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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted Vintage Story servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
When Vintage Story server mods are not showing up, start with the mod’s side value, the server’s mod folder, and the server’s ModPaths setting. Then verify that the mod archive is structured correctly, every component uses a compatible game version, and the server log identifies no malformed modinfo.json file or duplicate modid. These checks resolve the most common “mods not loading” and “Unable to load mod. Check log files” cases without reinstalling the entire server.
The procedure below applies to a dedicated server. It distinguishes documented behavior in the Vintage Story Wiki from community-reported possibilities, so you know which fixes are authoritative and which are useful tests rather than guaranteed rules.
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What to check first when Vintage Story server mods do not load
Work in this order so that a simple configuration error is not confused with a broken mod:
- Inspect
modinfo.jsonand itssideproperty. A side mismatch can prevent a mod from loading on the server at all. - Confirm the zip files are in the dedicated server’s Mods directory. The directory must be one of the locations listed in
ModPaths. - Compare versions. The server build, mod release, and player clients need compatible versions.
- Read the server log. It normally names the mod that failed and the reason.
- Bisect the collection. If several mods are installed, disable all of them and restore them in groups until the offending archive is isolated.
Do not begin by deleting random folders or changing unrelated settings. A controlled sequence leaves the working configuration intact and gives you a reproducible result.
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Put the archives in the server’s actual Mods folder
The dedicated-server guide states that when you launch with a custom data path, the server’s Mods folder and serverconfig.json are inside that data path. Place the mod .zip archives in that server-side folder. A client’s mod cache or a game installation directory is not a substitute for the dedicated server’s data directory.
Find the data path used by the process
Look at the command or service definition that starts the server. If it includes the --dataPath launch argument, the value supplied there is the data path whose contents should include Mods and serverconfig.json. For example, a launch configuration may contain --dataPath /path/to/server-data; in that case, inspect /path/to/server-data/Mods rather than a similarly named folder elsewhere.
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Check modinfo.json, especially the side property
The official troubleshooting guidance identifies side as the property that determines when a mod is loaded. The default is Universal. A universal mod is intended to be available on both sides, so a server that does not have that mod cannot satisfy the requirement. A mod intended only for a player client should declare a client side, while a server-side mod must be installed on the dedicated server.
Inspect the file without editing the archive blindly
- Make a copy of the downloaded
.zipbefore changing it. - Open the archive and locate
modinfo.json. - Read the
sidevalue and compare it with the mod author’s stated purpose. - If the mod is server-only, ensure the archive is present on the server. If it is client-only, do not expect the server to provide it.
- Restart the server after any change and inspect the log for that mod’s load message.
Do not “fix” a side mismatch by changing JSON values unless you know the mod supports that side. The property describes the code’s runtime dependencies; changing it can convert a clear error into a later crash or missing feature.
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Recognize a malformed metadata file
The message “Unable to load mod. Check log files” can be produced when modinfo.json is malformed. Common examples include invalid JSON punctuation, an incomplete download, or a file that was renamed from another format. The log is the authority: copy the exact error, identify the archive named beside it, and replace that archive with a clean download if the metadata cannot be parsed.
Verify the zip’s internal structure
A community forum report describes a case where modinfo.json and the assets folder had to be at the root of the zip instead of inside an extra directory. This is a community-reported troubleshooting case, not a universal rule stated by the official documentation, but it is quick to test when a mod is present in the folder and never appears in the load list.
What the archive should look like for this test
Open the archive and look at its first level. You should be able to see modinfo.json and the mod’s expected folders immediately. If the first level contains only one directory, open that directory and check whether the files are nested there. Make a corrected copy with the metadata and assets at the archive root, then test it with the original removed so the server cannot load both copies.
Keep the original archive unchanged until the test succeeds. If moving files fixes loading, report the packaging problem to the mod author rather than assuming every Vintage Story mod must be repacked this way.
Match the Vintage Story and mod versions
A forum report notes that mods not updated for the current game version may not show up. Use compatible versions for all three participants: the dedicated server build, each mod release, and the players’ game clients. The server log records the version in use, so use that value instead of relying on the folder name or a remembered update date.
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Perform a controlled version check
- Record the server version from its startup log.
- Read the mod’s release notes or metadata and identify the game-version range it supports.
- Check each connecting player’s client version.
- Install a mod release that explicitly supports the server build, or move the server and clients to the version required by the mod.
- Restart and confirm that the log now reaches the mod-loading stage without a compatibility error.
Do not mix an updated client with an older server and then diagnose the resulting absence as a folder problem. If the game was updated recently, test the server with only one known-compatible mod before restoring the complete collection.
Set ModPaths so the server scans the right location
The Server Config documentation lists ModPaths as an array such as ["Mods", "/absolute/path/to/Mods"], with the comment “Where server should look for mods.” At least one entry must point to the folder containing the mod archives. A relative Mods entry is resolved against the data directory in the documentation’s example; the page does not define every resolution detail for custom layouts, so test an absolute path when a non-default location is involved.
Edit the server setting safely
- Stop the server completely.
- Open the
serverconfig.jsoninside the active data path. - Find the
ModPathsarray and confirm thatModsor the intended absolute directory is listed. - Check spelling, capitalization, and separators in an absolute path.
- Save valid JSON, start the server, and read the log to confirm that the directory is scanned.
If you move the folder, update ModPaths at the same time. Leaving the old path in place can make the server appear to start normally while ignoring every archive in the new directory.
Client and server paths are separate settings
The official troubleshooting page explains that the user-mods path is absolute and may contain a user name. If that name changes, files in the old path are ignored. When a client also fails to see its own mods, close the game and edit the modPaths key in clientsettings.json. The server counterpart is serverconfig.json. Change these files only while the game or server is closed so the running process does not overwrite your edit.
Read the logs instead of guessing
Server logs are in the same Logs folder used for client logs. The exact error determines the next action:
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- Malformed
modinfo.json: replace or repair the named archive, then validate its JSON. - Duplicate
modid: two archives identify themselves as the same mod. Remove the duplicate, an older copy, or a repacked archive so only one identifier remains. - Path or scan errors: correct
ModPaths, the data path, or filesystem permissions. - Version or dependency errors: install a release compatible with the server build and its required dependencies.
Capture useful evidence
Stop adding and removing files while reading the log. Copy the first error for the mod, the server version shown at startup, and the path the server reports scanning. Earlier lines often contain the root cause; later “unable to load” lines may only be consequences. When asking the mod author or a server administrator for help, provide that excerpt and the archive’s exact filename.
Bisect the collection to find one bad mod
When a server has many archives, the reliable isolation method is a binary search, often called bisecting. Disable every mod, verify that the server starts, then restore half of the collection. If the problem returns, the bad mod is in that half; if it does not, it is in the half still disabled. Repeat until one archive remains.
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- Stop the server and move all mod archives to a temporary holding folder outside every configured
ModPathsdirectory. - Start the server once to establish a clean baseline.
- Stop it, return approximately half of the archives, and restart.
- Record whether the error returns and save the corresponding log excerpt.
- Keep halving the failing group until a single archive or a small dependency set is identified.
- Test the suspected mod alone, then add its documented dependencies one at a time.
Keep a written list of each test group. Without one, it is easy to reintroduce an archive accidentally or mistake a dependency failure for a problem in the last file copied.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Diagnose common symptoms
“Mods are not showing up”
First confirm that the archives are in the server folder named by ModPaths. Next check the server version against the mod release and inspect side. A client-only mod will not become a server feature merely because its zip is present, while a universal mod requires the server copy as well. The startup log should show whether the server discovered the archive.
“Unable to load mod. Check log files”
Open the server’s Logs folder and locate the first detailed error. A malformed metadata file and a duplicate modid are documented causes. Fix the named archive, restart, and check whether a second error appears; dependency failures can be hidden behind the first invalid mod.
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The server starts, but players cannot join
Compare the client and server game versions and confirm that each player has the client-side portion required by the mod. Recheck the mod’s side declaration rather than changing the server path again. The absence of a server startup error does not prove that a client-only component is installed on every player’s machine.
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A custom folder is ignored
Verify the active --dataPath value, then inspect the ModPaths array in the serverconfig.json inside that data path. Add the custom folder as an absolute entry and restart. If the log still scans a different directory, the process is using another data path or another configuration file.
Client download loops and cache advice: treat as unverified
Some third-party hosting guides describe a “Downloading Mods” loop, a client-side ServerMods cache, and an enabled flag in mod-list.json. Those details are not confirmed by the official pages used for this guide. If a client is stuck in such a loop, deleting the reported ServerMods cache has been described as low-risk, but it is a community suggestion rather than a guaranteed Vintage Story fix. Back up the folder first, and return to the server-side checks above if the loop persists.
Likewise, do not rely on unverified mod whitelist or blacklist commands from hosting tutorials. Confirm any command against documentation for the exact server build before using it on a live world.
A complete recovery workflow
Use this sequence when individual checks have not identified the cause:
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- Back up the world,
serverconfig.json, and the entireModsfolder. - Stop the server and note the
--dataPathvalue used by the service or launch script. - Open that data path and verify that
Modsandserverconfig.jsonare together. - Confirm
ModPathscontains the folder holding the zip files. - Temporarily remove every archive and start the server to establish a no-mod baseline.
- Read the startup log and record the server version.
- Inspect one known-compatible mod’s
modinfo.json, includingside, and check its archive root. - Add that mod alone, restart, and verify its load message.
- Restore the remaining archives in groups, using the bisect method if the error returns.
- After the server is stable, have players align their client version and install any required client-side components.
This process preserves a known-good baseline and produces a specific failing filename instead of a vague report that “mods do not work.”
Fix priority at a glance
| Cause to test | How quickly it can be tested | Evidence basis |
|---|---|---|
side mismatch |
Immediate: inspect one JSON file and restart | Official troubleshooting guidance |
Wrong server folder or ModPaths |
Fast: inspect the active data path and configuration | Official troubleshooting and Server Config documentation |
| Server, mod, or client version mismatch | Fast: compare startup and release versions | Community report plus versions shown in logs |
Malformed modinfo.json |
Fast: read the first detailed log error | Official troubleshooting guidance |
Duplicate modid |
Fast: search archives and confirm the log entry | Official troubleshooting guidance |
| Extra directory inside a zip | Fast: inspect the archive’s first level | Community forum report |
| One bad mod among many | Several restarts: bisect the collection | Documented troubleshooting method |
The Server Config page was last verified for Vintage Story 1.22.0. If your server is newer, confirm that the current build still uses the same configuration names and mod format before applying an older example unchanged. No official 2026 change to the modinfo format or mod-folder locations has been established.
Quick Recap
What not to assume
- There is no published statistic establishing a percentage of Vintage Story servers that fail to load mods. Treat numerical failure-rate claims without a cited measurement as speculation.
- A client-side cache, a hosting panel toggle, or a whitelist command described by a third-party guide is not automatically part of the official server workflow.
- Changing
side, renaming amodid, or editing paths can create new incompatibilities. Preserve backups and change one variable at a time.
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