How to Install Mods on Your Valheim Server

Valheim mods run on BepInEx, and on VibeGAMES that is a setting, not a project: switch the mod loader, restart, and install mods from Thunderstore on the Mods page. This guide also covers what your players have to install.

1Switch to BepInEx

• Log in to your game panel and click your Valheim server.
• Open Game Settings and set Mod Loader to BepInEx. Pick ValheimPlus instead if you want that mod pack; it runs on top of BepInEx.
• Save and restart. BepInEx is installed on that start. If the Mods page still says BepInEx is not installed afterwards, reinstall the server from the Settings page: a reinstall keeps your worlds, configs and plugins.

2Install Mods From Thunderstore

• Open Mods in the left menu.
• Search Thunderstore by name and press install. Dependencies are installed with the mod.
• Mods are marked Server only or client mods. Server only mods work without anything on the player's side; client mods need the same mod on every player's game.
• Restart the server to load what you installed. The page reminds you when a restart is pending.

3Import a Profile

• If your community already uses a Thunderstore or r2modman profile, press Import profile on the Mods page and paste the profile code.
• The panel installs the mods of the profile and copies their settings, so the server matches what the players run.

4What Players Install

• Players with client mods install the same mods, in the same versions, with the Thunderstore app or r2modman, and start Valheim through it.
• Share the profile code with them; that is the one way to be sure everyone runs the same set.
• A player without a required client mod is usually refused by the server, or sees missing items and broken buildings.

Good to Know

• Crossplay and mods. Console and Game Pass players cannot install mods. With crossplay on, only use mods marked server only; the Mods page warns when a client mod is installed.
• Mod settings are in BepInEx/config. Edit them with the file manager and restart. Removing a mod keeps its config file, so a reinstall picks the settings up again.
• Valheim updates break mods for a while after a patch. Set Game Branch to default_old on the Game Settings page to stay on the previous release until the mods catch up, and reinstall the server after changing it. See how to update your Valheim server.
• Back to vanilla: set Mod Loader back to Vanilla and reinstall. Your worlds stay, but items from mods disappear from them.

Finished

The server runs your mods and your players have the profile. take a manual backup now that everything works, so you have a copy to return to after the next mod update.