Install Mods Skyrim Special Edition
Filters.Add XBox One, Playstation 4, PC SSE, Classic, or VR in the title of your post so posts can be filtered! Using Mods. You may not post about questions that are answered in the FAQ. If you are brand new to modding work through this before asking where to start. A comprehensive list of many guides and resources covering a wide variety of topics.
Regarding Skyrim Special Edition. (which you should), you should not install Skyrim in the Program Files directory. Windows UAC will interfere with most skyrim utilities that need to write to the Skyrim folder. When you install Texture Mod B it will ask if you want to overwrite the conflicting textures from Texture Mod A. You decide yes.
A community curated list of 'essential mods.' . Tips for figuring out what's causing your issues!
Maintained by. Community Discussions based around various themes.Making Mods. and. Everything you need to know about the Creation Kit!. Modding Skyrim: Modder's Edition Use this and the CK Wiki together to start creating!Talking Mods.Hop in and chat with other members of the community!General Rules.
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See for more information.Related Subreddits.Related Websites. (NSFW).This guide is out of date!If you are completely new I urge you to follow the step by step guide below as it will not only help you with setting everything up but also explain why you need these utilities and some of the basic concepts of modding.If you have questions at any point in this guide I would first suggest to refer to the comments in the. Find the corresponding section and search the comments. If you don't see your question answered you can either PM or hop in the.ForewordWelcome to!
The moderation team wants to welcome you, and help cover some basics to ease you into the community. Let’s start with a brief bit of advice to the brand new modder!
This sub is a great place for all things modding, ranging from getting brand new modders up and running to discussing the more advanced topics of editing/creating a mod (and everything in between!). If you are new here please take the time to read through this guide.
80% of the issues we help people resolve are simply because they did not take the time to do the appropriate research. Windows 10 not turning off display. If you do not like to read then modding probably isn't for you. Page descriptions, guides, and others posts are absolutely essential if you want a safe, stable, and efficient modding experience. If you think you don't need those things and can just 'figure it out' you are in for more troubleshooting and starting over than actually playing, for a very long time.
Starting with learning to mod correctly now can save you months of frustration later, and as exciting as it seems to just dive in, download a bunch of mods, and load em up we can almost guarantee that this method will result in a lot of troubleshooting and possibly a reinstall or two, and that’s no fun at all. If you take it slow and do your research the rewards are plentiful and you will have a brand new Skyrim unlike anything you’ve ever played! Onward!This guide assumes that you are familiar with Windows file and folder systems and with the file system of your own computer.
It also assumes you know how to download and install programs and unzip archive files. If you do not have it already, you will want.Create A Nexus Account:If you have not created a, you should absolutely go do that now!Nexus is host to the most expansive library of quality Skyrim mods.
Almost every mod you will see discussed in this sub is hosted on Nexus. Sign up is free! Steam can be used, but it is recommended to use it in a slightly different manner than steam designed, which is covered later in this guide.
If you are brand new to modding it is recommended that you just stick with Nexus and using a mod manager until you have a grasp on the basic concepts of modding. Once you have that down, come read the guide on how to safely use Steam Workshop mods.File OrganizationIf you have UAC (User Account Control) in Windows (which you should), you should not install Skyrim in the Program Files directory. Windows UAC will interfere with most skyrim utilities that need to write to the Skyrim folder.Many people use C:/Games/ or install on a second drive. It is recommend to keep Skyrim itself and all installed mods on an SSD if you are able to. It does not need to be on the same drive as your OS but since most people only have the one SSD it likely will be.If you are like most people Steam is probably installed to the default directory C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam, and so is your game. Early in 2017 Steam removed support for handling multiple folders on the same drive. However, it is still possible to force steam to do this by editing a configuration file manually.
If you are uncomfortable with this, you should go ahead and do it anyways, because it's good practice, but you could alternatively move all of steam outside of program files.CLOSE STEAM.Create the directory you would like to install Skyrim to. I recommend C:/Games/SteamLibrary2/Steamapps Note that it is necessary for there to be a 'steamapps' folder in the directory or steam will not allow you to install a game there.The next step requires a more advanced text editor than notepad.
