How to Install Mods on a Project Zomboid Server

Project Zomboid multiplayer mods all come from the Steam Workshop, but installing them on a server is not the same as subscribing to them in single player. On a dedicated server you do not click "Subscribe" in the Workshop. Instead you tell the server which Workshop items to download and which mods to activate by editing two lines in a config file. Players who join then download the same mods automatically. This guide walks through the server side step by step.

What you need

Before you start, you need three things:

• A running Project Zomboid dedicated server (this guide assumes you can already start and stop it).
• Access to the server config file. By default this is servertest.ini, found in the Server folder of your save data. If you renamed your server, the file is named after it, for example myserver.ini.
• The Steam Workshop page for each mod you want to add. Keep these open, because each page gives you the numbers you will need.

Workshop ID vs Mod ID

This is the single most common thing people get wrong, so it is worth getting clear before you touch the config.

Every Workshop page provides two different kinds of identifier:

• A Workshop ID: the numeric ID from the Workshop page URL, for example 2392709985. This tells the server which package to download.
• One or more Mod IDs: short text names such as BetterSorting or Brita_2. These tell the server which mods inside that package to actually switch on.

The catch is that one Workshop item can contain several Mod IDs. A single download might bundle a weapons pack, a translation, and a UI tweak, each with its own Mod ID. Good mod authors list every Mod ID in the description on the Workshop page, so read it carefully rather than guessing. You need both kinds of ID: the Workshop IDs to download the files, and the Mod IDs to enable them.

Editing the server config

Open your servertest.ini and find these two lines:

• WorkshopItems= takes the numeric Workshop IDs, separated by semicolons.
• Mods= takes the text Mod IDs, separated by semicolons.

For example, if you wanted three mods:

WorkshopItems=2392709985;2233613447;522891356
Mods=BetterSorting;Brita_2;HydrocraftCopy

Note that the two lists do not have to be the same length. If one Workshop item contains two separate mods, you list one Workshop ID but two Mod IDs:

WorkshopItems=670807387
Mods=MREMeal;MREMeal_TranslationCopy

Save the file once both lines are filled in, then restart the server so it picks up the changes.

Load order

The order of entries in Mods= matters. The server loads mods from left to right, and a mod loaded later can override content from a mod loaded earlier. This is how overhaul mods and patches are designed to work.

A safe rule of thumb is to list dependencies first, then frameworks, then large content packs and overhauls. For example, a map mod should load before a mod that adds items to that map, and a framework should load before anything that relies on it. If a mod page tells you it must load before or after something else, follow that instruction. Getting the order wrong is a common cause of missing items or broken features even when every ID is correct.

Check it worked

After restarting, watch the server log or console as it boots. You should see each mod being loaded by name. If a Mod ID is wrong or missing, the server will usually warn that it cannot find that mod, which is a quick way to spot a typo.

On the player side there is nothing to subscribe to. When someone joins, their client compares its mods against the server and downloads any it does not already have straight from the Steam Workshop, then loads them. As long as your two config lines are correct, joining players are kept in sync for you.

Common issues

• Using the wrong ID type. Putting Mod IDs in WorkshopItems= or Workshop IDs in Mods= is the classic mistake. Numbers go in WorkshopItems=, text names go in Mods=.
• Missing a dependency. If a mod needs a framework or a second mod to function, you must add that one too, with both its Workshop ID and its Mod ID. A missing dependency often shows up as the dependent mod failing to load.
• Order conflicts. If two mods change the same thing, the one listed later wins. If something is not behaving as expected, try adjusting the order in Mods= before assuming a mod is broken.
• A mod update breaking your save. Workshop mods update on their own, and an update can occasionally clash with an existing world. If a previously stable server starts misbehaving after a mod updates, that is usually the cause. Keeping a backup of your save before adding or updating mods makes this easy to recover from.

Doing it on Zeros Host

On a Zeros Host Project Zomboid server, both config lines live in the same place and the panel makes them easy to edit and save without digging through files over FTP. You add your Workshop IDs and Mod IDs, restart from the panel, and joining players are kept in sync automatically. If you want to try a modded setup before committing, every plan includes a 24-hour free trial so you can install a few mods and see how they run.

You can see the full specifications on our Project Zomboid hosting page and compare plans on our pricing page.

Related reading: other survival server guides and our overview of Project Zomboid hosting in the UK.