Genshin Impact players can obtain several 4-star characters for free at the beginning of the game and after reaching some milestones. These can be quite helpful for F2P players to progress through the game while saving their Primogems to summon something they want. While many of these free units are quite lackluster, some of them are quite amazing and can be useful even in the late game. To help you obtain all of them, this article lists all free Genshin Impact characters you can get and how to obtain them.
How to Get All Free 4-star Characters in Genshin Impact
You can get the 4-star Genshin Impact characters below for free by meeting the mentioned criteria:
| Character | Element | Weapon | How to Get |
|---|---|---|---|
 Amber | Pyro | Bow | Complete the Quest: Wind-Riding Knight. |
 Kaeya | Cryo | Sword | Complete the Quest: Crash Course. |
 Lisa | Electro | Catalyst | Complete the Quest: Sparks Amongst the Pages. |
 Noelle | Geo | Claymore | Guaranteed when you summon on the Beginner’s Wish gacha banner. |
 Barbara | Hydro | Catalyst | Complete the Mondstadt Archon Quest: A Long Shot, and reach Adventure Rank 18. |
 Xiangling | Pyro | Polearm | Clear Floor 3, Chamber 3 in the Spiral Abyss. |
 Collei | Dendro | Bow | Clear Floor 4, Chamber 3 in the Spiral Abyss. |
 Lynette | Anemo | Sword | Reach Adventure Rank 25 and view The Curtain Never Falls event page. |
 Kachina | Geo | Polearm | Complete Act 1 of Natlan Archon Quest: Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn. |
Apart from the aforementioned characters, the title offers a 4-star character for free once every alternate update. You can claim them by participating in the flagship event of the patch. Additionally, the developer also lets you pick any 4-star character from Liyue during Lantern Rite every year.
You should also note that leaks indicate you will soon get a new 4-star Hydro character from Nod-Krai, named Aino, for free when the upcoming version 6.0 arrives.
Who Are the Best Free 4-Star Characters in Genshin Impact?
As of the current meta of Genshin Impact, Xiangling is the best free 4-star character in the game. It is recommended that you pick her up as soon as possible during the game and invest resources to build. She is an amazing Pyro Sub-DPS who can consistently apply the Pyro element on enemies to help you trigger a variety of elemental reactions.
Aside from Xiangling, Collei may also be worth building. She is a Dendro Sub-DPS who can use her Elemental Burst to apply Dendro from off-field. She can be quite useful for elemental reactions until you find a suitable alternative.
Can You Get 5-Star Characters for Free in Genshin Impact?
Yes, you can get a 5-star character for free in the game. Every year during the title’s anniversary in September, the developer lets you select any standard banner 5-star you want amongst the following options:
- Diluc (Pyro; Claymore)
- Jean (Anemo; Sword)
- Mona (Hydro; Catalyst)
- Keqing (Electro; Sword)
- Qiqi (Cryo; Sword)
- Tighnari (Dendro; Bow)
- Dehya (Pyro; Claymore)
- Mizuki (Anemo; Catalyst)
Considering the fifth anniversary of Genshin Impact will soon be celebrated on September 28, 2025, you are likely to receive a free 5-star character at that point, along with a variety of other rewards.
