Celeste: How To Activate Cheat Mode

Cheat Mode is a hidden mode in Celeste that unlocks all levels (including main Chapters, B-Sides, and C-Sides) as well as Golden Strawberries and Variant Mode, which allow players to add modifiers to make the game more challenging. Upon enabling Cheat Mode, the latter option is unlocked for all save files.
All of this is unlocked through natural game progression, namely by completing all Chapters and B-Sides. However, if you want to unlock those features prematurely, you can activate Cheat Mode.

Cheat Mode is distinct from the game’s Assist Mode, which can be toggled at any time through the file select screen. Assist Mode allows players to add modifiers to the game intended to make the gameplay experience less difficult.

Cheat Mode can be unlocked during the game’s Prologue. There is a secret screen to the left of where you begin the area, containing Madeline’s car and some street lamps. On this screen, you must enter a special button combination.

The cheat code consists of the following actions:
Left, Right, Journal, Climb, Up, Up, Down, Left, Climb, Confirm

For a keyboard with default controls, this would translate to:
Left, Right, Tab, Z, Up, Up, Down, Left, Z, C

On an Xbox controller with default controls, this would translate to:
Left, Right, LT, RT, Up, Up, Down, Left, RT, A

If it worked, you should hear a sound effect, be taken back to the chapter select menu, and have this spiffy little ribbon on your save file: