Enhance your Stardew Valley experience with modding! This guide details how to add mods to your game, expanding gameplay and adding cosmetic features. Remember, this is for Windows users.
Step 1: Safeguard Your Farm – Back Up Your Save
This isn't mandatory if you're starting fresh, but highly recommended for existing saves. Losing hours of progress is never fun.
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
%appdata%and press Enter. - Navigate to the
Stardew Valleyfolder, then theSavesfolder. - Copy the contents to a secure location on your PC.
Step 2: Install SMAPI – Your Modding Gateway
SMAPI is essential; it's not a mod itself, but the tool that enables mods to work. Download it directly from the official SMAPI website.
Extract the downloaded ZIP file (to your desktop or downloads folder is fine). Do not put it in the Stardew Valley mods folder. Run SMAPI and choose "Install on Windows," following the on-screen instructions.
Step 3: Game Client Configuration (If Necessary)
If you play Stardew Valley through Steam, GOG Galaxy, or the Xbox app, you might need extra steps to maintain achievement tracking and playtime recording. Refer to the SMAPI documentation for specific instructions.
Step 4: Installing Mods – The Fun Part!
Nexus Mods offers a vast library of Stardew Valley mods.
Download mods (usually as ZIP files), extract them, and place the extracted folders into the Stardew Valley Mods folder. The location depends on your game client:
- Steam:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley - GOG Galaxy:
C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Stardew Valley - Xbox App:
C:\XboxGames\Stardew Valley
That's it! With thousands of mods available, you can customize your Stardew Valley experience.
Stardew Valley is available now.
