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To install mods on a RimWorld Together server, first install Harmony and RimWorld Together through Steam Workshop on every player’s copy of RimWorld. Then download the matching Windows or Linux server archive from the RimWorld Together GitHub releases, extract it to a writable folder, launch it, and configure the gameplay mods through the administrator tools or ModConfig.json. Every client must use a compatible RimWorld Together version and satisfy the server’s required and forbidden mod rules.
What you need before installing anything
RimWorld Together uses a modded client and a separate server application. Installing a Workshop mod only on the host computer is not enough: each player who connects needs the base RimWorld Together client mod, and gameplay-mod rules must be consistent with the server configuration.
- A legal desktop copy of RimWorld with Steam Workshop access for every player.
- Harmony and RimWorld Together subscribed to in Steam Workshop on every player’s computer.
- A Windows or Linux computer for the server. The official wiki documents those platforms; macOS is unsupported.
- A writable folder in which the server can create saves, data, logs, and configuration files.
- Permission to open the server’s network endpoint in your firewall and, for an internet-facing server, expose it beyond your home network.
- An agreed mod list before anyone creates the first shared world.
Keep the server archive and all clients on compatible RimWorld Together versions. A player with an incompatible base mod, a missing required mod, or a forbidden mod enabled will be rejected even if the rest of the list looks correct.
Install Harmony and RimWorld Together on every player client
Subscribe through Steam Workshop
- Open Steam Workshop for RimWorld.
- Subscribe to Harmony and RimWorld Together.
- Start RimWorld and open the Mods screen.
- Enable Harmony and RimWorld Together. If Steam has just downloaded an update, restart RimWorld before trying to connect.
Repeat those steps for every person who will join. The server cannot supply the base RimWorld Together mod itself; the client must have it installed and enabled locally.
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Keep the base mod versions compatible
When a client is refused, compare the RimWorld Together version shown by the server and by the player’s enabled mod list before investigating individual gameplay mods. A Workshop subscription can be present while the mod remains disabled, so check the loadout rather than assuming that subscription alone is sufficient.
Download and place the RimWorld Together server
Choose the archive for the host operating system
Open the RimWorld Together project’s GitHub Releases page and download the current server archive for Windows or Linux. Do not use a client-mod download as the server package; the server release contains the executable and its supporting files.
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Extract into a dedicated writable folder
Extract the archive into its own directory, such as a folder you create specifically for the server and its data. Avoid Program Files, system directories, and other locations that require administrator approval. The server must be able to create and update its working directories, saves, and configuration files under the account that runs it.
On Windows, a normal folder under your user profile or another data drive is usually easier to manage than a protected application directory. On Linux, choose a directory owned by the account that will run the process and ensure that account can write there.
Launch the server on Windows or Linux
Windows
- Open the extracted server folder.
- Run the Windows server executable.
- Allow the application through Windows Firewall when prompted, choosing the network scope that matches your intended use.
- Leave the server console running. Its first start creates the directories and configuration files needed for later administration.
If the process exits immediately or cannot create files, move the entire folder out of a protected location and verify that the Windows account running it has write permission. Security software can also quarantine or block a newly extracted executable; review its event log and create an appropriate exception only after confirming that the archive came from the project’s official release page.
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Linux
- Open a terminal in the directory where you extracted the archive.
- Grant execute permission to the server binary. The official example is:
chmod 755 filename- Replace
filenamewith the actual executable name from the release, then launch that binary from the same directory. - Keep the terminal or service running while players connect, and confirm that the process can write to the directory.
An “permission denied” launch error generally means the executable bit is missing or the file system is mounted with execution disabled. Apply the permission command to the real server binary and check the directory’s ownership before changing broader system settings.
What a successful first launch does
The first run creates the server’s working directories and exposes its console commands. Stop the process cleanly after that initial creation if you need to edit configuration files, then start it again after saving valid changes.
Connect a player and make the server discoverable
Join from the RimWorld client
- Launch RimWorld with RimWorld Together enabled.
- Open the in-game server browser, or use the server address supplied by the host.
- Select the server and connect.
- Read any mod mismatch message carefully; it normally identifies a version, required-mod, or forbidden-mod problem to correct on the client or server.
The server browser can be configured with a public endpoint and an enable switch. A public listing works only when that endpoint is reachable from outside the host network. For a home server, that normally means configuring the host firewall and router port forwarding; the project documentation does not provide one universal set of router steps for every model.
Use the first connection deliberately
The first player to join may be responsible for the initial world and mod setup. Have the final mod plan agreed before that player creates the world. Otherwise, the world can be generated with a list that later proves incompatible with the rest of the group.
Add gameplay mods and enforce one shared list
Subscribe before configuring the server
Have the intended players subscribe to each selected gameplay mod in Steam Workshop first. Then use the in-game administrator tools or the server’s ModConfig.json to classify each item. RimWorld Together recognizes three policy categories:
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| Policy | Client requirement | When to use it | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required/enforced | A client without the mod is blocked from joining. | World-generation, faction, biome, world-event, or other definitions that must be identical for everyone. | Every player must subscribe to and enable it; changing the list can affect save compatibility. |
| Optional | A client may use the mod only when the server’s compatibility rules allow it. | Cosmetic or otherwise safe additions that do not alter shared world state. | “Cosmetic” is not a guarantee of safety; a mod can still affect synchronization or saves. |
| Forbidden | Clients are prevented from using the mod while connected. | Mods known to conflict with the server, provide an unfair advantage, or create incompatible behavior. | A player who leaves the forbidden mod enabled will fail the connection check. |
Set required mods for shared-world definitions
Make a mod required when it changes world generation, factions, biomes, world events, or another definition that determines the shared simulation. Every client then loads the same definition set before joining. Keep optional status for an addition only when the server’s compatibility rules explicitly permit it; do not treat optional as a way to bypass synchronization requirements.
