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How to Add Rune Sockets to Weapons & Armor in Path of Exile 2

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Updated Read Time 2 min

Got some runes but don’t know how to use them? Here’s how to add sockets for ‘em!

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Path of Exile 2 has a lot of mechanics that can be confusing or overwhelming to new players, especially those who have never really played an action RPG like this before. In this guide, we will be showing you how to add rune sockets to your gear so that you can potentially add even more bonuses on top of what they already have!

How to Add Rune Sockets to Weapons & Armor

Long story short, you need to have an Artificer’s Orb in order to add a socket to any applicable martial weapon or armor. One way to get these is by salvaging socketed gear at any Salvage Bench, which will get you Artificer’s Shards that can be turned into an orb if you have ten of them.

With one of these things, all you need to do is right click on it and then left click on the desired item to add a socket. Be careful and make sure that you absolutely want to do this, as the process happens instantly upon clicking!

These orbs are just one of the many other currencies that you will come across in the game. Don’t worry too much about using them, as you will likely be drowning in these as you progress further.

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Just in case you don’t know how to get to a Salvage Bench, you just need to complete the “Finding the Forge” quest for Renly at the Clearfell Encampment. It is incredibly easy and should take you no time at all to finish on your own.

On the topic of improving your builds, check out our guide on how to upgrade skill gems in Path of Exile 2 as well. This is another thing that you will be doing a lot of as you figure out what works best for your playstyle and gear!

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Written by

Franco

Senior Game Guide Writer

Franco is a game guide writer at GamesFuze who focuses on hands-on progression systems, loot optimization, and practical walkthroughs across action RPGs and competitive titles. His work is built around direct gameplay experience, breaking down mechanics like XP farming, item unlocks, puzzle solutions, and quest progression into clear, repeatable steps players can actually use.

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