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To add a Mod.io mod to a Space Engineers dedicated server, enable crossplay when the server serves Xbox players, copy the mod’s Mod.io Resource ID, place that ID in the save’s Sandbox_config.sbc <Mods> block with PublishedServiceName set to mod.io, then restart the server. The server downloads the content during startup. A Steam Workshop ID is not valid for this configuration.

What must be true before you add a Mod.io mod

Mod source and platform mode are linked. Keen Software House states that a server for Xbox players, or a mixed PC-and-Xbox server, should use only mods hosted through Mod.io. Host Havoc’s June 9, 2026 technical guidance describes Mod.io mods as the cross-platform alternative to Steam Workshop mods and requires crossplay for its documented workflow.

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  • Xbox-only or mixed PC/Xbox server: use the Mod.io service and enable crossplay.
  • PC-only server: Steam Workshop remains a separate path; the Mod.io procedure below still works only when the server and mod support that mode.
  • Server software: use the Space Engineers dedicated-server manager, which Keen makes available free to owners through Steam’s Tools section, or edit the save configuration directly.
  • Access: you need permission to stop the server, edit its save files, and start it again. Managed hosts may expose those actions through a control panel or file manager.

Do not begin by pasting a Steam Workshop number into a Mod.io entry. The service name and identifier are both part of the configuration, so an otherwise valid-looking number can still produce an unknown-mod error.

Choose a setup method

There are two practical ways to put the mod in the world’s mod list. The dedicated-server manager is safer for most administrators because it validates and writes configuration through its interface. Direct XML editing is useful when the manager does not expose the required entry, when a host gives you file access, or when you need to inspect exactly what the server will load.

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Approach Best for What you change Main risk
Dedicated-server manager Self-hosted administrators who prefer a GUI Active-mod list and server configuration in the manager Choosing the wrong service or saving an incomplete configuration
Manual XML Managed hosting, scripted administration, or troubleshooting The save’s Sandbox_config.sbc file Malformed XML, wrong ID, or editing the wrong save
Self-hosted server Owners controlling the machine and files Local manager and save directory Forgetting to stop the process before editing
Managed server Hosts providing a web panel and console Panel settings or a file-manager upload/edit Panel restart settings or permissions hiding the active save

Whichever method you use, the resulting save must contain one correctly formed ModItem for every mod and the server must be restarted before the download can occur.

Install or open the dedicated-server manager

  1. Open Steam and switch the Library filter to Tools.
  2. Install or launch Space Engineers Dedicated Server. Keen provides the dedicated-server package at no additional charge to Space Engineers owners.
  3. Open the manager’s server configuration. The manager exposes controls for the active mods, editing the configuration, saving and starting the server, restarting it, and viewing the console.
  4. Select the server instance and, if necessary, confirm which world save it starts. A mod entry written to a different save will not affect the world your players join.

If your provider supplies a web panel instead of the Steam manager, use its equivalent controls. The labels vary by provider, but the required data does not: Mod.io service, the Resource ID, and the correct save file.

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Find the Mod.io Resource ID

Open the mod’s page on spaceengineers.mod.io. Copy the page’s Resource ID, not a number copied from a Steam Workshop URL or a browser address bar belonging to another service.

  1. Open the mod page and verify that it is public and available to the platform mix your server supports.
  2. Locate the Resource ID shown by Mod.io.
  3. Record the ID exactly, including every digit. The server notation is Service:Mod ID; for Mod.io, that means mod.io:1234567890.
  4. Keep the mod’s displayed name beside the number so you can identify it later in the manager or XML. Friendly names are labels; the numeric Resource ID is what identifies the published item.

Do not replace the service prefix with steam, do not use a Steam Workshop ID, and do not add spaces around the colon. In XML, the service is represented separately as PublishedServiceName, so it must be spelled mod.io in lowercase with the period.

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Method 1: add the mod through the manager

The manager’s active-mod selector is the least error-prone option when it recognizes the Mod.io item.

  1. Stop the server instance if it is running. Editing while the process is active can be overwritten when the server saves or shuts down.
  2. Open the world or save configuration and choose the manager’s Active Mods control.
  3. Add the Mod.io item using its Resource ID or the Mod.io entry exposed by the selector. Confirm that the selected service is Mod.io rather than Steam Workshop.
  4. Use Edit Config or the equivalent preview to verify that the world’s Mods collection contains the new item.
  5. Save the configuration. Keep a backup of the previous configuration if this is a production world.
  6. Start or restart the server and watch the console until the mod download and loading messages finish.

If the manager cannot find the item, do not substitute a similarly named Workshop result. Switch to the manual method and enter the Mod.io values in the save file.

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Method 2: edit Sandbox_config.sbc manually

Manual editing changes the mod list stored with a particular world. Work on a copy first, and edit only while the server is stopped.

1. Stop the server and back up the save

Use the manager’s Stop command or the hosting panel’s stop action. Wait until the process is fully stopped. Copy the world directory or at least Sandbox_config.sbc to a safe location so you can restore the previous mod list if the server fails to start.

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2. Open the correct configuration file

In the active world’s save directory, open Sandbox_config.sbc in a text editor that preserves plain XML. Make sure the path belongs to the save configured for this server instance, not an old backup or a test world.

3. Replace the empty Mods element

Find the empty element <Mods />. Replace it with a complete block. The following is the documented shape; the names and number shown are an example and must be replaced with the values for your mod.

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<Mods>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="Assault Weapons Pack">
    <Name>451208.sbm</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>451208</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
</Mods>

Each field has a distinct purpose:

  • FriendlyName is the readable label shown to administrators.
  • Name is the mod filename/value expected by the server configuration. Use the value generated by the manager or documented for the item; do not invent a filename because the numeric ID looks similar.
  • PublishedFileId is the Mod.io Resource ID, copied exactly as shown on the mod page.
  • PublishedServiceName must be mod.io.

