If you’ve played League of Legends for even a moderate time, you’ve come across the glowing framed summoner icons in the client and loading screen. Those are level borders, visual badges of honor with frames that grow in size and ornateness the higher you level up in League of Legends. Unlike ranked borders ,which showcase competitive skill, level borders signify experience, time spent in the game, and style.
The leveling system in League of Legends is an integral part of the game, giving players a sense of progress and achievement as they navigate the vast and dynamic world of Runeterra At its core, the leveling system revolves around experience points (XP). ) ho, in which players earn money through in-game activities. These tasks include participating in tournaments, completing missions and quests, and achieving objectives.
We’ll go through everything you need to know about them from the very first level border, all the way to the celebrated Eternus frame at level 500.
What Are Level Borders in League of Legends?
Level borders are cosmetic frames that appear around your summoner icon throughout the client, champion select, and loading screens. As you gain levels and progress through the game, the level borders change so other players can see how long you’ve been grinding on the Rift.
In many ways, they are milestone trophies – not by climbing ranked tiers, but simply through time played and experience gained.
How Many Level Borders are There?
There are 21 levels of milestone borders, starting from level 1 and going all the way up to level 500. Instead of giving you a new border every time you levelled (which would be a little over the top), Riot designed themed level borders to unlock at the milestone levels.
Here’s the complete list of borders and the levels they unlock at:
| Level | Theme |
| 1 | Piltover |
| 30 | Zaun |
| 50 | Hextech |
| 75 | Flame |
| 100 | Arclight |
| 125 | Infused |
| 150 | Shadow Isles |
| 175 | Shurima |
| 200 | Lunari |
| 225 | Warring Kingdoms |
| 250 | Freljord |
| 275 | Battlecast |
| 300 | Ionia |
| 325 | Bilgewater |
| 350 | Runic |
| 375 | Noxus |
| 400 | Celestial |
| 425 | Elderwood |
| 450 | The Void |
| 475 | Blood Moon |
| 500 | Eternus |
Each border carries a unique design inspired by Runeterra’s regions, aesthetics, and lore.
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How To Unlock Borders?
Borders are based directly on your summoner level, which is raised through XP gained in games. Here is how it works:
Game Modes That Count: Summoner’s Rift, ARAM, and Arena grant XP. Custom games and games shorter than 7 minutes do not count.
Victories & Match Duration: You get more XP depending on how long your game lasts and how much you contributed. Also winning a little extra in XP.
First Win of the Day: Be sure to remember to claim your daily bonus for that extra easy XP.
New Account Bonus: Accounts that are new can have accelerated XP gains early on.
Keep grinding away, and you will unlock borders naturally as you go.
How To Unlock All Borders In League Of Legends?
In League of Legends, borders associated with your level act like ranked borders because both have to do with your profile picture in the lobby. The distinction? Ranked borders represent where your skill lies as a player, while level borders represent your time and commitment as a player; there is no division to climb.
You receive a new border approximately every 25 levels, starting at Level 1 to Level 500. You only have to play. If you play Summoner’s Rift, ARAM, or Arena, you will earn XP towards your level border.
Riot does sell XP boosts, so you could level a bit faster, but they cost real money. When new accounts log in for the first time, they will be given a little boost as well: if they log in three days in a row, earn a single win, they will receive a boost for 30 days.
Just keep in mind, you are still not going to just hit your borders in a few weeks. I have been playing League casually for five years and am not even at Level 500. So, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!
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Can I Switch Between Borders?
Yes, and this is one of the coolest things about the system. Once you have unlocked a border, you own it for life! You can switch from any previously acquired border at any point in time in your profile settings.
So, if you loved the Freljord frame at level 250 but have leveled beyond that, it’s not an issue; you can simply put it on and wear that frame whenever you’d like.
Can I Keep My Current Level Border?
If you’re about to queue up a match and unlock a new border but prefer the one you already have, there is no need to stress, as the game allows players to completely customize their look. When you unlock new level limits, you will keep it forever, and you can switch back to it any time you please.
So, if you love the sleek design of the Level 200 border more than the one at Level 225, you can continue to use it and level up at the same time!
Customizing your border is easy. Click your summoner icon in the top-right corner of the client to go to your profile. Click over to the “Borders” tab over the Loadouts tab and pick whichever frame you like best for both your vibe and accomplishments.
What Is The Story Behind Borders In League Of Legends?
Another one of the best advantages of level borders being region-specific is how they connect to the League of Legends world. Riot did not just inspire level borders with random stuff; they themed level borders off of known regions, events, and lore:
The following are some themed borders and how they use the previously described attributes in an effective fashion:
- Piltover & Zaun: Industrial with a steampunk visualization for level 1-4
- Shadow Isles & Shurima: dark magic aesthetics meets mystical desert
- Freljord & Ionia: exaggerated semi-winter for level 4-5
- Noxus & The Void: brutal dominance meets terrifyingly inescapable corruptive force
- Blood Moon & Eternus: ritualistic Unknown meets ultimate prestige
Overall, these borders seem to be a journey through Runeterra itself.
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Conclusion
Level borders in League of Legends are more than a pretty sheen—they are a mark of progress, a badge of honor, and an homage to the incredible lore of the game. With 21 amazing designs to unlock, ranging from Piltover’s industry to the all-powerful Eternus, each border showcases a piece of your journey.
Whether you seek that haunting Void frame or cherish your cold pride of the Freljord forever, borders showcase that you have been there, you have fought, and you have leveled.