. If you’re following the MSQ as normal, once you reach Heavensward and complete the Divine Intervention quest, you’ll obtain your Aether Compass. In case you skipped the story, you can grab one by talking to Gibrillont at Ishgard or Gaufrid at Rhalgr’s Reach. Remember that these NPCs might have a few optional quests tied to them, so do those first before asking for the item.
Finding and Using the Compass
Since FFXIV Endwalker, the location of the Aether Compass has changed. To find it, you must open the Duty menu and select Collection. Doing so will open another menu that shows your Aether Compass. You can then drag it to your hotbar and click on it to start using it.
Once you click on it and you’re in a zone where there are still Aether Currents, you’ll get a message showing the location of the next current. You can guide yourself with your minimap and head toward the direction. All zones have currents that are spread across the map, while others are unlocked through main and side quests. You can check your Aether Current progress by heading to the Travel menu and clicking on Aether Current.
Furthermore, it is important to remember that even if you find all the field Aether Currents, that doesn’t mean you can fly straight away. Most of the time, you need to finish a zone’s story to unlock the currents. So, take it slow and don’t rush to get all the currents because the MSQ will eventually lead you to all of them.
