How to Install Mods on a DayZ Server

To install mods on a PC DayZ dedicated server, download each Workshop item onto the server, place it in a top-level @ModName folder, copy its public .bikey files into the server’s shared keys/ directory, and add the exact folder names to the startup -mod= parameter in dependency order. Restart the server, read the boot log, and test with a client that has the required client-visible mods.

That file installation is only the foundation. Item mods commonly need mission-economy XML changes, while custom maps require both the map mod and a matching mission template. The instructions below cover Linux and Windows dedicated servers, signature keys, load order, map setup, updates, and the failures that most often prevent a mod from loading.

What do I need before installing a DayZ mod?

Use these steps for a PC dedicated server. You need administrative access to the DayZ server root, serverDZ.cfg, the top-level keys/ directory, and the mission under mpmissions/.

• Back up serverDZ.cfg, mpmissions/, mission storage, and existing mod folders.
• Record every mod’s Workshop ID, exact directory name, dependencies, required mission edits, and whether it is client-visible or server-only.
• Schedule a restart window. A running process will not reliably pick up changed PBOs, keys, or launch parameters.
• Keep a known-good copy of the current mod list so you can roll back one change at a time.

A player’s Steam Workshop subscription is separate from the dedicated server’s files. Subscribing on a gaming PC does not download or install anything on the server.

How do I download DayZ Workshop mods on Linux?

Bohemia’s documented Linux workflow uses SteamCMD. Install or update the DayZ dedicated-server application (app ID 223350) and download each Workshop item from the DayZ Workshop (app ID 221100).

1. Install SteamCMD and choose a server directory, such as ~/servers/dayz-server/.
2. Run the server update and Workshop download commands. Replace the example Workshop IDs with the IDs of the mods you selected.

~/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/servers/dayz-server/ +login your_login +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 1559212036 +workshop_download_item 221100 1564026768 +quit

The example IDs represent particular framework and administration-tool releases in the official pattern; they are not a universal list of current mods. Use the ID shown for each item you actually intend to run. Run the same workshop_download_item pattern later to update a mod.

SteamCMD may leave Workshop content in a numbered download location rather than the final @ModName directory. After downloading, identify the mod’s actual folder and move or copy it into the DayZ server root, then rename it to the exact top-level name you will use in -mod=.

How do I download DayZ mods on Windows?

On Windows, Bohemia documents an official PowerShell server-manager workflow that can download SteamCMD, the DayZ server, Workshop data, and launch the server with configured parameters. The documented support target is Windows 10 and Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer; availability has varied around DayZ version 1.24.

If that script is unavailable or does not fit your host, use SteamCMD directly or the host’s Workshop integration. The rest of the installation is identical: put each mod at the server root, copy keys, set the launch list, apply mission edits, and verify the log.

Do not assume that downloading a Workshop item through the Windows Steam client places it in the dedicated-server directory. Confirm the files are on the machine that actually runs DayZServer_x64.exe.

Where do DayZ mod folders go?

Each normal mod belongs in its own top-level folder beside serverDZ.cfg and mpmissions/. The folder name convention starts with @, but the loader ultimately uses the exact spelling and capitalization of the directory on disk.

serverDZ.cfg
mpmissions/
keys/
@CF/
  addons/
  config.cpp
  keys/
@CommunityOnlineTools/
  addons/
  config.cpp
  keys/

The important content is normally in addons/, which contains the mod’s PBO files. A directory that lacks addons/ can appear in the launch list yet load as an empty mod. A mod’s own keys/ directory is where you obtain public signature keys; it is not a replacement for the server’s shared top-level keys/ directory.

Keep one mod per folder. Do not combine the contents of two Workshop items into a single @ directory, because dependencies, updates, and key ownership then become difficult to diagnose.

Where do I put the .bikey file?

Copy every public .bikey file supplied by a mod into the DayZ server’s shared top-level keys/ directory. The key enables the server’s signature verification to recognize the signed PBOs that clients are allowed to use.

1. Open the mod folder and locate keys/ or key/.
2. Copy each file ending in .bikey.
3. Paste those files into <DayZ server root>/keys/.
4. Leave signature verification enabled unless you have a deliberate, documented operational reason to change it.