Edit ModConfig.json carefully
ModConfig.json stores the required, optional, forbidden, and package-ID settings used by the server. Edit it only after stopping the server or following the administrator tooling’s save process, and preserve valid JSON syntax: unmatched braces, stray commas, or quoted values in the wrong place can prevent the configuration from loading.
DLC package IDs are handled alongside mod IDs. Enter them in the order and format expected by the RimWorld Together configuration, rather than copying a display name from Steam. Keep a backup of the file before every change so you can restore a known-good list.
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- Write down the exact Workshop items and DLCs the group intends to use.
- Mark world-affecting items as required before creating the world.
- Identify cosmetic or otherwise safe items that may remain optional.
- List incompatible items as forbidden and tell players to disable them before joining.
- Give every player the same written list, not just a screenshot of one person’s Mods screen.
Create or change a world without damaging a save
Start new saves for major mod changes
The hosting guidance recommends creating a new save before adding mods, and the wiki recommends generating the world with the planned mod list. This is especially important for mods that alter world generation, factions, biomes, or world events. Adding or removing those definitions after a world exists can produce missing data, desynchronization, or an unstable save.
- Stop the server or otherwise ensure no one is writing to the save.
- Back up the save directory and
ModConfig.jsonto a separate location. - Apply the complete intended required/optional/forbidden list.
- Start the server and create a new world with that list in place.
- Have a second player join immediately to confirm that the client checks and synchronization work before investing time in the colony.
When an existing save must be changed
Back up first, then make one controlled change at a time. If the world becomes unstable or clients can no longer join, restore the previous save and configuration rather than repeatedly adding and removing mods. For a major change, the safer recovery is a new save generated from the complete planned list.
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Run RimWorld Together in Docker or on managed hosting
Docker
The project publishes an official container image and an example deployment using a persistent data directory. Mount persistent storage for saves and configuration; otherwise, recreating the container can discard the files the server generated at first launch. Keep the mounted directory writable by the container process and preserve ModConfig.json with the save backups.
Container networking still has to expose the server endpoint to players. A Docker deployment does not remove the need to configure the host firewall, public endpoint, or router when the server is outside a private LAN.
Managed hosting versus self-hosting
| Consideration | Self-hosted Windows/Linux server | Managed host |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime responsibility | You keep the computer, process, and network online. | The provider operates the host, subject to its service limits. |
| Operating-system access | Full access to the server files and OS. | Access depends on the provider’s control panel or service terms. |
| Backups | You choose the schedule and storage location for saves and configuration. | Backup frequency and restoration options vary; verify them before migrating. |
| Mod/config editing | Edit administrator settings and ModConfig.json directly. |
Confirm that the plan permits the required mod and configuration changes. |
| Network exposure | You configure firewall, port forwarding, and the public endpoint. | The provider normally supplies a reachable endpoint, but you must verify its exact setup. |
| Cost | Uses your existing hardware and internet connection; electricity and bandwidth costs are your responsibility. | Pricing is provider-specific and not stated here; check current rates, renewal terms, and resource limits. |
| Support | You diagnose permissions, updates, and networking yourself. | Support quality and RimWorld Together compatibility vary by provider. |
Choose self-hosting when you need direct file and operating-system control and can keep the machine online. A managed service is useful when the server must remain available without leaving a home PC running, but verify current compatibility, backups, pricing, and program terms before committing.
Troubleshoot the most common installation failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The server cannot create saves or configuration files. | The extracted folder is protected or the process account lacks write access. | Move the server to a writable directory outside Program Files or another privileged location, then confirm ownership and permissions. |
| Linux reports that the executable cannot run. | The binary lacks execute permission. | Run chmod 755 filename with the actual binary name, then launch it again. |
| A client is rejected for mods. | RimWorld Together versions differ, a required Workshop item is missing or disabled, or a forbidden mod is enabled. | Compare the base mod versions, required/forbidden lists, subscriptions, and enabled state on the client. |
| The world or save becomes unstable after a mod change. | A world-affecting definition was added or removed after the world was created. | Restore the backup, or create a new save with the complete planned mod list. |
| Players cannot find the server in the browser. | The browser is disabled, the public endpoint is unreachable, or firewall/port-forwarding rules block it. | Enable the server-browser setting, verify the endpoint from outside the host network, and check the host firewall and router. Router steps differ by model. |
| The first player creates a world with the wrong mods. | The group had not agreed on the enforced list before initial setup. | Stop, back up, set the intended list, and create a new world rather than trying to retrofit incompatible definitions. |
A repeatable launch checklist
- Harmony and RimWorld Together are subscribed to and enabled on every client.
- The server archive matches Windows or Linux and came from the project’s GitHub Releases page.
- The extracted directory is writable and outside protected operating-system locations.
- Linux binaries have execute permission.
- The server starts without file-creation errors and generates its working directories.
- The browser’s enable setting and public endpoint are configured when remote players need discovery.
- Required, optional, and forbidden mods are recorded in the administrator tools or
ModConfig.json. - World-affecting mods are required before the world is generated.
- Saves and configuration are backed up before changing the enforced list.
- At least one additional player tests the connection before the group begins a long colony.
What to do when you change the mod list later
Treat the required list as part of the save, not as a casual server preference. Announce the change, stop the server, back up the save and configuration, update the policy, and test with a second client. If the change affects world definitions, create a new world. If it is a permitted cosmetic or optional change, verify that the server accepts both the existing save and every player’s enabled list before resuming.
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