In Cyberpunk 2077, you can not only level up your character but also upgrade their equipment. This is necessary to improve old weapons, for example, those you found at the beginning of the game, to match your level and increase their stats. Let's figure out how weapon upgrading works in Cyberpunk 2077.
First of all, it is worth mentioning that you will be able to technically upgrade weapons in Cyberpunk 2077 as soon as you complete the introductory part of the game. After the tutorial, you will gain full control over your character. This means you can access their inventory (equipment), change gear, and upgrade your weapons through the corresponding menus.
In the menu, go to the Crafting / Upgrades tab. Here you will be able to use resources to upgrade your weapons and equipment.
The equipment you have that can be upgraded will be shown on the left, and on the right, you will be able to see how much your weapon will be improved. Also, in the center of the screen, the number of resources required for this will be displayed.
The amount of resources you will need depends on the rarity of the equipment being upgraded. Common weapons (white) will require common and uncommon item components. For rarer equipment, you will need materials that you may not be able to obtain so quickly and easily. Regardless of what exactly you need, these materials can usually be obtained by looting enemy bodies or containers scattered throughout the world of Cyberpunk 2077. You can also dismantle unnecessary items or buy them in a store if you have extra money.
Once you decide which weapon you want to upgrade and are sure you have enough resources to upgrade it, simply move the cursor down to the confirmation field and press the «Upgrade» button. After that, you will become the happy owner of a more powerful version of the weapon.