You can massively boost your chances of survival in 7 Days to Die by finding and utilizing skill magazines. They teach you how to craft weapons, materials for your base, and reward your constant leveling up. These handy books are scattered all over the place, and there are many different categories. Here, we'll tell you where to find magazines in 7 Days to Die, their corresponding skills, and more!

How Magazines Work in 7 Days to Die

In 7 Days to Die, you'll do a lot of crafting, and magazines help you learn more recipes. Each time you find a magazine, it will give you a single point within its specific category. The Tools Digest, for example, will allow you to learn how pickaxes, shovels, and axes are made. When you find your first Tools Digest, you'll know how to make Stone Tools. However, their quality won't be great. Find more magazines, and the quality of your tools will increase. Find even more magazines, and you'll unlock the ability to create your tools from iron, steel, or mechanical parts. So far, so simple, right? The problem with magazines in 7 Days to Die is that each category can require an enormous amount of magazines. You can't even start crafting Rocket Launchers until you find 50 Explosive Magazines. As a result, you might be looking for faster ways to find magazines while you're running from the undead. First, make sure you loot mailboxes, bookstores, and bookcases. Anywhere books are likely to appear is more likely to spawn magazines, while mailboxes have the highest chance of offering magazines. You can always buy them from some vendors or earn them as quest rewards, too. Second, each magazine will have a greater chance of spawning as you level up the corresponding perk. As you adventure through the game and level up your character, you can put points into a variety of perks to augment and improve your survival skills. If you put points into the Pummel Pete Perk, you'll increase the amount of damage you do with blunt weapons like clubs and hammers. However, you'll also increase the likelihood of finding Big Hitters magazines, which teach you how to craft Wooden Clubs, Baseball Bats, and Steel Clubs.

All 7 Days to Die Magazine Categories & Unlocks

In our list of all 7 Days to Die magazines below, you can see the total number of magazines for each category and what perks you should level up to find more of that magazine. Additionally, we've listed how many magazines you need to find to unlock each new crafting recipe and improve crafts. Keep in mind, however, that you'll only increase the quality of the gear you craft by finding even more magazines.

Armored Up - 100 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft body armor sets with varying levels of protection. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Light Armor, Medium Armor, & Heavy Armor Perks.

• Primitive Armor Set: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Light Armor Sets: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Medium Armor Sets: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Heavy Armor Sets: Unlocked at 11 Magazines

Big Hitters - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft club weapons. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Pummel Pete Perk.

• Wooden Club: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Baseball Bat: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Steel Club: Unlocked at 36 Magazines

Bow Hunters - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft both bows and crossbows. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Archery Perk.

• Primitive Bow: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Wooden Bow: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Iron Crossbow: Unlocked at 21 Magazines
• Compound Bow: Unlocked at 36 Magazines
• Compound Crossbow: Unlocked at 56 Magazines

Electrical Traps - 75 Max Magazines

These teach you how to create electrical traps and automated turrets. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Advanced Engineering Perk.

• Electric Fence Post, Dart Trap, & Blade Trap: Unlocked at 25 Magazines
• Shotgun Auto Turret: Unlocked at 50 Magazines
• SMG Auto Turret: Unlocked at 75 Magazines

Explosive Magazine - 100 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft thrown explosives, mines, gunpowder, and more. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Demolitions Expert Perk.

• Pipe Bomb: Unlocked at 2 Magazines
• Grenade: Unlocked at 5 Magazines
• Cooking Pot Mine: Unlocked at 10 Magazines
• Stick of Dynamite: Unlocked at 12 Magazines
• Contact Grenade: Unlocked at 16 Magazines
• Hub Cap Land Mine: Unlocked at 20 Magazines
• Air Filter Land Mine: Unlocked at 25 Magazines
• Gunpowder: Unlocked at 30 Magazines
• Timed Charge: Unlocked at 35 Magazines
• Rocket Components: Unlocked at 45 Magazines
• Rocket Launcher: Unlocked at 50 Magazines

Forge Ahead - 75 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft various workstations for crafting other items. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Advanced Engineering & Lock Picking Perks.

