If you’ve spent any amount of time playing League of Legends, you know that flashy, unique champion skins are one of the most fun parts of customizing your in-game experience. But shelling out real cash for every new skin drop isn’t feasible for most players, especially with how often Riot releases new cosmetic lines. That’s why so many players search for how to get skins in League of Legends for free, and the good news is there are tons of legitimate, Riot-approved ways to earn them without spending a dime. You just have to know which methods are safe, and which are scams designed to steal your account. I’ve been playing LoL for over 8 years, and I’ve earned more than 40 free skins using the methods I’m breaking down below, no credit card required.
Legitimate Methods for How to Get Skins in League of Legends for Free
First, let’s get the most important note out of the way: any method that asks you to enter your account password, download a third-party program, or share your login details on an unofficial site is a scam, full stop. Riot will never ask for your password outside of their official login pages, so you can avoid 99% of free skin scams by sticking to the official methods I’ve tested myself. Most players looking for how to get skins in League of Legends for free don’t realize how many official options are available, because they’ve only seen the scam sites that pop up first in search results. The most reliable, easy to access methods include:
- Riot Client and in-game event rewards: Most in-game events come with free skin shards or full skins as rewards for completing simple missions, no event pass purchase required.
- Prime Gaming loot drops: If you or a family member has an Amazon Prime subscription, you can claim free LoL skins, champion shards, and RP every single month.
- PBE (Public Beta Environment) participation rewards: Riot regularly gives out free skins to players who test new updates on the PBE and report bugs or constructive feedback.
- Honor Level rewards: Players who maintain a high honor level (level 3 or above) get regular free skin shards, and even permanent skins at the end of each ranked season for positive in-game behavior.
- Official Riot giveaways and community events: Riot hosts regular giveaways on their official social media pages, Twitch streams, and esports broadcasts with free skins as top prizes.
I’ve used every single one of these methods multiple times, and I’ve never had an issue with account security or bans. Most of them take less than 10 minutes a week to complete, so you don’t have to grind nonstop to earn new skins. The only catch is that some rewards are time-limited, so you have to claim them before the event or promotion ends.
Maximize Event Rewards Without Buying a Pass
Most players assume you have to buy the premium event pass to get skins during LoL events, but that’s not true at all. Every event Riot runs has a free track of rewards that anyone can earn just by playing normal games, no purchase required. For example, the last Spirit Blossom event gave out three free skin shards, a permanent ward skin, and enough orange essence to upgrade a shard to a permanent skin, all for players who just completed the free mission track.
You don’t even have to play ranked to earn these rewards; normal draft, ARAM, and even quick play games count towards event mission progress, so you can earn points while playing your favorite casual game modes. This is one of the easiest, most low-effort ways how to get skins in League of Legends for free, because you can earn rewards while playing the game like you normally would. One trick I use to grind event missions fast is to stack missions that require you to play a certain role or use a certain type of champion, so you can complete 2 or 3 missions in a single game. That cuts down the time you need to spend grinding by half, so you can claim your free skin rewards in just a few days of casual play. Just make sure you check the event end date, because any unclaimed rewards disappear once the event wraps up, and Riot doesn’t give out retroactive rewards for missed missions.
Avoid Common Free Skin Scams That Risk Your Account
For every legitimate free skin method, there are 10 scams trying to steal your account or personal information. The most common scam I see right now is fake "free skin generator" sites that promise you any skin you want for free, if you just enter your username and server. These sites don’t actually give you any skins, and they either steal your account information to sell to hackers, or load your device with malware.
Another common scam is fake Riot support messages that say you’ve won a free skin, but need to enter your password to claim it. Riot will never send you a DM asking for your password, so any message that asks for that is an immediate red flag. I’ve had friends lose accounts they’ve had for 6+ years to these scams, just because they wanted a free legendary skin. If a free skin offer sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. If you want to learn how to get skins in League of Legends for free without putting your account at risk, stick to the methods we’ve outlined earlier, and ignore any offers from unofficial sites. If you’re ever unsure if an offer is real, check Riot’s official news page or their verified social media accounts to confirm the promotion exists before you enter any information.
Turn Skin Shards Into Permanent Skins for Free
Even if you don’t earn a full permanent skin right away, the skin shards you get from events, honor rewards, and chests can be turned into permanent skins for free, no RP required. All you need is orange essence, which you can earn by disenchanting skin shards you don’t want, opening chests, or completing event missions. This process is one of the most underrated ways how to get skins in League of Legends for free, because most players don’t realize how easy it is to earn enough orange essence for a permanent skin in just a few weeks.
The trick to getting the most value out of your shards is to only disenchant shards for champions you never play, and save essence for skins you actually want to use. I used to disenchant every shard I got as soon as I earned it, and I wasted thousands of essence that I could have used to unlock a permanent ultimate skin. Now I keep a list of skins I want, and I save all my essence until I have enough to unlock one of them, rather than wasting it on random low-value skins I’ll never use. You can also reroll three skin shards to get a random permanent skin for free, no essence required. This is a great option if you have a bunch of shards for champions you don’t own or don’t play, because you have a chance to get a high-value skin for nothing. Just note that rerolled skins are completely random, so you might get a skin for a champion you never play, but it’s still a free permanent skin you can keep or disenchant for more essence.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on RP to build a great collection of LoL skins. The methods we’ve covered here are all safe, easy to use, and proven to work, so you can start earning new cosmetics for your favorite champions without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a casual player who only plays a few games a week, or a ranked grinder who plays every day, there are options for how to get skins in League of Legends for free that fit your play style. Just remember to avoid any too-good-to-be-true offers, stick to official Riot and partner platforms, and you’ll be unlocking new skins in no time.