How To Add Mods to a Valheim Server

Share on

Read Progress

Amplifying your Valheim server with mods opens the door for all types of gameplay opportunities. Whether you prefer extra buildings, new creatures, custom items, or QoL changes, you have plenty of options. Setting up mods on your Valheim server and client is straightforward once you know the process, though it can trip up newcomers. There are multiple ways to accomplish the same goal, with some being better than others. With this in mind, we’ll show you how to add mods to Valheim servers in this Apex Hosting guide!

Valheim Mod Information

For any mods to work properly in Valheim, BepInEx is required. It loads everything correctly in-game and generates the files mods need to run. Both the Valheim server and the client must have this loader installed. Valheim Plus is an alternative, though it’s less optimized, so we’ll use BepInEx throughout this tutorial. Mod managers exist too, letting you skip manual installation on your computer, but this guide sticks to the manual method and won’t cover those external launchers.

Valheim BepInEx Server Setup

If you don’t already have a server with us, purchase one before following the instructions below. Afterward, you can use our tools to instantly install BepInEx on your Valheim server without prior technical knowledge.

Head towards your Apex server panel, then locate the Game File area.
Proceed to click on the selected option and type “Valheim” in the search bar.
Click on Valheim (BepInEx) and confirm the changes in the prompts.
Press the Restart button, then wait for the server to come online, which can take a few minutes to complete.

Valheim BepInEx Client Installation

The following instructions are for players who want to install BepInEx on Valheim without any third-party launcher, such as Thunderstore or Nexus. If you do use these external programs, then skip this section.

Navigate to BepInEx on GitHub, then click Releases on the right.
Scroll down and select the file named BepInEx_win_x64 followed by the current version number and packaged as a .zip file for Windows 64-bit, matching whatever release is currently listed on the GitHub Releases page.
Save this zipped file somewhere easily accessible on your computer.
Launch Steam and right-click Valheim, then select Browse Local Files from Manage.
In the new window, drag and drop the contents of the BepInEx zip file into here. The contents can be accessed by unzipping or opening it via WinRAR or 7-Zip.
Afterwards, launch the game once to generate the required files.

Adding Mods to a Valheim Server

Once you have BepInEx installed and activated for the first time in Valheim, you’re able to install mods. All that’s required is transferring the specific mod file into a unique directory, then you’re finished. Review the sections below to learn more about this process and how to download mods. Keep in mind that third-party launchers aren’t being used in this article.

Downloading Valheim Mods

Navigate to Thunderstore for Valheim mods, then find your desired one.
Once found, select it and continue to click Download.
Save the file on your computer, then unzip / open it with an external program.
Drag the .dll file(s) on your desktop for later installation on the server and client.

Installing Mods on the Server

Head towards your server panel, then click FTP File Access at the top left.
Proceed to the …/BepInEx/plugins directory after logging in with your credentials.
Press Upload at the top left corner, then drag and drop the .dll file(s) accordingly.
Wait for them to reach 100%. Afterwards, return to the main panel.
Restart the server so the mods can load and generate the required config files.

Installing Mods on the Client

Right-click Valheim from Steam and select Browse Local Files from Manage.
Continue to the following directory in the new window: …/BepInEx/plugins
Proceed to drag and drop the .dll files in this folder.
Launch the game and join the server to confirm everything works.

Valheim Plus (Alternative Method)

In cases where you don’t want to use BepInEx on your Valheim server, Valheim Plus is an alternative. This is essentially the same loader but is less optimized and prone to issues. We offer this in our Game File area of the panel for quick installations. As for client-side setups, you must install it from here to get started. The process is relatively the same as BepInEx but with different files.

Using Mods in Valheim

There are many different mods available in Valheim to kickstart new adventures with friends on your own dedicated server. Whether you focus primarily on new items, creatures, structures, or QoL changes, you have hundreds of options to choose from online. Setting them up is straightforward, especially with any external launcher. As long as the server and every connecting client run the same mods through BepInEx, everyone loads into the same modded world without a version mismatch.

Common Issues

Unable to Find Plugins Folder

Restart the server after installing BepInEx, as required files need to be generated. The same concept applies to the client but only needs to be launched once from Steam. Afterward, you should be able to find the plugins directory.

Valheim Mods Aren’t Appearing In-game

In many cases, this happens when not completing all the required steps to install the mods properly in Valheim. Whether this happens on the client or server side, make sure to upload the .dll files in the …/BepInEx/plugins directory. Otherwise, the issue will continue to persist.

Valheim Mod Bugs and Issues

If you’re encountering any form of problem after installing mods on your Valheim server, then this could be explained by an outdated version or invalid configuration. Double-check that you’ve downloaded the correct and updated mod, then reinstall it to see if that helps. Make sure to remove all files from the mod, including the config file beforehand.

Players Aren’t Able to Join or Use Mods

If you or other players cannot join the Valheim BepInEx server, then make sure you’ve successfully installed the mods on your client. Whether you use an external launcher or the manual method, all modifications need to be on both the server and client side. Afterward, the affected player should be able to connect without further issues.