• Dew Collector: Unlocked at 2 Magazines
• Forge: Unlocked at 5 Magazines
• Workbench: Unlocked at 10 Magazines
• Lockpick: Unlocked at 15 Magazines
• Advanced Bellows: Unlocked at 20 Magazines
• Anvil: Unlocked at 25 Magazines
• Cement Mixer: Unlocked at 30 Magazines
• Chemistry Station: Unlocked at 50 Magazines
• Crucible: Unlocked at 75 Magazines

Furious Fists - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft knuckle weapons designed for fist-fighting. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your The Brawler Perk.

• Knuckle Wraps: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Iron Knuckles: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Steel Knuckles: Unlocked at 36 Magazines

Get Hammered - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft various types of sledgehammers. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Skull Crusher Perk.

• Stone Sledgehammer: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Iron Sledgehammer: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Steel Sledgehammer: Unlocked at 36 Magazines

Handgun Magazine - 100 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft light-ammunition handguns. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Gunslinger Perk.

• Pipe Pistol: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Pistol: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• .44 Magnum: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• SMG-5: Unlocked at 46 Magazines
• .44 Desert Vulture: Unlocked at 71 Magazines

Handy Land - 50 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft repair tools for building your base. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Advanced Engineering Perk.

• Claw Hammer: Unlocked at 4 Magazines
• Nailgun: Unlocked at 26 Magazines

Home Cooking Weekly - 100 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft various food recipes. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Master Chef Perk.

• Grilled Corn & Baked Potato: Unlocked at 2 Magazines
• Corn Bread & Goldenrod Tea: Unlocked at 4 Magazines
• Grilled Meat & Red Tea: Unlocked at 6 Magazines
• Boiled Meat & Yucca Juice: Unlocked at 8 Magazines
• Bacon and Eggs & Coffee: Unlocked at 10 Magazines
• Pumpkin Bread & Blueberry Pie: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Pumpkin Pie: Unlocked at 14 Magazines
• Pumpkin Cheesecake: Unlocked at 18 Magazines
• Vegetable Stew & Meat Stew: Unlocked at 22 Magazines
• Steak and Potato Meal: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• Yucca Juice Smoothie & Beer: Unlocked at 27 Magazines
• Hobo Stew: Unlocked at 35 Magazines
• Fish Tacos: Unlocked at 43 Magazines
• Chili Dog: Unlocked at 51 Magazines
• Sham Chowder: Unlocked at 59 Magazines
• Tuna Fish Gravy Toast & Grandpa's Awesome Sauce: Unlocked at 60 Magazines
• Shepherd's Pie & Grandpa's Moonshine: Unlocked at 70 Magazines
• Grandpa's Learn'n Elixir: Unlocked at 80 Magazines
• Spaghetti: Unlocked at 90 Magazines
• Gumbo Stew: Unlocked at 100 Magazines

Knife Guy - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft single-handed blade weapons. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Deep Cuts Perk.

• Bone Knife: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Hunting Knife: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Machete: Unlocked at 36 Magazines

Medical Journal - 75 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft various forms of healing items. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Physician Perk.

• First-Aid Bandage: Unlocked at 5 Magazines
• Fort Bites: Unlocked at 10 Magazines
• Plaster Cast: Unlocked at 20 Magazines
• Herbal Antibiotics: Unlocked at 30 Magazines
• Recog: Unlocked at 40 Magazines
• First-Aid Kit: Unlocked at 50 Magazines
• Antibiotics: Unlocked at 60 Magazines
• Steroids: Unlocked at 75 Magazines

Tools Digest - 100 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft your own harvesting tools such as Stone Axes, Stone Shovels, Steel Pickaxes, Iron Shovels, Augers, and more. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Miner 69er Perk.

