Europa Universalis 5: How to enable Ironman mode in Europa Universalis 5

Europa Universalis 5’s Ironman mode is designed for players who want the ultimate test of skill and patience. It disables manual saving, limits reloading, and forces every decision to count. Once activated, every success feels earned, and every mistake has real consequences. For long-time Paradox fans, this mode transforms the strategy experience into a true test of endurance.

Read on to learn more about enabling Ironman mode and ensuring it works properly.

Steps to activate Ironman mode in Europa Universalis 5

Here’s how you can enable this mode in Europa Universalis 5:

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Begin by heading to the Single Player option from the main menu.
When the nation selection screen opens, look toward the top-right side of the screen.
You’ll see a small settings button next to the world map – click it to open the game settings panel.
At the top of this panel, locate the iron glove icon that represents Ironman mode.
Ensure that you’re playing under the Choose Any Nation setup. If you’re in a tutorial or scenario mission, the Ironman option will appear inactive.
To activate it, click directly on the glove icon until it glows gold, which indicates that the Ironman mode is now active.

Europa Universalis 5 gameplay (Image via Paradox Interactive)

Also read: All cheats and console commands in Europa Universalis 5

As soon as the mode is active, the game will automatically save progress every month and remove manual save options, locking your playthrough into a single timeline. From this point, every action and consequence becomes permanent, making each decision truly matter.

Also read: What are the best nations to pick in Europa Universalis 5?

Typical Ironman mode issues to keep in mind

If you notice that achievements aren’t unlocked even with Ironman turned on, try restarting the game and starting a new save file. This often resolves the issue. Also check that:

You’re playing in single-player mode.
No mods or debug tools are active.
Your game files are unmodified.

Switching from tutorial or custom rule setups can also cause problems. Achievements only work in clean, default Ironman campaigns. Remember, you can’t use custom rules or turn Ironman off midway through your campaign. Once it’s enabled, you’re committed for the entire run.

Also read: How to secure Claims and conquer lands in Europa Universalis 5

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Edited by Adarsh J Kumar