Add mods to your Valheim dedicated server with BepInEx: install Thunderstore mods automatically with our ThunderStore.io installer, or upload mods from Nexus Mods and other sites by hand over FTP.
Valheim mods run on BepInEx, a plugin loader you install from Mod Manager. After that you can add mods in two ways: A: automatically from Thunderstore, or B: manually from any other source.
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Valheim dedicated server mods: best practices
Important: read this before installing any mods.
- Always try to install 1 mod at a time: configure it, test it and, once it works, move to the next mod. Installing 30, 40 or more mods at the same time usually just causes problems. If one of the mods is outdated, broken or needs dependencies to run, it can break all the other mods, nothing works, and it gets much harder to find the problem mod.
- Always read the mod instructions or the installation tutorial included. Some mods need extra steps to work.
- Always read the mod description and warnings. Some mods need other mods as dependencies to work.
- Always try to understand if the mod is still updated and working. Some mods are outdated and don't work any more: mods that haven't had an update for a long time are more likely not to work correctly. On Thunderstore, avoid mods marked as deprecated.
If you are going to use the Thunderstore.io automatic installer, DO NOT INSTALL BepInEx or HookGenPatcher as mods. They are not mods: they are plugin loaders and patchers, and they are installed from the Mod Manager button. Installing them as a mod will break your Valheim server.
A: Install mods using our ThunderStore.io automatic installer
In this example we use the BetterUI, EquipmentAndQuickSlots and CraftingWithContainers mods:
- BetterUI: https://valheim.thunderstore.io/package/Masa/BetterUI/
- EquipmentAndQuickSlots: https://valheim.thunderstore.io/package/RandyKnapp/EquipmentAndQuickSlots/
- CraftingWithContainers: https://valheim.thunderstore.io/package/abearcodes/CraftingWithContainers/
- Press STOP to stop your server.
- Go to the Mod Manager button and install BepInEx from the Frameworks category.
- Go to the Configuration Files button and edit the
Valheim.modsfile with the Text Editor option. - Add the end of each mod's link, one per line, starting after the
package/part, exactly like this or it will not work:Masa/BetterUI/ RandyKnapp/EquipmentAndQuickSlots/ abearcodes/CraftingWithContainers/ - Press the ThunderStore.io Mods button and wait for the mods to install.
- Press START to generate all the configuration files. You find them in the
BepInEx\config\folder.
Mod installation side note: some plugins come with their configuration files inside the plugin folder. Find those in BepInEx\plugins\PLUGINNAME\.
Choosing your own mods: BetterUI and CraftingWithContainers are now marked as deprecated on Thunderstore, so pick maintained mods for your own server. The steps are the same for any mod, for example Advize/PlantEverything/. Check each mod's dependencies on its Thunderstore page and add them too: the current EquipmentAndQuickSlots, for example, lists Jotunn (ValheimModding/Jotunn/). Never add BepInExPack_Valheim or HookGenPatcher.
Want your Thunderstore mods to update themselves? See How to automatically update ThunderStore.io mods.
B: Install mods manually from other sources
In this example we use the Hearth and Home Old Food Stats mod from Nexus Mods: https://www.nexusmods.com/valheim/mods/1482
- Find the mod you want on ThunderStore.io, NexusMods.com or any other source (here we use NexusMods.com), download it to your computer and unzip it.
- Press STOP. BepInEx must already be installed from Mod Manager (step 2 of method A).
- Connect to your server FTP following this guide: How to connect to your server FTP.
- On your server FTP, navigate to
\BepInEx\plugins\and upload the folder that contains theplugin.dllfile. - Press START to generate the plugin configuration file. You find the plugin configuration in the
\BepInEx\config\folder.
Mod installation side notes
- Some mods contain more than the
plugin.dllfile: all files need to be uploaded. - Some mods have the
plugin.dlland other files inside subfolders when you unzip them (a folder inside a folder inside another folder). Always upload just the folder that contains the files. - Some plugins have no folder: when you unzip them, the files sit outside a folder. Upload those files directly to the
\BepInEx\plugins\folder, or create a folder with the name of the plugin, put the files inside and upload that folder to keep things organised. - Some plugins come with configuration files in the zip. Configure the plugin using those configuration files.
▶ Watch the video: Uploading a Valheim mod manually to the BepInEx plugins folder
What your players need
Most Valheim mods must be installed on the server and on every player's PC, in the same version. The easiest way for players is a mod manager such as r2modman: they install the same mods there and launch Valheim modded. You can also download your server's BepInEx folder and share it: see How to download your BepInEx ModPack folder.
Questions and troubleshooting
How do I mod a Valheim dedicated server?
Install BepInEx from Mod Manager in the game panel. Then either list Thunderstore mods in Valheim.mods (as author/name/, one per line) and press ThunderStore.io Mods, or upload a mod's folder to \BepInEx\plugins\ over FTP. Start the server and edit the mod settings in \BepInEx\config\.
My mods aren't loading. What should I check?
Check that BepInEx is installed from Mod Manager, that each line in Valheim.mods is written exactly as author/name/, and that every dependency is installed. Then open the Log Viewer: BepInEx logs each plugin it loads and any errors. After a Valheim update, outdated mods are the most common cause: remove them until their authors release a fix.
Can Xbox players join a modded Valheim server?
Xbox players can't install BepInEx mods, and your server needs crossplay turned on for them. So only server-side mods can work for them: test it before you invite them. If any mod needs installing on the player's side, only PC players with the same mods can join.
How do I remove a mod?
Press STOP, delete the mod's folder or .dll from \BepInEx\plugins\, remove its line from Valheim.mods if you used the installer, and press START.
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