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To install mods on a Conan Exiles Enhanced dedicated server, install the Enhanced server application, place each compatible .pak file in ConanSandboxMods, create a matching modlist.txt with one exact filename per line, then restart the server. Every player must run the same mod files in the same order. Enhanced is the Unreal Engine 5 version, so a mod made for the older UE4 edition is not automatically compatible.
Before you begin
This procedure is for the Conan Exiles Enhanced PC dedicated-server path. Enhanced is the UE5 release. Official console servers remain on the UE4 version, so console installation steps and mod availability do not apply here.
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Funcom says Enhanced “fully supports mods,” while also warning that some existing mods must be upgraded before they work. Treat the Workshop page or the mod author’s release notes as the compatibility authority. Do not assume a UE4 mod works merely because its name is familiar.
- A Windows PC or Windows server running the Enhanced dedicated-server application.
- Steam access for downloading Workshop content on Steam clients.
- Administrator access to the server folder and permission to stop and restart the service.
- A complete backup of the server database before a server upgrade or major mod change.
- Agreement among the administrator and players on the exact mod set and load order.
Funcom also states that the client version must match the server version. Update the server and clients from the same Enhanced release before diagnosing a mod problem.
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Install and initialize the dedicated server
1. Install the server application from Steam
- Open the Steam desktop client and select Library.
- Change the library filter to Tools.
- Install Conan Exiles Dedicated Server. Steam supplies the application files and updates them through the normal Steam process.
- Locate the installed directory. Funcom’s documented Windows configuration path is
Conan Exiles Dedicated ServerConanSandboxSavedConfigWindowsServer.
The folder name can change when moving to Enhanced. Funcom identifies the newer server directory as Conan Exiles Enhanced Dedicated Server. Always verify that you are editing the configuration and mod folders belonging to the Enhanced installation rather than an older UE4 copy.
2. Configure the server and start it once
Before adding mods, make one clean start. This creates the expected folders and confirms that the executable, configuration files and network rules work independently of mod loading.
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- Open
Engine.iniin theWindowsServerconfiguration directory and setServerNameandServerPassword. - Open
ServerSettings.iniin the same directory and setAdminPassword. - Start the server with
StartServer.bator launchConanSandboxServer.exe. - Wait for the server to finish initialization, then stop it cleanly before copying mod files.
Funcom’s default network values are UDP 7777 for gameplay, UDP 7778 for the pinger and UDP 27015 for the query port. Your host, firewall and router may require their own rules, so confirm current provider instructions before exposing ports.
Choose Enhanced-compatible mods
Steam Workshop method
For a Steam installation, open the Conan Exiles Workshop and select Subscribe on each mod you want. Steam downloads the latest Workshop version and keeps it updated. In the game’s Mods screen, enable or disable subscriptions and arrange their load order.
Subscription is a download mechanism, not a compatibility guarantee. Check that each Workshop item is explicitly marked for Conan Exiles Enhanced, UE5 or the current Enhanced release. Read the author’s notes for dependencies, required order and migration warnings. A Workshop item that has not been upgraded can prevent the server from starting or produce a mismatch when a player joins.
Manually supplied .pak files
A mod is a .pak archive. Manual installation is useful when an administrator receives a tested package directly from an author or needs to pin a specific version instead of accepting Workshop updates. Obtain the complete package, including any author-supplied dependency instructions, and keep the original filename unchanged.
Do not rename a file to make it easier to read. The filename in modlist.txt must match the file in the server’s Mods folder exactly, including capitalization, punctuation and the .pak extension.
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Copy mod files to the server
Create the Mods directory
Stop the server first. In the dedicated-server installation, open:
Conan Exiles Dedicated ServerConanSandboxMods
If the Mods directory does not exist, create it with that exact name. For an Enhanced installation whose root folder has the newer name, use the equivalent Conan Exiles Enhanced Dedicated ServerConanSandboxMods path.
Copy every selected archive
- Copy each selected Enhanced-compatible
.pakfile directly intoConanSandboxMods. - Do not put archives in a nested folder such as
ModsMyModunless the mod author specifically documents that layout. - Remove obsolete versions so two releases of the same mod cannot be selected accidentally.
- Record the exact filenames and the order in which you intend to load them.
The server does not install a mod merely because the archive exists. The archive must be listed in modlist.txt.
Create modlist.txt and control load order
Required file format
Create a plain-text file named modlist.txt inside the same ConanSandboxMods directory. Put one exact .pak filename on each line, in the intended load order. For example:
CoreFramework.pak
BuildingExtension.pak
ServerBalanceEnhanced.pakUse the real filenames supplied by your mods; the names above are only an illustration of the format. Do not add commas, quotation marks, bullet characters or a folder path. Save the file as plain text, not as modlist.txt.txt.
Set a deliberate order
Load order matters when two mods alter the same assets, recipes, tables or scripts. Put documented frameworks and dependencies before mods that rely on them, then apply content or balance changes in the order recommended by the authors. If no order is documented, change one position at a time and test after each change rather than rearranging a large list blindly.
Players can configure the list in the client’s Mods screen and copy the client’s ConanSandboxModsmodlist.txt to the server. This is convenient when the group has already tested a working order, but inspect the copied file before using it: it must contain the exact server filenames and only mods intended for the dedicated server.
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Restart and verify the installation
- Confirm that the server process is stopped.
- Check that every filename in
modlist.txthas a matching file inConanSandboxMods. - Check that no duplicate or old archive is present.
- Start the server with
StartServer.batorConanSandboxServer.exe. - Watch the startup output for a failed archive, missing file or dependency error.
- Join from a test client with the same Enhanced version and the same enabled mods in the same order.
- Load a known save and verify one feature from each newly added mod before inviting the whole group.
When clients connect, Conan Exiles checks that they have the same mods selected as the server. A client with a different set or order cannot connect successfully. The practical definition of “the same mod” is the same archive identity and version, not merely a matching Workshop title.
How clients obtain the files
Steam clients
Steam players should subscribe to every server mod, wait for Steam to finish downloading, then open the in-game Mods screen and confirm that each item appears and is enabled in the server’s order. Steam Workshop handles subsequent updates, which means an author’s new release can change the client file without the administrator intentionally changing the server.
For controlled deployments, schedule a maintenance window: update the server archives, verify the list, and have players allow Steam to complete its downloads before reconnecting. Do not start a session while one player is still receiving a different Workshop revision.
Epic clients and PC mod transfer
Funcom documents a TCP mod-transfer setting under [/Script/ConanSandbox.SystemSettings] with ModFileDownload.DownloadPortOffset=2. It is used for PC mod-transfer requests from Epic clients, while Steam clients use the Steam Workshop API. The effective port depends on the server’s configured network values and the offset, so do not guess a firewall rule from the setting alone. Check the current Funcom documentation and your hosting provider’s instructions before opening or changing ports.
Do not expose the transfer service broadly just to solve a local subscription problem. Restrict firewall rules to the required interfaces and ports, and document every change so it can be reverted.
Steam Workshop versus manual .pak installation
| Decision point | Steam Workshop | Manual .pak files |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Players subscribe to a Workshop item. | An administrator supplies a specific archive. |
| Update method | Steam downloads the latest subscribed version and keeps it updated. | The administrator replaces the archive manually. |
| Best fit | Steam PC groups that want simple client downloads. | Controlled testing, pinned versions or clients without the same Workshop workflow. |
| Load-order control | Use the in-game Mods screen, then copy or reproduce the resulting list. | Edit modlist.txt directly and distribute the same order. |
| Rollback | Requires locating or restoring a known older Workshop revision if available; a new subscription update may already have changed clients. | Keep the previous .pak files and restore them with the matching list. |
| Client platform behavior | Steam clients use the Steam Workshop API. | Epic clients may use the documented TCP mod-transfer path; firewall requirements must be verified for the current server. |
Neither approach removes the parity requirement. The server and every client still need the same compatible files and order.
