⚠️ Valheim Mod Troubleshooting
⚠️ Troubleshooting
I installed mods but the game looks completely vanilla.
You're likely launching from Steam instead of r2modman's 'Start Modded' button, which bypasses the profile. For a manual install, check that winhttp.dll and a BepInEx folder actually exist in steamapps/common/Valheim.
The game opens but no mods load.
Mod .dll files must be inside BepInEx/plugins, not loose in the Valheim root, and BepInExPack Valheim must be installed before any mod. Verify the plugin files are in the right folder and reinstall the framework if needed.
After the latest Valheim update all my mods broke and the game crashes on startup.
Game updates change the code mods hook into, so mods break until their authors ship fixes. In r2modman, set the profile's Game Version back to the build your mods were made for, and check each mod's page for an update.
I get kicked from a server with an 'incompatible version' message.
Your client and the server are running different Valheim game versions after an update. Update the game, or in r2modman set the Game Version to the same one the server runs.
My mods work in singleplayer but not on our dedicated server.
Dedicated servers need the mods installed in the server's own Valheim folder too. If you host with r2modman, use its 'Start Server' option so the server loads the same profile; gameplay mods must match between server and every client.
I used both Vortex and r2modman and now nothing works.
Two managers deploying into the same game folder means two BepInEx instances load at once and crash. Pick one manager, undo the other's deployment, and reinstall BepInExPack Valheim through the one you keep.
I press the mod config key but no settings window opens.
The in-game settings menu comes from BepInEx.ConfigurationManager, which most mods require. Install it (r2modman adds dependencies automatically; manually it goes in BepInEx/plugins), then open it in-game with the F1 hotkey.
An error window pops up about a plugin when the game starts.
That mod is out of date or missing a dependency. Read the error and check BepInEx/LogOutput.log, which lists each plugin load failure with the reason, then update the mod or install what it needs (often Jotunn).
I verified Steam game files and my mods disappeared.
Verifying integrity deletes anything not part of the official game, including BepInEx's winhttp.dll. Reinstall BepInExPack Valheim and your mods afterward, and don't run a file verification on a modded install.
My antivirus blocked or deleted BepInEx files.
Security software sometimes flags BepInEx's doorstop dll (winhttp.dll) because it's an injected library. Add the Valheim folder and r2modman to your antivirus exceptions and reinstall the framework.
I uninstalled a mod and now items are missing or my world acts weird.
Mods that add items or change world data bake that content into your save, so removing them leaves broken references. Reinstall the mod, or restore a backup of your world and character files from under IronGate/Valheim in AppData/LocalLow on Windows or ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim on Linux.
The game won't start at all after I installed a batch of mods.
One of the mods conflicts with the current game version or with another mod. Disable half your mods, test, repeat to isolate the culprit, and cross-check BepInEx/LogOutput.log for the failing mod.
Only some of my friends can join my modded server.
Every player needs the same mods and dependencies at the same versions. On r2modman, share your profile with the other players so everyone imports the identical mod list.
My mod config changes don't take effect.
BepInEx writes configs to BepInEx/config/*.cfg on first launch. Edit those .cfg files while the game is closed, or change settings in-game via BepInEx.ConfigurationManager (F1), then restart the game for changes to apply.
Gameplay mods work on my client but the server ignores them.
Client-only cosmetic mods are fine, but gameplay mods must also be installed on the server at matching versions. Install the same mods on the dedicated server, and avoid gameplay mods entirely on servers you don't control.
I can't find my friend's modded server in the community list.
Modded servers often don't appear reliably in the in-game browser. Use the 'Join IP' option in the main menu and enter the server's address, and make sure your client has the same mods installed before joining.
A mod says it needs Jotunn but I get a missing-dependency error.
Install Jotunn plus the other required libraries (HookGenPatcher and BepInEx.ConfigurationManager) into BepInEx/plugins. r2modman installs dependencies automatically; with a manual install you have to add them by hand.