I recommend, which is handy for a lot of advanced modding (such as writing or editing scripts or configuration files) as well.Go to Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps. In this folder there will be a file called libraryfolders.vdf. Open it with Notepad.It will look like. Add your new library folder like.Save the file.Open Steam. Right click on Skyrim and click Properties. Click on 'Move Install Folder'.Select your new install folder.Steam will move the game for you.Whether you needed to follow the steps above or not, RUN SKYRIM ONCE.
This updates the registry so that all your modding utilities can actually find the game.Now, we're also installing a number of programs that interact with Skyrim and it's mods. Most of these should not be installed into the Skyrim directory.You should, instead, create a folder called 'Skyrim Modding' somewhere on your computer where you can download and unpack these utilities.(You must create this folder yourself)What I did was create a general 'Modding' folder (C:GamesModding). Then within my modding folder I have 'Skyrim Modding', 'FO3 Modding', 'FNV Modding', 'Morrowind Modding', etc. This allows me to keep all my modding stuff in one place, divided up by game.During this guide, I will assume you are using my file structure, so adapt it to yours if yours is different. This file structure is not required, it is just recommended for ease of navigation.It is important for the '/Skyrim Modding/' folder to be on the same hard drive as Skyrim.While I'm talking about these folders, I have a recommendation.
You want to be able to access these files easily, right? Pin these folders in the Quick Access Menu! (called 'Favorites' in Win7)If you look at windows explorer windows or download location windows, there is a 'Quick Access' (or Favorites) list on the left. You can drag a folder to the quick-access or right-click the folder and select 'Pin to quick access', and it won't be moved. It's just adding a shortcut so you can easily access it from most of the windows you'll be using.
In my Quick Access, I have:. Skyrim (Main Directory). Skyrim Modding (The utility folder you created)If you are doing a fresh Skyrim install, run the game once to initialize data before beginning the process and moving forward in this guide! To do this simply launch Skyrim from Steam once, let the Splash menu appear and set your graphics settings and then exit.
This allows Skyrim to set up some necessary file paths.Mod Organizer (MO)Overview:Whether you are looking to do a light touch-up to your game or a complete overhaul of every aspect it is highly recommended that you use a mod manager. This will help you keep track of your mods and also provide a safer modding experience. MO is our recommended mod manager for a multitude of reasons. First, it provides easier management of overwrites (Texture Mod A over Texture Mod B). This is different than Load Order and managing overwrites via a drag and drop list is something exclusive to Mod Organizer.
More importantly, it keeps your Skyrim data folder completely clean. If you are using Nexus Mod Manager or Wrye Bash we implore you to make the switch and learn MO. Let's go over why these two functions of MO are beneficial.Why It's Important:. Virtual Data Folder: Manual installation is never recommended as you have no efficient way of removing mods. You would have to know exactly what the mod changed throughout your Data folder and change those textures/scripts/meshes/etc back to vanilla manually. I'm sure you can see why this would be easy to mess up.
Nexus Mod Manager and Steam have a system for automatically adding and removing those changes meaning all you have to do is hit 'Subscribe' or 'Download with Manager' and activate. The problem is that it still makes those changes directly in your Data folder. If a mod you test out is poorly coded it might leave files behind or not tell Skyrim to replace the vanilla files upon removal.
Again, you can see where this can cause issues down the road. The consequence can be anywhere from a couple hours of troubleshooting to having to totally reinstall Skyrim. Mod Organizer creates a virtual data folder for all your mods, and hooks into Skyrim so that the mods are read. This feature is exclusive to Mod Organizer.Explaining the inner workings of how it does this is beyond the scope of this guide, but the information is certainly out there (most likely on the MO Nexus page) if you are interested in digging deeper.