Back up the database before upgrades or major mod changes
Back up the private dedicated-server game.db before moving to Enhanced, replacing a major mod, or making a change that could alter saved data. Keep one copy outside the server machine, such as on a USB flash drive or other offline storage.
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- Stop the server cleanly.
- Locate the database in the current dedicated-server save directory.
- Copy
game.dbto a dated backup location without overwriting earlier backups. - Label the backup with the server version, mod list and date.
- Confirm that the Enhanced installation uses the intended database location. Funcom notes that the server folder name changes to
Conan Exiles Enhanced Dedicated Server. - Only restore a database according to current Funcom migration guidance.
UE5 and UE4 save compatibility is directional, so a rollback is not a casual copy operation. Preserve the original UE4 database and the Enhanced database separately until the migration has been validated.
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The server will not start after adding a mod
- Stop the server and remove the newest added archive from the active set.
- Confirm that every line in
modlist.txtexactly matches a file inMods. - Check that the mod author marks the release for Enhanced rather than UE4.
- Restore the previous working list and start the server.
- Re-add one mod at a time to identify the incompatible archive or dependency.
Do not delete the database as a first response. A startup failure caused by an archive or list typo should be isolated without destroying saved progress.
A player receives a mods-mismatch error
- Compare the server’s
modlist.txtwith the player’s enabled list. - Compare the exact archive filenames and versions, not just display names.
- Compare load order line by line.
- Ask the player to finish Steam downloads and restart the game.
- Remove stale duplicate archives from the client if two versions are present.
- Confirm that both sides run the same Enhanced client/server version.
One missing dependency, disabled item or swapped pair can fail the parity check even when every visible mod name appears correct.
A Workshop mod does not download
- Confirm that the player selected Subscribe on the correct Workshop item.
- Check Steam’s download queue and wait until the transfer completes.
- Open the in-game Mods screen and verify that the item appears.
- Enable it and place it in the same order used by the server.
- If it still does not appear, restart Steam and the game, then recheck the Workshop subscription.
Clients cannot receive files through the transfer service
Verify whether the connecting client is Steam or Epic, because Steam uses the Workshop API while Epic PC requests use the documented TCP transfer setting. Check the host firewall, router and provider rules against the current server configuration. Avoid changing ModFileDownload.DownloadPortOffset without recording the resulting port and updating the corresponding firewall rule.
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Stop and restore the backup plan before experimenting. Keep separate copies of the UE4 and Enhanced game.db files, do not overwrite the only known-good database, and follow Funcom’s current migration instructions for the direction you are taking. Test the upgraded server with a copy of the save where possible.
A repeatable maintenance workflow
- Maintain a text record of the active mod filenames, versions and order.
- Back up
game.dband the currentmodlist.txt. - Stop the server before replacing archives or editing the list.
- Change one mod or one order position at a time.
- Start the server and test with an administrator account.
- Have one client from each platform complete a connection test before reopening the server.
- Announce the exact Workshop subscriptions or manual files required to players.
- Retain the previous archives until the new session has been verified.
This process makes a failed update reversible: you can restore the old archives and list instead of trying to infer which of several simultaneous changes caused the problem.
Quick Recap
Key points to remember
- Enhanced is the UE5 edition; compatibility must be checked per mod.
- Server archives belong in
ConanSandboxMods. modlist.txtcontains one exact.pakfilename per line and defines load order.- Every client needs the same mod set, versions and order.
- Steam Workshop subscriptions download and update files for Steam players.
- Epic PC transfer uses Funcom’s documented TCP setting, with firewall configuration requiring care.
- Back up
game.dbbefore Enhanced migration, major mod changes or rollback work.
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