Dream11 Safety Shield Explained for Beginners

So, you open Dream11, join a Mega Contest, and suddenly this option pops up – “Shield Your Team” or “Dream11 Safety Shield”. And you’re like, “never heard about this” If you’ve ever been confused about this safety shield thing, you’re not alone. Many players just skip it without knowing what it actually does. But believe me, if you understand how it works, it can actually save your money in some cases.

In this blog, I’ll explain everything about Dream11 Safety Shield in the most simple and natural way.

What is Dream11 Safety Shield?

Okay, so first things first.

Dream11 Safety Shield is a feature that gives you a small bonus (like cashback) when your team loses in a Mega Contest. But wait—this bonus is not random. It only works if two things happen together:

Your Captain or Vice-Captain doesn’t perform well
And your team loses the contest

If both these conditions are true, you get a little bit of your money back.

Where Do You See This Shield Option?

When you join a Mega Contest on Dream11 and click on your team, you’ll see an option that says “Shield Your Team in the Mega Contest”. There’s usually a plus (+) symbol there. This means you can buy the shield.

You can add the shield for:

Just your Captain
Just your Vice-Captain
Or for both

Once you tick the box and confirm, the shield gets applied.

Why Should You Use Dream11 Safety Shield?

Let’s say you joined a ₹49 Mega Contest. You picked your best team. But your Captain flopped badly. He gave less than 22 points. And your team didn’t win any prize.

In this case, if you had applied the Safety Shield, you’d get ₹1 cashback. Not a big amount, I know. But when you’re playing with multiple teams, it adds up. And even a small bonus feels good when you lose because of just one or two players.

Same thing happens with the Vice-Captain. If he scores less than 16.5 points and your team doesn’t win anything, you get ₹1 back—only if you had added the shield.

If you added shield on both and both flopped, you get ₹2 total.

Let’s Break This Down with an Example

Imagine this:

You join a Mega Contest worth ₹49
You apply Safety Shield on both Captain and Vice-Captain
Your team finishes at a losing rank (zero winnings)
Your Captain gives 18 points (below 22)
Your Vice-Captain gives 10 points (below 16.5)

→ You get ₹2 back as a bonus in your Dream11 account

Simple, right?

How Much Does It Cost?

₹1 to protect your Captain
₹1 to protect your Vice-Captain
₹2 if you apply for both

It’s like buying insurance. If things go wrong, you get something back.

But When Don’t You Get Bonus?

Now here’s the catch. This shield only gives bonus when:

Your Captain/Vice-Captain performs badly (less than fixed points)
AND your team loses the contest (doesn’t win anything)

If your Captain flops, but your team still wins a prize—you get nothing.

If your team loses but your Captain scores 25 points—still nothing.

So both conditions need to be true together. Flop + Loss = Bonus.

What if the Match Gets Cancelled?

Let’s say you bought the shield, but then the match gets washed out due to rain. Or for some reason, it gets abandoned.

In this case, Dream11 refunds the amount you paid for the shield. So no worries. Your ₹1 or ₹2 will come back.

What if You Change Your Captain or Vice-Captain Later?

Another doubt many users have is—what if I buy the shield and then edit my team?

Answer: No problem at all.

Dream11 will automatically apply the shield to the new Captain or Vice-Captain in your updated team. You don’t need to re-apply or worry.

What if Your Captain Doesn’t Even Play?

This is one of the best use cases for the Safety Shield.

Imagine you made your team early, and by mistake, your Captain turns out to be an unannounced player (doesn’t play). That means he scores 0.

If your Vice-Captain also doesn’t play and scores 0, and your team loses the contest…

Then you get ₹2 full bonus (₹1 for each) if you had the shield on both.

So in these risky matches where line-ups are confusing, this shield can really help save you a few rupees.

How Many Teams Can You Apply Shield On?

Dream11 allows up to 20 teams per Mega Contest under one account. You can apply shield to all 20 if you want.

You just need to pay ₹1 or ₹2 per team depending on whether you want to protect Captain, Vice-Captain, or both.

How to Know If Shield is Active?

After you buy the shield, go back to your “My Teams” section. You’ll see a green dot near the team. That means the Safety Shield is active.

Also, the “+” icon will disappear, and you won’t be able to click on it again for that team. That’s how you know it’s done.

When Will I Get the Bonus?

If your team loses and meets the conditions, the bonus is usually credited within 2 hours after the match ends.

It will come in your Dream11 Bonus Wallet. You can use it in future contests.

Can You Use Safety Shield in Private Contests?

No. Only Mega Contests have this option.

Private contests, head-to-head contests, and small leagues don’t allow the shield.

Look for the “Mega Contest” tag on the contest screen. If it’s there, you can apply the shield.

Step-by-Step: How to Use Dream11 Safety Shield

Open Dream11 app
Go to any Mega Contest
Create your team
Before joining, click on “Shield Your Team”
Tick the checkbox for Captain and/or Vice-Captain
Click Buy Shield
Confirm the amount (₹1 or ₹2)
Submit your team
Done! You’ll see a green dot on shielded teams.

Is Dream11 Safety Shield Worth It?

If you ask me honestly—it depends on your playing style.

If you’re playing one team and that too in a safe contest, maybe skip it.

But if you’re playing 10–20 teams in a risky Mega Contest, and experimenting with differential Captain-Vice Captain combos, then yes, go for it.

It’s just ₹1 per player. And it can save you from complete loss, especially when one player ruins your game.

Quick Tips

Use Safety Shield more when you’re picking risky or less popular Captains
Always apply it when you’re not sure about the playing XI
Don’t forget to double-check if it’s active (green dot)
Bonus only comes when you lose + player flops
Doesn’t work in small leagues or private contests

Final Thoughts

So now you know what Dream11 Safety Shield is and how it works. It’s like a small protection for your Captain and Vice-Captain when you’re playing Mega Contests.

It won’t make you rich. But it helps reduce loss, especially on bad days when your key players don’t perform. And that little ₹1 or ₹2 cashback adds up when you play multiple teams.

If you found this guide helpful, share it with your Dream11 buddies. And if you have any more doubts or want to know about other features like Backup Players, just comment below—I’ll explain that too in the next blog.

Till then, play smart, take calculated risks, and maybe use the shield when needed.

Good luck!