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For a tModLoader host or server, open the Mods menu, choose Disable All, then close and relaunch tModLoader. If tModLoader cannot reach that menu, hold Shift while it starts to skip mod loading, or remove enabled.json from the saves Mods folder and restart. On a dedicated server, stop the process first, change the enabled list or selected modpack, and start it again. Those steps disable content mods while keeping the tModLoader runtime; running a genuinely vanilla server requires Terraria’s separate dedicated-server executable.

Decide what “disable mods” means for your server

There are two different outcomes that are often confused:

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  • No content mods, but still using tModLoader: Every mod is turned off, while the server and clients continue to launch through tModLoader. This is the right choice for troubleshooting a crash, testing a world, or temporarily running without mod content.
  • A vanilla Terraria server: The server runs Terraria’s separate dedicated-server executable rather than tModLoader. Disabling every mod in tModLoader does not produce this result.

Choose the first option when you need a reversible change or want to preserve a tModLoader-based setup. Choose the second only when every player is prepared to connect to a vanilla server and you have backups of worlds and configuration. Official tModLoader guidance does not promise that all modded-world content will survive a transition between runtimes without loss, so treat a runtime switch as a separate migration rather than a simple toggle.

Disable every mod in a local game or Host & Play session

This is the normal procedure when you host from the game client or simply want to launch tModLoader with no active mods.

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  1. Start tModLoader and open the Mods menu.
  2. Select Disable All. The enabled-state list is changed as a group instead of requiring you to turn off each mod individually.
  3. Close tModLoader completely. Do not rely on returning to the main menu; the process must exit so the next launch reads the new state.
  4. Launch tModLoader again and test the world or multiplayer session.

Disabling mods does not uninstall their files. The mod files remain available if you later enable them again, and the tModLoader executable is still the runtime in use.

If the Mods menu will not open

A broken mod can prevent the interface from loading far enough to reach the menu. Use one of these recovery paths:

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  • Shift-start: Hold Shift while tModLoader starts. This skips loading mods for that launch, allowing you to reach the menus and disable the offending set.
  • Reset the enabled list: Close the game and delete enabled.json from the saves Mods folder. Relaunch tModLoader; with no saved enabled list, the previously active mods will not load. Keep a copy of the file if you may need to restore the exact selection.

Use only one recovery method at a time, then relaunch and confirm that the game reaches the title screen. If the game still fails before loading mods, the cause may be the tModLoader installation, a world, or a configuration issue rather than an enabled mod.

Disable mods on a dedicated tModLoader server

A dedicated server has no graphical Mods menu. Make changes while the server is stopped, then start a new process so it reads the updated files.

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  1. Stop the server cleanly. Warn connected players and allow saves to finish. Do not edit the mod list while the server process is writing world or configuration data.
  2. Back up the world and configuration. Keep a dated copy before changing files, especially if the world contains blocks, items, or systems supplied by mods.
  3. Inspect the server’s Mods directory. The documented control files include enabled.json, install.txt, and downloaded .tmod files. Their exact directory is determined by the server’s configured mod path.
  4. Set the desired enabled list. Replace or edit the enabled list so only the mods you want are active. To run with no content mods, use an empty or disabled list rather than deleting backups of the mod files.
  5. Check the server configuration. In serverconfig.txt, modpath= identifies the Mods directory and modpack= selects a modpack. Remove or change a modpack selection when the server must use a different set.
  6. Prevent automatic mod changes when required. If you run the documented management script and want it to skip mod installation or updates, add the script’s --no-mods option. This controls management-script behavior; it does not convert tModLoader into vanilla Terraria.
  7. Start the server again. Use the configured launcher, such as start-tModLoaderServer.sh, and watch the console for errors before allowing players to reconnect.

What each server-side file controls

Item Role When changing it helps
enabled.json Records which installed mods are enabled. Turning the current mod set off or selecting a smaller set without removing files.
install.txt Provides the management script with mod installation information. Controlling what the script installs on a managed deployment.
.tmod files Installed mod packages stored in the Mods directory. Keeping packages available for later re-enabling; deleting them is not necessary to disable them.
modpath= Points the server configuration to the Mods directory. Verifying that you edited the directory the running server actually uses.
modpack= Selects a named modpack through serverconfig.txt. Switching from one curated set to another or removing a modpack selection.

If the server appears to ignore your edits, check the active configuration and modpath= first. Editing a second Mods directory has no effect on the process you start.

Use a selected modpack instead of disabling everything

Sometimes the goal is not an empty server but a known-good subset. Stop the server, back up its files, and select the intended modpack with the modpack= setting in serverconfig.txt. Confirm that the selected pack’s enabled list matches the clients you expect to support. Leave unused .tmod packages in place if you may return to the previous pack; changing the enabled list is less destructive than deleting packages.

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When a management script is responsible for installation and updates, use its documented files and options rather than manually replacing packages while it is running. The --no-mods option is appropriate when you need a maintenance start that does not install or update mods. It is not a substitute for changing enabled.json or modpack= when already-installed mods must be disabled.

Disable mods in a Docker deployment

In the documented Docker layout, the Terraria directory beside the compose files contains the server’s enabled.json, install.txt, serverconfig.txt, world files, and .tmod packages. The files on the host are therefore the place to make a persistent change, not a temporary edit inside a running container.

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  1. Stop the Docker service gracefully and back up the world, configuration, and current mod files.
  2. Edit the host-side enabled.json or the modpack= and modpath= settings in serverconfig.txt.
  3. If the management script is enabled, decide whether it should continue installing or updating mods. Use its documented --no-mods option when those operations must be skipped.
  4. Restart the service so the container reads the changed files.
  5. Rebuild the container only when the image or its managed installation needs updating; a simple enabled-list change normally requires a service restart rather than an image rebuild.