A typical serverDZ.cfg setting is:

verifySignatures = 2;

Missing or mismatched keys commonly cause a player to be rejected during connection even when the server has started successfully. Copying a key only into the mod’s private folder is not sufficient; the shared server directory is the location the signature check uses.

How do I add mods to the DayZ startup command?

Use -mod= for content that clients must load. Separate multiple entries with semicolons and use the exact folder names on disk. Use -serverMod= for server-only logic that should not be sent to clients.

Windows launch example

DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -BEpath=battleye -mod=@CF;@CommunityOnlineTools;@MyContentMod -serverMod=@MyServerLogic -dologs -adminlog -netlog

Linux launch example

./DayZServer -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2301 -BEpath=battleye -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheck -mod=1559212036;1564026768;

The Linux example uses numeric Workshop paths in the launch list, matching the documented hosting pattern. If your installation uses local @ folders, list those exact folder names instead. Do not copy the example IDs or names unless they are the files you downloaded.

Spaces, capitalization, punctuation, and semicolon placement matter. A typo in -mod= can make a mod appear installed in the filesystem while the server never loads it. Keep -serverMod= separate; putting a server-only package in -mod= can cause clients to be asked for files they do not need.

How do I set the correct mod load order?

Load frameworks before the mods that depend on them. DayZ declares these relationships in requiredAddons[] under CfgPatches in a mod’s config.cpp.

1. Read the mod’s documentation for required frameworks and companion packages.
2. Open config.cpp when you need to confirm a declared dependency.
3. Place each prerequisite earlier in the semicolon-separated list.
4. Continue with the dependent content, then server-only logic in -serverMod= where appropriate.

Community Framework (@CF) and Dabs Framework (@DabsFramework) are common prerequisites. A sample roleplay order may begin @CF;@DabsFramework;@CommunityOnlineTools, but no single order works for every collection. The dependency declarations and the mod author’s instructions take precedence.

If a dependent package appears before its framework, the server can stop loading at that point and every later entry may fail as a downstream symptom. Check the first dependency error in the log instead of reinstalling all folders.

Do item mods need mission XML changes?

Often, yes. A mod can load correctly while contributing no loot because the mission economy has not been told how to spawn its items.

Editing the economy files

Many item packages provide XML fragments for types.xml; container-based content may also require cfgspawnabletypes.xml. These files are under mpmissions/<mission>/db/. Merge the supplied entries into the active mission rather than replacing the entire file and losing your existing economy configuration.

1. Identify the mission folder named in serverDZ.cfg.
2. Back up its current db/ files.
3. Compare the mod’s XML entries with the mission’s existing classes.
4. Merge the required entries, preserving valid XML structure and avoiding duplicate class definitions.
5. Restart the server and test an item in a controlled location or fresh loot cycle.

If the mod’s interface or weapons work but its items never appear, the missing mission XML is a more likely cause than a missing .bikey.

How do I install a custom DayZ map?

A custom map requires two coordinated pieces: the map mod itself and a matching mission template. Upload the map package to the server root, place its mission folder under mpmissions/, point serverDZ.cfg to that template, and apply any XML edits supplied by the map author.

1. Install the map folder and any framework dependencies.
2. Copy the matching mission template into mpmissions/.
3. Set the mission selection in serverDZ.cfg to that template.
4. Merge the map’s economy or spawn XML changes where instructed.
5. Copy the map mod’s signature keys into the shared keys/ directory.
6. Restart and confirm that the log names both the map mod and the intended mission.

Stock mission names include dayzOffline.chernarusplus, dayzOffline.enoch, and dayzOffline.sakhal. A template switch can create a new storage slot or world state, so take a backup snapshot before changing a world that contains player progress.

How do I verify that the mods loaded?

Restart cleanly after changing files or launch parameters. During startup, read the server log and compare the mod banners or load messages with the list you requested. This is the fastest way to distinguish a path problem from a client connection problem.

