How to Install Valheim Mods with BepInEx
BepInEx loads Valheim mods and the panel installs the loader for you. The hard part is matching client and server versions — this is how to get that right first time.
Valheim has no official mod support, which is why the community built BepInEx: a loader that injects into the game at startup and runs plugin DLLs. On a dedicated server the loader matters even more than on your PC, because if the server is not loading the mod, nothing the client does will make it appear in the world.
The easy way: the Mods tab
SadHost servers install BepInEx for you. Open your Valheim server in the panel, go to the Mods tab and install the BepInExPack for Valheim package. That single action sets up everything the loader needs:
BepInEx/core/— the loader itself.BepInEx/plugins/— where mod DLLs go. This is the folder people get wrong most often.BepInEx/config/— the generated.cfgfiles for every mod you install.doorstop_libs/and the Doorstop libraries — the native part that loads BepInEx into the game process. On Linux, Doorstop is applied throughLD_PRELOAD, and the panel's startup command already does that automatically once the pack is present, so a vanilla server keeps booting normally if you remove the pack again.
After installing the pack, restart the server. On the next start you should see BepInEx lines in the console before Valheim's own output — that is your confirmation the loader is active.
Step 2 — Install the actual mods
- Download mods from Thunderstore (the standard source for Valheim mods), or through a mod manager which can export a profile you can mirror on the server.
- Read the mod page for two things: whether it is client-side, server-side or both, and which Valheim version it targets.
- Upload the DLLs into
BepInEx/plugins/with the panel file manager. If the mod ships in a ZIP, upload the ZIP and use Extract so the folder structure insideplugins/is preserved. - Restart and read the console. BepInEx logs each plugin it loads, and logs the ones it rejects with a reason. That log is the fastest route to "why is my mod doing nothing".
- Tune the configs in
BepInEx/config/<Mod>.cfg. These files appear after the first run and are plain text.
Server-side vs client-side is the whole game. A server-side mod changes the world simulation — install it on the server and everyone gets the benefit. A client-side mod changes the interface or your own character — it must be on each player's PC, and installing it on the server usually does nothing. Gameplay mods that change items or recipes often need both sides, otherwise players see errors when they craft.
Version matching: the part that breaks after every game update
Valheim updates regularly, and each update can invalidate BepInEx, Doorstop or individual mods. When the game patches, the loader has to be updated too, and mods built for the previous version may refuse to load or crash the server on boot. The rules that keep you sane:
- Update the pack, then the mods. After a Valheim update, first update BepInExPack from the panel's Mods tab, then update each mod to a build that lists the new game version.
- Keep client and server aligned. If your players use a mod manager, export the profile and install the same mod set (same versions) on the server. Mismatched versions are the most common cause of "Incompatible version" when connecting.
- Pin your Valheim version when a mod pack is mid-update. The panel lets you hold the server on a specific build so a game update does not break a campaign halfway through a boss hunt.
- Add mods one at a time. Two mods that both patch the same game system can work perfectly alone and crash together. Restart between additions and you will always know which one did it.
A server-friendly starting set
| Mod | Side | Why it earns its memory |
|---|---|---|
| Valheim Plus (or its maintained forks) | Both | Hundreds of quality-of-life toggles: crafting from containers, shared map, bigger stacks, no build-piece loss. Powerful and heavy — configure it, do not enable everything. |
| Server-side character saves | Server | Stops players from duplicating gear by carrying items between worlds. |
| Anti-cheat / server sync mods | Both | Enforces the shared config so one player cannot turn off a rule the server applies. |
| Quality-of-life client mods | Client | Sorting, better UI, extra build hotkeys — free wins, zero server cost, install them on your own PC only. |
Every mod costs memory and CPU, and heavy packs on a 5 GB plan will show up as spiky tick times for everyone. If the server starts stuttering after an install, remove mods in reverse order and watch the console.
Troubleshooting
- Mods do nothing. The DLLs are not in
BepInEx/plugins/, or BepInEx never loaded. Check the console for "BepInEx" at startup and for a plugin-load list. - Server crashes instantly after installing mods. A mod built for a different Valheim version, or Doorstop failing to load. Read the first twenty lines of the console, remove the newest mod and restart.
- Only some players see the change. It is a client-side mod, or the config differs between
machines. Compare
BepInEx/config/on the server with what your players have. - Config changes do nothing. The
.cfgwas edited while the server was running, or the file was rewritten on restart. Stop, edit, start. - Everything worked, then a Valheim update broke it. Expected — update the BepInEx pack and your mods. Your world and characters are unaffected.
If mods are not your problem and the server simply feels slow, the same discipline as Minecraft applies: fewer always-running build pieces, a smaller explored area, and an honest look at what each mod actually buys you. For the vanilla side of Valheim hosting, see how to create a Valheim dedicated server.
Updated 22 September 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us on Discord or email support@sadhost.com and we will fix it.