After the restart, inspect the container’s console output and connect with one test client before announcing the change to everyone. A bind-mounted or otherwise persistent host directory is essential; edits made only inside an ephemeral container can disappear when it is recreated.

Run a truly vanilla Terraria server

To return to vanilla Terraria, stop the tModLoader server and launch Terraria’s separate dedicated-server executable with a vanilla world and configuration. Do not treat “all mods disabled” as equivalent: the tModLoader runtime remains active in that state.

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Safer transition procedure

  1. Stop the tModLoader process and make independent backups of every world and configuration file.
  2. Keep the tModLoader world copy untouched; create or select a separate world for the vanilla server when possible.
  3. Launch the vanilla dedicated-server executable and point it at the vanilla world/configuration.
  4. Connect with an unmodified Terraria client and verify that the world loads, players can join, and expected items and tiles are present.
  5. Keep the original tModLoader files until the vanilla test is complete. If modded content is missing or the world behaves unexpectedly, stop the vanilla server and restore the tModLoader backup instead of overwriting it.

A world that contains mod-provided content may not have a lossless path between runtimes. The available tModLoader documentation does not provide a universal guarantee for every modded-world transition, so backups and a separate test world are the practical safeguards.

Understand what happens to players’ mods

Changing the server list does not automatically remove every mod installed on every client. tModLoader assigns each mod a ModSide classification that determines synchronization behavior.

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ModSide Synchronization behavior Effect of disabling it on the server
Both The mod normally runs on both client and server. Clients generally need a matching change before they can join successfully.
Client The mod runs locally on the client. It is not disabled merely because the server does not have it. Each player must turn it off if it causes a client-side problem or conflicts with the session.
Server The mod runs on the server and is not sent to clients. Removing it from the server removes its server-side behavior; clients do not receive a copy to remove.
NoSync The mod is not automatically downloaded or disabled through normal synchronization. Players may still have it installed and enabled locally, so they must manage it themselves when required.

For a coordinated shutdown, tell players whether you changed only server-side mods or the complete Both-side set. A player can still see a Client or NoSync mod in their own installation after the server has been reduced to an empty list.

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Find the mod that caused the problem

Disabling all mods is a useful diagnostic because it creates a known baseline. If the server or client works normally with an empty enabled list, restore mods in controlled groups.

  1. Leave all mods disabled and reproduce the original action: launch, load the world, or join multiplayer.
  2. Enable a small group rather than the entire collection.
  3. Restart tModLoader or the dedicated server so the group is loaded from a clean process.
  4. Repeat the test, recording which group was active and what changed.
  5. When a failing group is found, split it into smaller groups until one mod or a specific combination is responsible.
  6. Check whether the failing mod is marked Both, Client, Server, or NoSync; multiplayer failures can require checking both installations.

For multiplayer-only failures, inspect both client and server logs. The tModLoader FAQ notes that logs commonly identify the mod involved. Compare timestamps and enabled lists rather than assuming the first error line is the root cause; a dependency failure can be reported before the mod that triggered it.

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Common failure modes and fixes

The server still loads mods after I edited a file

  • Confirm the process was stopped before editing.
  • Verify that you changed the directory named by modpath=, not another copy of the Mods folder.
  • Check whether modpack= selects a pack that overwrites or regenerates the enabled list.
  • If a management script runs at startup, review whether it installed or updated mods; use --no-mods when that behavior must be suppressed.
  • Restart and read the console output to confirm which configuration and mod path were loaded.

Players cannot join after the server list was reduced

Check Both-side mods first. Every client must use a compatible set, while Client and NoSync mods may remain enabled locally. Ask one player to disable all client mods, connect, and then re-enable only the required client-side tools.

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Deleting enabled.json did not solve the launch failure

That recovery method targets a corrupted or problematic enabled list. If tModLoader still fails, use the Shift-start path, test a different world, and inspect the client or server log. Do not delete world files as a first response; restore the backup instead.

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The Docker change disappeared

Edit the persistent Terraria directory beside the compose files and restart the service. An edit made only inside a temporary container layer can be lost when the container is recreated. Rebuild only when the image or managed installation itself has changed.

I disabled all mods but the server is not vanilla

That is expected: you are still running tModLoader. Stop it and launch the separate vanilla dedicated-server executable with a backed-up vanilla-compatible world and configuration.

Choose the right method

Situation Use Why
Local Host & Play or client troubleshooting Mods → Disable All, then restart. Fast, reversible, and does not remove installed packages.
Mods menu cannot open Hold Shift at launch or remove enabled.json from the saves Mods folder. Bypasses a failing mod load so the selection can be reset.
Dedicated server with a management script Stop the process, edit enabled.json or modpack=, then restart; add --no-mods to skip script installation or updates. Changes the server’s persisted selection and controls automated mod operations.
Docker server Edit the persistent host-side files and restart the service. Ensures the change survives container recreation.
True vanilla operation Launch Terraria’s separate dedicated-server executable. Disabling tModLoader mods alone leaves the tModLoader runtime active.

Restore the previous mod setup

To undo a temporary shutdown, stop the server or close the client, restore the backed-up enabled.json or select the previous modpack=, and start again. On a local installation, open the Mods menu and re-enable the required set. Restore the world backup only if the world was opened or saved while incompatible mods were absent; otherwise, keep the current world and verify it carefully.

Record the enabled list, modpack name, tModLoader version, and world backup date whenever you make a major change. That small change log makes it possible to reproduce a working state instead of guessing which combination was active.

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