To unlock Terraforming, you'll need the Island Designer app in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). The Island Designer app allows the player to terraform the island as they wish. Check out our guide to see what upgrades you can get and how to use them!

Unlocking Island Designer App (Terraforming)

Days 1-6 (Click to Enlarge)

Days 7-12 (Click to Enlarge)

Completing the First Day

This guide will cover the steps you should take after getting your Nook Phone on the first day. Each section will list the required steps, leading up to unlocking the Island Designer.

Beginner's Guide to Animal Crossing New Horizons

Island Upgrades Walkthrough

Click to Jump Ahead!
1	Build the Museum
2	Pay back the first loan (5,000 Miles)
3	Build Nook's Cranny
4	Upgrade Resident Services
5	Make the Campsite
6	Raise the Island's Star Rating
7	K.K. Slider's Show and Unlocking Island Designer

How to Use the Island Designer App

Build the Museum (1st Day)

Tom Nook will ask for five creature donations. Fulfill his request with the newly acquired Flimsy Fishing Rod DIY Recipe and Flimsy Net DIY Recipe to unlock the Museum ASAP.

Expanding the museum requires 15 more donations. Fulfill this to get the expanded Museum two days after.

How to Unlock the Museum

Pay Off 5,000 Miles (1st Day)

In return for setting you up on the island, Tom Nook asks for 5,000 Miles as payment. Picking weeds, fishing, and catching bugs will help set you on the right path.

Ask Tom Nook to upgrade your house right away after paying off this loan. This will give you access to Nook Miles exclusive items!

Read the guide below for more efficient methods to gain Miles!

How to Get Nook Miles Fast

Build Nook's Cranny (2nd Day)

In order to unlock Nook's Cranny, you first need to gather up 30 of Wood, Hardwood, Softwood, and Iron Nugget.

Craft a shovel

Digging two holes behind you is a way to prevent knockback when hitting the rocks. This will allow you to get all 8 materials from rocks.

We highly recommend first picking up a shovel, allowing you to dig the holes before mining precious materials.

How to Get the Flimsy Shovel | Flimsy Shovel Recipe

Decide on a Location

It's time to choose the shop's location! Anywhere is fine, but since you'll be going there a lot, try and pick a convenient spot! Talk to Timmy again after to complete the preparations.

To see more details on how to build Nook's Cranny, see the article below.

How to Unlock Nook's Cranny and Upgrade It

Upgrade Resident Services (~8th Day)

Build a Bridge

Talk to Tom Nook after the shop has been built to get the Bridge Construction Kit. After you get the DIY recipe, you need to gather these materials:

• 4x Log Stakes
• 4x Clay
• 4x Stone

Find a place to build the Bridge. After deciding, use the kit from your inventory to place it.

How to Build a Bridge

Make Furniture for the Housing Kits

Afterward, get 3 Housing Kits and the DIY recipes needed to make their Interior and Exterior Furniture.

Check which items you need by reading the sign in front of the housing marker, which you can do by pressing A.

How to Get Furniture and Materials for House Kits

New Villagers Will Come to the Island

In the days following the setup of the Housing Kits, new Villagers will come to the island each day. By the fourth day, construction of the new Resident Services will begin. On the fifth day, it will be open for business.

You have to wait for the completion of this process to continue with upgrading the island. Try paying off your house loans and upgrading your house.

It's also possible to skip this process by changing the in-game Date and Time.

How to Change the Date and Time

Resident Services Will Be Upgraded

Yyou'll be unable to enter Resident Services while it's under construction, but it'll be open for business the day after that!

See our guide below for what services become available after you uprade the Resident Services.

What Can You Do At Resident Services?

Make the Campsite (~9th Day)

How to Build the Campsite

Raise the island's star rating in order to bring in K.K. Slider, a famous musician, for a live performance. First, however, you'll need to gather the required materials to build a campsite.

How to Unlock K.K. Slider and Request Songs

Materials needed to build the campsite

Required Materials/Amount
Wood (15)	Softwood (15)	Hardwood (15)	Iron Nugget (15)

Invite Visitors to Stay!

A day after building the Campsite, a visitor will come by to check it out. Talk to them and invite them to live on the island, then speak with Tom Nook about building their house.

The following day, that visitor will come to live on your island, so at least a day will need to pass before moving onto the next step.

How to Make the Campsite and How to Use an amiibo

Raise the Island's Star Rating (~11th Day)

How to Raise the Island's Star Rating

Raise the island's star rating even further by reaching 8 villagers, increading the number of facilities, cleaning up weeds and garbage, improving the scenery and more! For more information, click on our guide below!

How to Raise Your Island's Star Rating

K.K. Slider's Show and Unlocking Island Designer

Raise the reputation of the island to host K.K. Slider's show. He'll send you a message and will do a live performance sometime after the next day. After hosting the first show, K.K. Slider shows will be held every Saturday.

Where to find KK Slider and Request Songs

Unlock Terraforming After the Credits

While listening to K.K. Slider's performance, the credits will roll. After the credits end, you will be able to get the Island Designer app, allowing you to make big changes to the island's landscape.

Terraforming Guide | How to Use the Island Designer App

Related Guides

All Tips & Tricks

Tips and Tricks
ACNH 100% Checklist	Daily & Weekly To-Do List
Island Designer Unlock Walkthrough	How to Raise Your Island's Star Rating
How to Kick Out Villagers	How to Get New Villagers
How to Get Specific Villagers You Want	Time Traveling Guide
How to Get Villager Photos and Posters	How Often Does a Message in a Bottle Spawn?
How to Increase Inventory Space	How to Get Presents from Balloons
Jolly Redd's Treasure Trawler	List of Haunted Art
How to Get Infinite Tarantula Island	How to Get Infinite Scorpion Island
How to Get All Fruits	Secrets and Hidden Content
What is Luck?	How to Use the Warp Pipe