How to add mods to your Valheim server

Valheim has no official mod support and no Steam Workshop; community mods run through the BepInEx plugin framework (mostly from Thunderstore). The standard Valheim server type has no mod loader, so mods placed on it do nothing. Mods need one of two other server types: Valheim BepInEx (plain BepInEx with an optional Thunderstore modpack) or Valheim Plus Mod (the Valheim Plus gameplay-tweak mod pre-installed).

Back up first. See How to back up and restore your Valheim world.

Add a mod

1. Check which server type your server uses. Only Valheim BepInEx and Valheim Plus Mod load mods; the standard Valheim type does not, and uploading files cannot change that. To change server type, see the article on changing your server type or game version. Changing server type can delete the server's files, so take a backup first, or ask support.
2. Valheim BepInEx, modpack: enter the modpack's Thunderstore dependency string (Author-Pack-1.0.0 format) in ModPack under Settings, then Game Settings. The change does not take effect on a normal restart, so ask support to apply it, after a backup. After a modpack update, paste the new string and ask support again.
3. Valheim BepInEx, single mod: stop the server, upload the plugin .dll into BepInEx/plugins/ in Files, then start; BepInEx writes its config files to BepInEx/config/ on first run.
4. Valheim Plus Mod: the mod is installed for you. Edit its settings in BepInEx/config/org.bepinex.plugins.valheim_plus.cfg after the first start, then restart. Valheim Plus may not yet support the very latest Valheim build, so check the mod's own compatibility list.
5. Auto Update: a game patch often arrives before mods catch up, so on the modded types switch Auto Update off if you need to hold the server on a version your mods support.
6. To see whether mods loaded, read BepInEx/LogOutput.log in Files.

Where files go

Open Files and use these places:

• BepInEx/plugins/
• BepInEx/config/
• BepInEx/patchers/
• BepInEx/config/org.bepinex.plugins.valheim_plus.cfg (Valheim Plus Mod type only)

Players need the same mods

Everyone who joins needs the same mods and versions as the server.

Check it worked

Once the server has restarted, read the Console. A mod that loaded shows up during startup, and problems show under Errors and Warnings. See How to use the console and run commands and How to add mods, plugins and modpacks.

If the server stops after you add a mod, remove the newest mod or restore your backup. See How to fix a server that will not start.