4. Add additional mods

Put one ModItem block inside Mods for each additional item. Keep the opening and closing tags balanced and replace all three mod-specific values in every block.

<Mods>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="First Mod">
    <Name>FIRST_NAME_VALUE</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>FIRST_RESOURCE_ID</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="Second Mod">
    <Name>SECOND_NAME_VALUE</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>SECOND_RESOURCE_ID</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
</Mods>

The uppercase strings in this second example are instructions, not values to leave in the file. Replace them before saving.

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5. Save without changing XML structure

Save the file as plain text with the original filename and extension. Do not leave two Mods elements, remove unrelated world settings, or paste smart quotation marks around attributes. A malformed document can prevent the server from loading the save at all.

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Start the server and verify the download

  1. Start or restart the server after saving the manager configuration or XML file.
  2. Watch the dedicated-server console or your host’s Web Console during startup. Host Havoc’s June 9, 2026 guidance notes that mods download during startup and that progress can be monitored there.
  3. Wait for the download and mod-loading messages to settle before asking players to connect. A server that is still downloading may appear online while the world is not ready.
  4. Look for an error naming the service, Resource ID, dependency, or file. Record the exact message rather than relying on a generic “unknown mod” banner.
  5. Join with a test account and check a feature supplied by the mod. If the server starts but the feature is absent, recheck that you edited the active save and that the mod does not require a new world.

Do not treat a successful process start as proof that installation succeeded. The startup output is the authoritative place to confirm that the intended Mod.io item was resolved and loaded.

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Dependencies, conflicts, ordering, and world requirements

The official Space Engineers wiki states that dependencies listed on a Mod.io page are automatically added to the world’s mod list. Automatic inclusion does not remove the need to review the mod page: dependencies can introduce their own requirements, and two otherwise valid mods can conflict.

Dependencies

After the first restart, inspect the saved mod list and startup output for dependency entries. If a required dependency is listed on the Mod.io page but is not resolved, verify that the dependency is public, available to your platform mode, and represented with the correct Mod.io service and Resource ID.

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Load order

Follow the author’s stated ordering instructions when they exist. Keep the order stable between restarts so that a troubleshooting change can be identified. Do not assume that alphabetical order is correct; the available evidence establishes that ordering may matter but does not define a universal order for every mod.

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Conflicts

Read the mod page for known conflicts before putting the item on a populated world. If two mods change the same block, script, or definition, disable one in a test copy rather than repeatedly changing a production save.

Existing save versus fresh save

Some mods take effect only in a new save. Host Havoc specifically warns that this can be required. Treat a new-world requirement as a mod-specific condition: back up the existing world, create a disposable test save, and verify the feature there before deciding whether a reset is acceptable.

Why the server says “unknown mod” or fails to download

Symptom Likely cause What to check
Unknown mod immediately after startup Wrong identifier type or service prefix Copy the Mod.io Resource ID again; ensure PublishedServiceName is exactly mod.io; remove any Steam Workshop ID.
Mod is not found or cannot be downloaded Item is private, unavailable, removed, or not visible to the server Open the Mod.io page while signed in if required, confirm the item is published, and check the startup console for the provider’s specific response.
Works on PC but not for Xbox players Crossplay is disabled or the mod is not available through the cross-platform service Enable crossplay in the server configuration and confirm the mod is hosted on Mod.io.
Server fails after manual editing Malformed XML or duplicate/incomplete Mods elements Restore the backup, validate the block’s opening and closing tags, then reapply one ModItem at a time.
Server starts but content is missing Wrong save was edited, download is incomplete, or a fresh save is required Confirm the active save path, wait for startup downloads to finish, and test the mod’s new-save requirement.
One mod loads and another does not Dependency, conflict, ordering, or an invalid second entry Compare every FriendlyName, Name, Resource ID, and service value; then test the second mod alone.

Self-hosted and managed-hosting differences

The data in the save file is the same, but the administration workflow differs.

Self-hosted

  • You can install the dedicated-server manager from Steam’s Tools library.
  • You can stop the process, back up the save directory, edit Sandbox_config.sbc, and inspect the local console.
  • Keep a dated copy of the configuration before changing a live world.

Managed hosting

  • Use the provider’s stop and restart controls rather than editing while the server process is running.
  • If the panel has an Active Mods field, use it first; otherwise use its file manager or support-approved method to edit the active save.
  • Use the Web Console to monitor startup downloads and preserve the error text when contacting support.
  • Confirm which save slot the service launches. A panel can contain several worlds, and editing an inactive slot has no effect.

A managed host may restrict direct file editing, but it cannot make a Steam ID valid in a Mod.io entry. If the panel rejects the item, verify the identifier and service before assuming the host is incompatible.

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A safe repeatable workflow

  1. Identify the server’s platform audience and enable crossplay when Xbox players are involved.
  2. Open the Mod.io page and copy the Resource ID.
  3. Check the mod page for dependencies, conflicts, ordering instructions, and a new-save requirement.
  4. Stop the server and back up the active world configuration.
  5. Add the item through Active Mods, or edit Sandbox_config.sbc with one correctly formed ModItem.
  6. Confirm PublishedServiceName is mod.io and that no Steam identifier was substituted.
  7. Save, restart, and monitor the console until downloads and loading complete.
  8. Test the mod in a disposable or backed-up world before exposing a populated production save to players.

This sequence separates platform compatibility, identity, file editing, and runtime verification. When a failure occurs, you can identify which stage produced it instead of repeatedly changing several settings at once.

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