Skip to main content

Need a powerful server for your projects?

Discover our offers

Install mods and modlets

7 Days to Die is one of the easiest games to mod on the server side. Before installing anything, you need to tell apart two families of mods, because they are not installed the same way for your players.

The two families of mods​

Mod typeContentInstall on players' PCsEAC
XML modletOnly .xml files (Config/ folder)No: the server sends the configuration to players when they connectCan stay enabled
Mod with code or assets.dll files, Resources/ folder (.unity3d), new models, sounds, UIYes, in the same version as the serverMust be disabled

XML modlets change game data (recipes, loot, stack sizes, spawns, trader prices…). They are the simplest: you install them on the server only.

Mods that add code (DLLs, often through Harmony) or new assets must be present identically on every player's PC. Overhauls fall into this category: see Overhauls.

How to tell which type a mod is?

Open the archive: if it only contains a ModInfo.xml and a Config/ folder with .xml files, it is a server-side modlet. A .dll or a Resources/ folder usually means a client-side install. The mod page (Nexus Mods, official forum, author's Discord) almost always says so with a server side or client side required note.

Where to install mods on the server​

Mods go into the Mods/ folder, at the root of the server (same level as serverconfig.xml). Create it if it does not exist. Each mod has its own subfolder containing a ModInfo.xml:

Mods/
├── MyModlet/
│   ├── ModInfo.xml
│   └── Config/
│       ├── items.xml
│       └── loot.xml
└── OtherMod/
    ├── ModInfo.xml
    ├── OtherMod.dll
    └── Resources/
The double folder trap

An extracted archive often gives Mods/MyMod/MyMod/ModInfo.xml. The game only looks for ModInfo.xml one level below Mods/: one extra folder and the mod is silently ignored. Make sure the path is Mods/MyMod/ModInfo.xml.

Installation procedure​

  1. Download the mod and check that it is compatible with your version of 7 Days to Die
  2. Log in to your Game Panel: game.yorkhost.fr
  3. Select your server and stop it
  4. Make a backup from the Backups tab (see Backups)
  5. In the Files tab, open (or create) the Mods/ folder
  6. Upload the mod folder: upload the .zip archive then extract it, or transfer the folder over SFTP (see SFTP extension for VSCode)
  7. Check that Mods/ModName/ModInfo.xml exists
  8. Start the server and watch the Console

Checking that the mod is loaded​

At startup, the server lists the mods it loads in the console. Look for your mod's name in the first lines of the startup. If there is an XML error, the console usually shows the file name and the line involved: this is the information to give the mod author or our support.

For a modlet, then check the effect in game (new recipe, changed loot…).

Client mods and EAC​

If a mod contains code or assets and must be installed by players:

  1. On the server: set EACEnabled to false in serverconfig.xml (see Configure serverconfig.xml)
  2. On every player's PC: copy the same mod folder into the game's Mods/ folder (in the game install folder, or in the user data Mods folder depending on the version)
  3. On every player's PC: launch the game without EAC (option offered by the 7 Days to Die launcher)
Same version everywhere

The server and all players must have exactly the same version of the mod. A version mismatch causes errors on connection, invisible items or disconnections.

Some purely server-side tools that contain a DLL (admin tools, for example) can work without players installing them: follow the mod author's instructions.

Uninstalling a mod​

  1. Stop the server
  2. Delete the mod's folder in Mods/
  3. Start the server
Removing a mod mid-game

Removing a mod that adds blocks or items can corrupt the elements already placed in the world, or even prevent the save from loading. Back up first, and for big changes, prefer starting a new world.

Best practices​

  • Add mods one at a time and start the server between each addition: you will immediately know which one causes a problem.
  • Watch out for mods that change the same XML files: load order can produce conflicts.
  • After a major game update, check each mod's compatibility before restarting.

See also​