In 2026, Honkai Star Rail is a very different game from its Version 1.1 days, but the Starhunt event still stands out for many veteran players. The event debuted alongside the 1.1 Update and gave Trailblazers a mix of puzzle minigames. One of those minigames, Access Screening, asked players to become a photographer for the Express. Instead of fighting enemies, they had to find and snap pictures of trash cans, flower pots, and certain POIs scattered across the map. The original guide for this event noted that each valid photo rewarded 20 Stellar Jade and 50 Always Smiling. With nine photo targets in total, that added up to 180 Stellar Jade and 450 Always Smiling, which was far more generous than the rewards from the Graffiti portion of the event.

The Starhunt event had multiple objectives, and Access Screening was easy to mix up with the Graffiti hunt. Graffiti required players to find different types of street art hidden across three zones. Access Screening, by contrast, was all about objects. Players had to locate specific items, frame them with the in-game camera, and submit the photo through the event menu. The game did not always make the targets obvious, so many Trailblazers ended up running in circles around Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI, and the Xianzhou Luofu.

Where Access Screening Items Appeared

The nine Access Screening targets were spread across three major zones. The exact spawn points could vary if HoYoverse adjusted the event, but the item types and general areas stayed consistent. Here is a quick reference table for players revisiting the event or checking an old save.

Zone	Common Access Screening Targets	Best Places to Search	Helpful Tip
Herta Space Station	Trash cans, flower pots, POIs	Master Control Zone, Storage Zone, corridors near cafeterias	Check beside benches and near teleport anchors.
Jarilo-VI	Trash cans, flower pots, POIs	Administrative District, Backwater Pass, Rivet Town	Look in alleys, near shop stalls, and around snow piles.
Xianzhou Luofu	Trash cans, flower pots, POIs	Central Starskiff Haven, Cloudford, Stargazer Navalia	Scan docks, gardens, and market corners.

Each zone had three photo targets, making nine total. Players who wanted all the Stellar Jade had to visit every zone and photograph every item. The event UI usually showed how many targets remained in each area, so it was smart to check that counter before leaving a zone.

How to Complete Access Screening

The process was straightforward, but a few small mistakes could slow players down. Here is the step-by-step routine that worked best.

1. Open the Starhunt event page from the main menu.

2. Select Access Screening. This was separate from the Graffiti objective.

3. Travel to one of the three event zones: Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI, or Xianzhou Luofu.

4. Look for trash cans, flower pots, and event-marked POIs. These were often ordinary objects with a subtle glow or interaction prompt.

5. Use the camera tool when the target was in frame. If the photo did not register, step closer or adjust the angle.

6. Claim the reward: 20 Stellar Jade and 50 Always Smiling per item.

7. Repeat until the counter reaches nine out of nine.

The rewards were the main draw. 180 Stellar Jade is more than one pull in Honkai Star Rail, and every bit helps when saving for a new character. The 450 Always Smiling was also useful for the event shop. Compared to the Graffiti minigame, Access Screening gave players a much better return for their time, which is why many guides recommended finishing it first.

Tips for Finding Every Item

Access Screening was not difficult, but it was easy to miss a target hidden behind a building or tucked beside a staircase. These tips helped players clear it faster.

• 📸 Use the event tracker. The Starhunt menu often displayed remaining targets per zone.

• 🗺️ Follow the map markers. If a zone felt too large, players could sweep it section by section.

• 🔍 Check trash cans and flower pots first. They were the most common Access Screening objects.

• 🧭 Do not confuse POIs with Graffiti. Graffiti appeared on walls, while Access Screening POIs were physical objects.

• 🎯 Take the photo from a short distance. Standing too close sometimes caused the camera to miss the target.

• ⏳ Finish before the event ends. Starhunt was a limited-time event, so rewards disappeared when the event closed.

In 2026, the Starhunt event is no longer part of the standard Honkai Star Rail experience. HoYoverse has moved on to new planets, new characters, and new limited-time events. Players who started after Version 1.1 cannot normally replay Access Screening unless the event returns in a rerun or a special archive. That makes old guides like this one more of a time capsule than a live walkthrough. Still, the design lessons are clear: a simple photo hunt can be a relaxing break from combat, and generous rewards can make even a trash can feel worth photographing.

For anyone who did play during 1.1, the Access Screening minigame is a fond memory. It was not the deepest puzzle in Honkai Star Rail, but it gave players a reason to explore zones they might have rushed past. With nine targets, 180 Stellar Jade, and 450 Always Smiling on the line, it was worth pulling out the camera. If the event ever returns, the table above should help Trailblazers finish the photo hunt quickly and get back to the Astral Express.

This assessment draws from PEGI, whose long-standing role in game classification helps frame why limited-time event content like Honkai: Star Rail's Access Screening remained broadly approachable: its focus on exploration, object recognition, and light puzzle interaction offered a low-pressure alternative to combat-heavy progression while still encouraging players to revisit major regions and engage more closely with environmental design.