• Stone Tools: Unlocked at 11 Magazine
• Iron Tools: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Steel Tools: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• Mechanical Tools: Unlocked at 61 Magazines

Rifle World - 100 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft long-ranged rifles. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Dead Eye Perk.

• Pipe Rifle: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Hunting Rifle: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Lever-Action Rifle: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• Sniper Rifle: Unlocked at 61 Magazines

Scrapping 4 Fun - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft tools for breaking down different objects in the environment into usable resources. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Salvage Operations Perk.

• Wrench: Unlocked at 4 Magazines
• Ratchet: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• Impact Driver: Unlocked at 51 Magazines

Sharp Sticks - 75 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft spears for more long-ranged melee combat. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Spear Master Perk.

• Stone Spear: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Iron Spear: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Steel Spear: Unlocked at 36 Magazines

Shotgun Weekly - 100 Max Magazines

These teach you how to craft close-range shotguns. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Boomstick Perk.

• Pipe Shotgun: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Double Barrel Shotgun: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Pump Shotgun: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• Auto Shotgun: Unlocked at 61 Magazines

Southern Farming - 20 Max Magazines

These teach you how to create different seed types for farming. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Living Off the Land Perk.

• Cotton Seed: Unlocked at 2 Magazines
• Goldenrod Seed & Chrysanthemum Seed: Unlocked at 4 Magazines
• Coffee Seed: Unlocked at 6 Magazines
• Yucca Seed: Unlocked at 8 Magazines
• Aloe Vera Seed: Unlocked at 10 Magazines
• Blueberry Seed & Hop Seed: Unlocked at 12 Magazines
• Pumpkin Seed: Unlocked at 14 Magazines
• Mushroom Spore Seed: Unlocked at 16 Magazines
• Corn Seed: Unlocked at 18 Magazines
• Potato Seed: Unlocked at 20 Magazines

Tactical Warfare - 100 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft heavy-duty machine guns. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Machine Gunner Perk.

• Pipe Machine Gun: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• AK-47 Machine Gun: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Tactical Assault Rifle: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• M60 Machine Gun: Unlocked at 61 Magazines

Tech Planet - 100 Max Magazines

These teach you how to utilize robotics to create some advanced melee weaponry and turrets. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Electrocutioner & Robotics Inventor Perks.

• Pipe Baton: Unlocked at 1 Magazine
• Robotic Sledge: Unlocked at 11 Magazines
• Stun Baton: Unlocked at 26 Magazines
• Robotic Turret: Unlocked at 51 Magazines
• Robotic Drone: Unlocked at 76 Magazines

Vehicle Adventures - 100 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft parts for vehicle crafting. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Grease Monkey Perk.

• Bicycle Chassis, Bicycle Handlebars, & Wheel: Unlocked at 5 Magazines
• Minibike Chassis, Minibike Handlebars, Oil, & Gas Can: Unlocked at 20 Magazines
• Motorcycle Chassis, Motorcycle Handlebars, & Gas Can (Bundle): Unlocked at 45 Magazines
• 4x4 Truck Chassis & 4x4 Truck Accessories: Unlocked at 70 Magazines
• Gyrocopter Chassis & Gyrocopter Accessories: Unlocked at 100 Magazines

Wiring 101 - 100 Max Magazines

These allow you to craft advanced electronics for base-building. You'll have a greater chance of finding these magazines by leveling up your Advanced Engineering Perk.

• Generator Bank, Electric Wire Relay, Switch, Trip Wire Post, Basic Bulb, Industrial Light, Industrial Bulb, & Fluorescent Light: Unlocked at 25 Magazines
• Motion Sensor, Electric Timer Relay, Trigger Plate, Spotlight, & Speaker: Unlocked at 45 Magazines
• Battery Bank, Steel Door (Powered), Double Door (Powered), Hatch (Powered), Iron Garage Door (Powered), Wooden Garage Door (Powered), Steel Garage Door (Powered), & Reinforced Drawbridge (Powered): Unlocked at 55 Magazines
• Lead Car Battery: Unlocked at 55 Magazines