Overwrite Priorities: Mod Organizer is split into two windows. On the right is your Load Order (called Plugins in MO). It is the.esm and.esp files related to any mods that require them. On the left side is the order in which all your mods overwrite each other. This is your Mod List. It functions in a similar manner to your Load Order, except it is for the mods themselves whereas the Load Order is in reference to.esm and.esp files. Mod authors talking about installation order will be talking about how mods should be ordered in your left pane.
The Mod List includes textures and other mods that don't have.esm or.esp files. Let's look at how the two mod managers handle these conflicts and decide the overwrite priority:Example: Installing Texture Mod A and Texture Mod B, both of which retexture cities. They don't all replace the same textures but they do overlap on a few textures (these are the conflicts between these mods).1. Nexus Mod Manager:With NMM, you first install Texture Mod A.
When you install Texture Mod B it will ask if you want to overwrite the conflicting textures from Texture Mod A. You decide yes or no for the conflicts and click OK. Next you hop into your game and run around looking at your sexy new textures. You find yourself thinking 'I like the wood textures from Texture Mod A better than Texture Mod B'. Now you would have to exit the game and reinstall Texture Mod A, telling it to overwrite Texture Mod B. Depending on the size of the mod and how specific you like to be with your texture choices, this can take 2-5 minutes. NMM is also more prone to accidentally leave files behind or not handle all the overwrites properly, which may leave you with some files you didn't want or expect from previous uninstallations.
Now imagine that you have 50 texture mods.or even 10.let's look at the same conflict in MO2. Mod Organizer:Open Mod Organizer and install Texture Pack A. Then we install Texture Pack B. There is no overwrite prompt and they are both loaded into the left list (Mod List). Texture Mod B is below Texture Mod A and thus is winning the conflict.
Installing Mods Skyrim Special Edition Manually
Hop in game and decide 'Yeah Texture Mod A grass is way better than Texture Mod B!' Exit the game, drag Texture Mod A below Texture Mod B and drop it. It took 3 seconds.
Reorganizing those 50 texture mods is as simple as dragging and dropping.This function alone will save you hoursTo make your Mod List drag and drop choices even easier MO will indicate a conflict with either a lightning bolt with a plus sign (conflict winner) or a lighting bolt with a minus sign (conflict loser). If it is a lightning bolt with a plus and a minus it is winning some and losing some. You can check these conflicts by double clicking a mod and navigating to the 'Conflicts' tab.Generally for mods with.esps you should try to match their order in the Mod List to that of the Load Order on the right.Beyond these two very useful functions there are other, more advanced, features that you will learn to use along your modding journey. We implore anyone, beginner or advanced, to start with or switch to Mod Organizer. While it takes a little longer to learn, the time saved in mod management down the road far outweighs the time spent learning it initially. (Sensing a theme here?)Installation and Using MO:(please go back and read File Organization if you skipped it).Download the latest MO installer.Run the installer and point it to your 'Skyrim Modding' folder.Whichever method you choose, you should now have a 'Mod Organizer' folder in your 'Modding Utilities' folder.Within the Mod Organizer folder you will find the modorganizer.exe.Ensure that this is the case before continuing.Optional Steps For Easy Launching of MO:A. Create a shortcut -.Right-click the modorganizer.exe and select 'Send to desktop'.
This will create an MO shortcut on your desktop (it doesn't actually move the original.exe).Rename the shortcut to SKMO ( this is only if you plan on having multiple MO installations for modding FNV/FO3, otherwise you can just rename it to 'MO')B. Pin to Taskbar -. Alternately you can right-click the modorganizer.exe and select 'Pin to taskbar'.
It's really up to whether you prefer your programs pinned to the taskbar or on your desktop.
Looking for mods for the original version of Skyrim? We've selected over 100 of the best mods for improved visuals and optimization, new quests and locations, roleplaying and immersion, creatures and NPCs, and much more.Since the last time we updated our list of the best Skyrim Special Edition mods the Skyrim Script Extender has been made compatible with it.
