Top tip · Updated 10 Nov 2026
How to keep loot when you die
Extract to keep what you carried. If you fail, you keep items in Secure Slots and the XP you earned, and you lose the rest of the gear you took in.
Screenshots
Walkthrough
Put valuables in a Secure Slot
Open your equipped backpack and move the eligible item that matters most into a Secure Slot, then confirm it sits in the protected section. The Medium Backpack already has a Secure Slot.
Insure weapons separately
Turn on a Weapon Insurance Contract at Ready Up if you want equipped weapons returned to your Stash after a death. Weapon insurance does not cover your backpack.
Exfil to keep the rest
Extract to keep the rest of what you carried. DMZ Cash from a successful exfil goes to your Bank.
Check the After Action Report
Read the After Action Report after every run. You keep the DMZ XP you earned either way. Activision says there is no XP penalty for dying.
Verified facts
- Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- The Medium Backpack has a Secure Slot. A backpack does not need “Secure” in its name to protect a find.
- A rescued Operator comes back without their gear, so equip a new loadout before you deploy them again.
Screenshots
Screenshot slot: Secure Slot in a backpack. Screenshot slot: Weapon insurance switch. Screenshot slot: Successful exfil. Screenshot slot: After Action Report.
Linked pages
Top Tips
Sources
- DMZ Map — Beginner's guide — Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- DMZ Map — MIA Operators — Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- DMZ Codex — Secure Slots — Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- DMZ Codex — Beginner guide — Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- MetaRadar — MW4 DMZ guide — Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- COD Central — What Is MW4 DMZ? — Items in Secure Slots are kept if you fail to exfil. Items outside those slots are lost.
- MetaRadar — DMZ money guide — The Medium Backpack has a Secure Slot. A backpack does not need “Secure” in its name to protect a find.
Frequently asked questions
What do I keep if I die in MW4 DMZ?
You keep the XP you earned and anything in a Secure Slot. You lose the rest of the gear you carried. Your Operator goes MIA until you rescue or dismiss them.
Do I lose XP when I fail to exfil?
No. You keep the DMZ XP you earned. Activision says there is no XP penalty for dying.
How do I protect a weapon?
Turn on a Weapon Insurance Contract at Ready Up. Secure Slots protect backpack items, not this weapon cover.