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How to Install Baldurs Gate 3 Mods

Everything you need to mod Baldurs Gate 3 — prerequisites, mod manager, and load order. Free downloads, no account.

📋 Browse Baldurs Gate 3 Mods🏆 Top 25

🛠️ Prerequisites

🛠️ BG3 Script Extender — BG3 Script ExtenderDownload ↗
🛠️ Community Library — Community Library (Norbyte)Download ↗

📦 Install Methods

1. Vortex (Nexus Mods) — easiest for Nexus mods

  1. Install Vortex from the Nexus Mods site and sign in with your Nexus account.
  2. Open Vortex and add Baldur's Gate 3 as a game; set the game folder to your Steam path (Steam\steamapps\common\Baldurs Gate 3) or your GOG install folder.
  3. On the mod's Nexus page, click 'Mod Manager Download' so Vortex downloads the file and lists it under the Mods tab.
  4. Open the mod's Dependencies tab in Vortex and install/enable anything it requires (many mods list required files here).
  5. Toggle the mod on in the Mods tab, then click Deploy so Vortex writes the .pak into the Larian Mods folder.
  6. Install the BG3 Script Extender once from Norbyte's GitHub by running its setup (it drops the DLL into the game's bin folder) — many mods need it.
  7. Launch the game and check the main-menu Mod Manager shows the mod enabled before you hit Continue.

2. BG3 Mod Manager (LaughingLeader) — community standard, best load-order control

  1. Download BG3 Mod Manager from its GitHub releases page and extract the zip.
  2. Run BG3MM.exe; it auto-detects the game, or set the path to your Steam/GOG install folder manually.
  3. Download the mod from Nexus or GitHub and unzip it — you need the .pak file inside the archive.
  4. Copy the .pak into %LOCALAPPDATA%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods, or drag it into BG3 Mod Manager's left panel.
  5. Drag the mod into the right panel and set load order — put required framework mods where their pages specify and Mod Fixer at the bottom.
  6. Click 'Export load order to game' so the game's own Mod Manager applies your order.
  7. Launch the game, open the main-menu Mod Manager, and confirm the mod is toggled on before continuing a save.

3. Manual install — no mod manager

  1. Create the Mods folder if it's missing: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods (this is the AppData folder, not the game install).
  2. Download the mod and extract the .pak file; install any .lsf/.json files the mod page says to place.
  3. Copy the .pak into that Mods folder. Never put .paks in the game's Data folder in the install directory — the game ignores them there.
  4. If the mod requires the BG3 Script Extender, install it once by running the BG3SE setup from Norbyte's GitHub so the DLL lands in the game's bin folder.
  5. For DLL/native mods, drop the .dll into %LOCALAPPDATA%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Script Extender\NativeMods instead of the Mods folder.
  6. Launch the game and enable the mod in the in-game Mod Manager.
  7. If the mod page lists Mod Fixer as required, install that .pak the same way and keep it at the bottom of any load order.

📦 Mod Managers

Most Baldurs Gate 3 mods install through Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 — they handle file placement and load order automatically. Manual install means dropping files into your game's mod/data folder.

🛠️ Tool & Loader Guides

Vortex Mod ManagerGuide →

❓ Install FAQ

Do I need a mod manager for Baldurs Gate 3?

A mod manager is recommended but not always required.

What order do I install mods?

Foundations and script extenders first, then patches/overhauls, then visual mods last. Use LOOT or your mod manager's sort.

Are Baldurs Gate 3 mods free?

Yes — every mod listed on discovermods is free. We link to official download pages.