You can download it (it'll be labelled 'Current SE build'). Turn off automatic updates for Skyrim Special Edition once it's installed, as the creation club still receives patches which routinely break the Script Extender until modders update it.With the Script Extender modders can now alter this version of Bethesda's RPG as drastically as Oldrim. Near-essentials like SkyUI are now available in this slightly prettier (it does have nicer shadows), and more stable (you can alt-tab as much as you like) version of Skyrim. To be fair, there were other changes as well, like.If you're playing the and looking for the best mods available, look no further. Some of these mods can be found on Bethesda's site and downloaded while in-game, but the links we'll post all point. Mods added in the latest update of this list have been marked with a ⭐. Vortex ⭐For downloading, installing, and managing these mods and others, we recommend Vortex.
It's an extremely useful utility, and it works with a number of other games like Fallout 3 and 4, The Witcher series, the Darks Souls games, XCOM 2, and lots more. SkyUI ⭐The heavens parted, golden saints sang, and SkyUI was finally supported by Skyrim Special Edition. This interface replacer makes Skyrim feel like it was designed for mouse controls, and lets you filter and sort inventory based on weight, value, damage and the like. Also adds an in-game mod configuration menu several other mods rely on. A Quality World Map ⭐Skyrim's map is functional but boring.
A Quality World Map offers multiple ways to fix it. It can replace the map with a much more detailed world texture, with colors that help delineate the separate areas much more obviously, but there's also an option to have a paper map, with a more Oblivion look, if that's your thing. Legacy of the Dragonborn ⭐.
Adds a gallery you can fill with unique items, a museum to your achievements that is also a library, a storage facility, a questline of its own, and a place to learn archeology complete with its own perks. While the original version of this Skyrim mod has been adapted across from Oldrim, there's also an update in the works specifically for Special Edition which will remap the building to make it larger and more like a real museum. It won't be compatible with the current version, so it might be worth holding off until Legacy V5 comes out. The Asteria Dwemer Airship ⭐There are player home mods to suit all tastes, but the Asteria is a particularly nice one—a flying ship with all mod cons, by which I mean storage space and crafting tables. It's permanently docked, however, and can't be moved around, though it does have a teleporter for a more immersive alternative to fast-travel. Flyable skyship mods still haven't made the jump over from vanilla Skyrim, unfortunately. Inigo ⭐Maybe you don't think a blue Khajiit who follows you around commenting on everything and being sarcastic about Lydia is what Skyrim needs, but trust us on this.
Inigo is a follower with tons of dialogue, some tied to his own questline and more that crops up at appropriate times depending on the location you're at. He can be told where to go and what to do by whistling, and will follow you even if you've got an existing companion, chatting away with them thanks to skilfully repurposed voice lines. Unofficial Skyrim PatchThis mod is a compendium of hundreds of fixes for bugs, text, objects, items, quests, and gameplay elements assembled by prolific modder Arthmoor. The patch is designed to be as compatible as possible with other mods. If you've got a few hours,. Opening Scene OverhaulThis mod, by elderscrolliangamer, changes and enhances Skyrim's opening sequence by restoring dialogue that Bethesda chose to cut, but which is still present in the game files. With that content restored, you'll learn more about the world you're preparing to inhabit by listening in on additional conversations and seeing full sequences that were snipped before release.
Best of all, if you choose to side with the Stormcloaks, you'll actually be able to escape Helgen with Ulfric himself at your side. Open CitiesIt's more than a little immersion-breaking in Skyrim to enter a city through a gate and encounter a loading screen.
Open Cities, by Arthmoor, aims for more of a Morrowind feel: the cities aren't instances, they're part of the larger world. Stroll right in—or ride in on horseback—without a break in your experience, and these cities will feel more like real places than loaded-in maps. Phenderix Magic WorldThis impressively robust magic mod adds new locations like The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the magical town of Manantis, and even a new magical dimension to explore. It also adds hundreds of new spells from all schools of magic, plus lots of magic weapons, over a dozen new followers, and a quest to get you started. Alternate Start—Live Another LifeIf you're playing Special Edition, you're starting from scratch whether you're a newcomer to Skyrim or a veteran. Why not start your new game as someone other than the Dragonborn?
