How to Install Valheim Server Mods with BepInEx

Modding a Valheim server can turn a familiar world into something much less predictable. New buildings, creatures, crafting options, balance changes, and quality-of-life tools can all change how a group plays together. The actual setup is not complicated, but Valheim mods usually need matching files on both the server and each player client, which is where most problems start.

This guide explains how to prepare a Valheim server for mods with BepInEx, install the same loader on your local game, add mod files manually, and fix the most common connection or loading issues.

Before You Install Valheim Mods

Most Valheim server mods require BepInEx. It works as the mod loader that lets Valheim load plugin files and generate the folders and configuration files those plugins need. BepInEx must be installed on the server and on every client that needs to use the same mods.

Valheim Plus is another option, but BepInEx is usually the better starting point for modern manual mod setups. Mod managers such as Thunderstore Mod Manager or Nexus tools can automate much of this work, but the steps below focus on manual installation so you know exactly where the files are going. Tiny filing cabinets, but for Viking chaos.

Install BepInEx on the Valheim Server

If your Valheim server host includes ready-made server version presets, you can install the BepInEx server version from the server panel without manually uploading the loader files.

1. Open your server panel and find the server version selector.
2. Search for Valheim in the available server version options.

1. Select Valheim (BepInEx), then confirm the change when prompted.
2. Restart the server and wait for it to fully come online. The first startup can take a few minutes while files are created.

After the restart, BepInEx should be active on the server. The important folder for mods is usually `BepInEx/plugins`.

Install BepInEx on Your Valheim Client

Players also need BepInEx installed locally if the server mods require client-side files. If you already use a third-party mod launcher, you can skip this manual client setup and install the matching profile there instead.

1. Go to the BepInEx GitHub releases page.
2. Download the file that matches your operating system. For many Windows users, this is the Windows x64 build, such as `BepInEx_win_x64_5.x.x.x.zip`.

1. Save the zip file somewhere easy to find.
2. Open Steam, right-click Valheim, choose Manage, then select Browse local files.

1. Extract the BepInEx zip file and move its contents into the Valheim install folder that Steam opened.

1. Launch Valheim once, then close it after the main menu loads. This generates the BepInEx folders needed for plugins and configuration files.

Download Valheim Mod Files

Thunderstore is one of the common places to find Valheim mods. For a manual install, you mainly need the plugin file or files from the mod download.

1. Open the Valheim section on Thunderstore and choose the mod you want to install.
2. Select Manual Download.

1. Save the downloaded archive on your computer.
2. Extract or open the archive with a tool such as 7-Zip, WinRAR, or your operating system's built-in zip tool.

1. Locate the `.dll` file or files from the mod package. These are the files you will usually place into the `BepInEx/plugins` folder on both the server and client.

Always read the mod page before installing. Some mods include extra dependencies, config notes, or separate server and client instructions.

Upload Mods to the Server

Once you have the `.dll` files, upload them into the BepInEx plugins folder on the server.

1. Open your server panel and go to FTP or the file manager.

1. Log in if required, then open the `BepInEx/plugins` directory.

1. Choose Upload and add the mod `.dll` file or files.

1. Wait until every upload reaches 100%.
2. Return to the main server panel and restart the server.

The restart lets BepInEx load the plugins and generate any required configuration files. If a mod creates a config file, it will usually appear inside `BepInEx/config` after the first successful launch.

Install the Same Mods on the Client

For many Valheim mods, each player needs the same plugin files installed locally. If the server has a mod and the client does not, joining may fail or the mod may simply not work.

1. In Steam, right-click Valheim, then open Manage and Browse local files.
2. Open the `BepInEx/plugins` folder inside the Valheim install directory.

1. Drag the same mod `.dll` files into that folder.

1. Start Valheim and join the server to test the setup.

Try to keep server and client mod versions identical. Close enough is not enough here. Valheim mod loaders are not known for appreciating improvisation.

Valheim Plus as an Alternative

Valheim Plus can be used instead of a standard BepInEx setup in some cases. It includes its own approach to changing gameplay settings and may be available as a quick server version in the panel. For client-side use, players must install the matching Valheim Plus files locally as well.

The general idea is similar: install the loader or mod framework on the server, install the matching files on each client, then restart and test. However, BepInEx is often the cleaner choice when you want to run individual Valheim mods from Thunderstore.

Common Valheim Mod Problems

If the `BepInEx/plugins` folder is missing, restart the server once after installing BepInEx. On the client, launch Valheim once after placing the BepInEx files into the game directory. The folders are generated during that first run.

If a mod does not load, confirm that the `.dll` file is inside `BepInEx/plugins`, not only inside the downloaded zip folder. Also check whether the mod requires dependency plugins and install those too.

If the server starts but players cannot connect, make sure every affected player has BepInEx and the required mods installed on their own computer. Server-only and client-only mods exist, but many Valheim mods need to be present on both sides.

If problems started after adding or updating a specific mod, remove that mod's files and its related config file, then restart the server. Download the latest compatible version and reinstall it cleanly. Version mismatches, outdated dependencies, and old configs are common causes of strange behavior.

Helpful Resources

• BepInEx releases on GitHub
• Thunderstore Valheim mods
• Valheim Plus on Nexus Mods
• HolyHosting Valheim server guides