How to Install and Manage Mods on Your Vintage Story Server

Vintage Story has a dedicated modding community with hundreds of mods that add new content, mechanics, quality-of-life features, and more. Adding mods to your server lets everyone who joins share the same modded experience without needing to set anything up manually on the server side.

This guide walks you through how to install and manage mods on your Vintage Story server using the RiverHosting panel.

Before you start

• Make sure you have an active Vintage Story server on your RiverHosting account. Log in at panel.riverhosting.com to get started.
• Each player connecting to your modded server will also need to have the same mods installed on their own Vintage Story client. Let your players know which mods you are adding.
• It is a good idea to back up your server before making changes. You can do this from the Backups tab in the panel.
• Your server will need to be stopped or restarted before new mods take effect.

1. How to install mods using the Mods page

The easiest way to add mods to your Vintage Story server is through the built-in Mods page in the RiverHosting panel. This is the recommended method for most customers.

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com.
2. Select your Vintage Story server from the server list.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Mods.
4. Browse or search for the mod you want to install.
5. Click the install button next to the mod you want to add.
6. Wait for the installation to complete.
7. Restart your server from the Console tab so the mod loads properly.

2. How to install mods manually using the File Manager

If a mod is not available through the built-in Mods page, you can upload it manually using the File Manager. This is useful for mods you have downloaded directly from the Vintage Story mod database or another trusted source.

1. Download the mod file from the source. Vintage Story mods are usually packaged as .zip files.
2. In the RiverHosting panel, click Files in the left-hand menu to open the File Manager.
3. Navigate to the mods folder. This is typically found at /data/mods/ inside your server files.
4. Click the Upload button and select the mod .zip file from your computer.
5. Wait for the upload to finish.
6. Restart your server from the Console tab to load the new mod.

3. How to remove a mod from your server

If you want to remove a mod, you can do so from the File Manager.

1. In the RiverHosting panel, click Files in the left-hand menu.
2. Navigate to the mods folder at /data/mods/.
3. Find the mod file you want to remove.
4. Right-click the file and select Delete, or use the checkbox to select it and then choose the delete option.
5. Restart your server from the Console tab so the change takes effect.

4. How to check which mods are currently installed

You can review the mods currently on your server at any time.

1. Click Mods in the left-hand menu to view mods that were installed through the Mods page.
2. To see all mod files including any that were manually uploaded, click Files and navigate to the /data/mods/ folder.

Troubleshooting

• Server crashes after adding a mod: Some mods may conflict with each other or require a specific version of Vintage Story. Check the mod's description page for version compatibility information. Remove the newly added mod and restart the server to see if it was the cause.
• Players cannot join after a mod is added: Players need to install the same mods on their Vintage Story client. Share your mod list with them and ask them to match the versions exactly.
• Mod does not appear to be working: Make sure the server was fully restarted after the mod was installed. A server reload is not always enough. Use the Console tab to stop and then start the server again.
• Cannot find the mods folder: If the /data/mods/ folder does not exist yet, you may need to start the server at least once so it can create its default folder structure. You can also create the folder manually in the File Manager.
• Mod file shows an error on startup: Open the Console tab after restarting and look for any error messages related to the mod. The error message will usually point to what went wrong, such as a missing dependency or an incompatible version.

Need help?

If you run into any issues installing or managing mods on your Vintage Story server, the RiverHosting support team is happy to help.