Alternate Start—again, by Arthmoor—is a roleplaying mod that gives you choices on how you'd like to begin your next playthrough. Are you a patron at in inn, a visitor arriving by boat, a prisoner in a jail cell, or the member of a guild? You can start as a soldier, an outlaw, a hunter, or even a vampire. It's a great way to re-experience Skyrim from a different perspective. Relationship Dialogue OverhaulThis mod by cloudedtruth adds thousands of lines of voiced dialogue for NPCs, directed at making you feel as if you have a closer and more personal relationship with followers and friends.
Your spouse, if you have one, will no longer sound like a random follower, but address you in a more personal manner, and those you've angered will have a host of new insults to hurl your way. Diverse Dragons CollectionDespite the Special Edition's visual overhaul, its dragons are still a bit ho-hum. This mod, contributed to by a large collection of modders, adds 28 new and unique dragons with different models and textures, and capable of over a dozen new breath attacks and abilities. The dragons come in different ranks as well, to ensure you have a challenge no matter what your level. Achievements Mod EnablerJust because you're modding doesn't mean you're cheating (necessarily). So why does the SSE disable achievements if you've got mods running? Stick it to 'em by using this plugin from xSHADOWMANx that allows you to earn achievements even while using mods.
Static Mesh ImprovementsWhile the SSE adds plenty of enhanced visuals, it doesn't do a thing to improve the original game's low-poly meshes. This mod edits hundreds of 3D models placed in thousands of different locations for items like furniture, clutter, architectural elements, and landscape objects to make them look nicer and more realistic. Total Character MakeoverSkyrim's NPCs already looked dated when the game was first released, and they certainly haven't aged well.
The SSE might improve the looks of the world, but it doesn't touch its citizens, so this mod from Scaria should be on your list. It gives everyone in the game (including your avatar) a facelift with more detailed textures that won't kneecap your framerate, and without making characters look out of place. True 3D Sound for Headphones'This mod enables true 3D sound for Skyrim SE by using a so called HRTF to simulate binaural hearing using normal stereo headphones. You will hear exactly from which direction a sound is coming from.' I don't know exactly what that first sentence means, but I understand the second one.
Make the SSE more realistic for your ears with this mod from CptYouaredead.You also might want to check out. Frostfall and CampfireLooking to turn SSE into a survival experience? Then bundle up and look no further.
These mods from Chesko make the frosty world of Skyrim more dangerous yet more immersive and enjoyable with a system that makes you manage your temperature in the cold climate. Hypothermia is an issue, especially if you swim through icy water, so you'll have to dress warmly, and camping elements include craftable tents, torches, and other gear. There's even a crafting skill system.Also, check out, which adds weather-dependent visual effects and sounds. Cutting Room FloorAnother big mod from Arthmoor restores loads of content that exists in SSE's data files but wasn't implemented in the game.
Numerous locations, NPCs, dialogue, quests, and items have been brought into the light, and the game is richer for it. The Forgotten CitySkyrim's got lots of adventure, but here's about 10 hours more courtesy of writer and developer Nick Pearce. Play detective and solve a murder mystery while exploring a massive, ancient city. It's got excellent, award-winning writing, a non-linear story, fantastic voice acting by a large cast, an enjoyable original soundtrack, and even a touch of time travel. Ars Metallica—Smithing EnhancementUnless you're playing as a metal-plated tank who swings an enormous two-handed sword around, there's not a lot of use for smithing.
Install Mods Manually Skyrim Special Edition
Archers, thieves, and other stealthy characters have no issues finding light armor on their adventures, so there's never been much reason to make it themselves. This mod by Arthmoor gives slippery sorts reasons to learn smithing, by letting them forge arrows, lockpicks, and guild-specific armor, as well as melt down bulkier armor they'd never actually wear into ingots.