How to Install Mods on 7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die has one of the best modding scenes in survival gaming, from small quality-of-life tweaks to total overhauls like Darkness Falls and Undead Legacy. Your server supports all of it.

Caution

Back up your world before installing anything. Mods that change items, blocks or progression can make an existing save unloadable, and overhaul packs almost always need a fresh start. See Creating Backups.

1. Check whether you need EasyAntiCheat off

The rule is more specific than “mods need EAC off”. EAC checks code on the player’s machine, so what matters is whether a mod needs files installed locally by each player.

Mod type	EasyAntiCheat
XML-only modlet (recipes, loot, spawns, balance)	Works with EAC true. The server pushes changes to clients
Server-only admin tooling	Works with EAC true. Players never load it
Anything with a .dll, custom icons or asset bundles	Needs EAC false
Any overhaul modpack	Needs EAC false

Most of what people want is in the bottom two rows. If you’re not sure, set EasyAntiCheat to false — that runs everything.

1. Log in to the Nitro Panel and stop your server.
2. Open the Startup tab.
3. Set EasyAntiCheat to false.
4. If Allow Crossplay is true, set it to false too. Consoles can’t join an EAC-off server, and leaving it on only confuses the server browser.

Danger

Console crossplay requires EasyAntiCheat on, so a server running client-side mods can’t accept PlayStation or Xbox players. If you need both, you need two servers.

2. Understand the folder structure

Every 7 Days to Die mod is a folder containing a ModInfo.xml file. That file is what the game looks for — a mod without one is invisible to the server.

Mods/
├── SomeCoolMod/
│   ├── ModInfo.xml
│   └── Config/
│       └── items.xml
└── AnotherMod/
    ├── ModInfo.xml
    └── Config/

The mistake that catches almost everyone: unzipping often produces a wrapper folder, leaving you with Mods/SomeCoolMod/SomeCoolMod/ModInfo.xml. That extra layer means the mod won’t load. ModInfo.xml has to sit exactly one folder deep inside Mods.

Mods are generally loaded in alphabetical order by folder name, which is why some packs ship folders prefixed AAA_ or ZZZ_. If a mod’s instructions say it must load after another, renaming the folder is the accepted way to force it — but follow the author’s instructions over this rule if they conflict.

3. Install a mod

1. Download the mod. 7daystodiemods.com and the official Fun Pimps mod section are the two places worth trusting.
2. Check it supports your server version. A mod built for V1.0 or V2.x will usually fail on a V3.x server, or quietly damage a save.
3. With the server stopped, open the Files tab and find the Mods folder in the server root. Create it if it isn’t there.
4. Upload the mod’s .zip into Mods, then choose Unarchive from the file’s menu.
5. Open the extracted folder and confirm ModInfo.xml is directly inside it. If there’s a nested duplicate folder, move the inner contents up one level and delete the empty wrapper.
6. Delete the leftover .zip to keep your backups small.
7. Start the server.

4. Confirm the mod loaded

Don’t trust the file listing — trust the log. Watch the Console tab as the server starts:

INF [MODS] Start loading
INF [MODS] Trying to load from SomeCoolMod
INF [MODS] Loaded Mod: SomeCoolMod (1.0.4)
INF [MODS] Loading done

If your mod isn’t named in that block, the server never saw it — check the folder depth and that ModInfo.xml exists. If there’s an error right after the mod’s name, it isn’t compatible with your server version.

Tip

You can also open logs/latest.log from the Files tab and search for [MODS]. Same output, easier to read, and it survives a console refresh.

5. Tell your players what to install

This is where most confusion comes from, so be precise with your group.

Mod contains	What players need to do
XML config changes only	Nothing. The server pushes these automatically
Custom icons or asset bundles	Install the mod locally, or icons and models will be wrong
A .dll (Harmony / C# patch)	Install the mod locally
Any overhaul modpack	Install the exact same version locally

Any player who needs local files must also launch with EasyAntiCheat disabled, using Play (No EAC) in the launcher. Players joining an XML-only modded server can leave EAC on.

Note

7 Days to Die has no Steam Workshop syncing like Project Zomboid. If a mod needs client files, every player installs it by hand — sharing a zip in your Discord is the normal approach.

Installing an overhaul modpack

Overhauls like Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy and War of the Walkers replace most of the game. They install the same way, with extra conditions.

1. Start a fresh save. Overhauls can’t be dropped onto an existing world.
2. Follow the pack’s instructions for which folders go in Mods — some ship several, and all are required.
3. Every player installs the identical pack version locally.
4. If the pack ships its own map, upload it to the generated worlds folder and set Game World to that world’s folder name.
5. Expect to need more memory. If the server starts struggling on horde night after installing one, that’s why — open a ticket and we’ll size you up.

Removing a mod

1. Stop the server.
2. Delete the mod’s folder from Mods.
3. Start the server and watch the console.

Caution

Removing a mod that added items, blocks or recipes can break a save that used them. Restore a backup from before the mod was installed if the world won’t load.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause and fix
No [MODS] lines in the console at all	The Mods folder is empty, misnamed, or the mod folders are nested one level too deep. The name is case sensitive: Mods
Mod folder is there but never loads	ModInfo.xml is one level too deep. Flatten the nested folder
Server starts then immediately shuts down	A mod isn’t compatible with your version. Remove mods one at a time until it starts
Mod loads but players are kicked or stuck on “Creating player”	The mod needs client-side files. Set EasyAntiCheat to false, have players use Play (No EAC), and make sure everyone has the same version
Missing icons, pink or grey models	Asset bundles aren’t installed on the client. Install the mod locally
Console players can’t join	Expected on an EAC-off server. Consoles require EAC on
Server slowed down after installing a pack	Overhauls raise RAM and CPU needs. Lower Max Allowed View Distance and Max Spawned Zombies first, then open a ticket
Mod ships a .exe installer	It won’t run. Your server is the native Linux build — look for a manual install option

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Questions? Reach out on the support Discord or create a ticket.