1. Confirm the process starts without an immediate dependency or configuration error.
2. Count the loaded-mod messages and compare them with -mod= and -serverMod=.
3. Check that the active mission is the one whose XML you edited.
4. Connect with a test client that has every required client-visible mod and matching versions.
5. Test one feature from each mod: an item, menu, vehicle, map location, or server command.

Keep the first startup log from a known-good configuration. Comparing it with a failed boot often reveals the first missing dependency or malformed path.

Why are my DayZ mods not loading?

The mod is listed but does nothing

Check that the directory is at the server root, contains an addons/ folder, and exactly matches the spelling and case in the launch parameter. If the folder is only a wrapper containing another directory, move the actual mod directory up one level.

The log reports a dependency or “mod loading failed” error

Inspect requiredAddons[] and the mod documentation. Move the required framework earlier in the list, verify that its own addons/ folder is present, and restart before testing another change.

Players are rejected while connecting

Copy the mod’s public .bikey into the shared keys/ directory and confirm the client has the same client-visible mod set. A server-only package belongs in -serverMod= and should not be required on the player’s machine.

The server says “wrong session state”

Check for a DayZ build mismatch between server and client. The forceSameBuild = 1 setting is associated with refusing mismatched players, so verify that the server build and the client build are aligned before changing the setting.

Items never spawn

Confirm that the active mission contains the mod’s types.xml entries and, where needed, cfgspawnabletypes.xml changes. Editing a different mission folder than the one selected in serverDZ.cfg has no effect.

Windows works but Linux does not

Check case and directory names. Linux compatibility checks should include lowercase addons and keys directories and lowercase filenames inside addons, as well as a case-correct launch list.

How should I update DayZ mods safely?

Update the DayZ server and Workshop items with the same SteamCMD pattern used for installation on Linux, or use the equivalent Workshop update control supplied by your host. Treat every update as a compatibility change, not just a file replacement.

1. Back up the server configuration, mission files, storage, and current mod folders.
2. Record the existing server build and mod versions.
3. Update the dedicated server and Workshop items.
4. Check that each mod supports the new DayZ build before restarting a live server.
5. Restart and inspect the complete boot log.
6. Test with a client using the matching visible mod versions.

A mod that has not yet been updated for the current DayZ build may stop working even though its folder and key are present. Do not delete mission storage to “fix” an update, and do not change map templates casually; either action can create a fresh storage slot or world state.

Should I self-host or use managed DayZ hosting?

Self-hosting is best when you need direct filesystem and startup control and can maintain SteamCMD, keys, dependencies, logs, restarts, and updates. Managed hosting trades some operating-system control for a control panel, Workshop-ID integration, file management, restart controls, and possible migration assistance.

Decision factor	Self-hosting	Managed hosting
Filesystem and startup control	Direct access to the server root and launch command	Usually mediated through a panel or provider tools
Operating-system access	You administer the Linux or Windows host	Provider administers the underlying host
Workshop downloads	You run SteamCMD or an equivalent tool	Workshop-ID integration may automate downloads
Keys and file management	You copy keys, folders, and mission files manually	File manager and scripted controls may reduce manual work
Restarts and logs	You control the process and log storage	Panel restart buttons and log viewers are commonly provided
Migration support	You plan and execute the move	Some providers advertise migration assistance
Recurring price	Depends on your server, bandwidth, and administration costs	One provider guide updated October 2, 2026 listed a starting price of $12.60 per month; verify current pricing and terms before purchasing
Update responsibility	Entirely yours	Download automation may help, but compatibility testing remains your responsibility
Monetization compliance	You must follow Bohemia’s rules	You must still follow Bohemia’s rules

Neither model removes the need to understand folder names, signature keys, dependencies, mission files, and client-visible content. A panel can automate a download while leaving a bad load order or missing XML unchanged.

What should I know about DayZ server monetization?

Bohemia’s support guidance describes DayZ monetization as generally non-commercial under the EULA, with limited exceptions governed by its game-content and server-monetization rules. Review those rules before charging for access, perks, priority, or any other counter-value. Hosting convenience does not change the obligations attached to the server owner.

What is the final installation checklist?

• The server and every selected Workshop item are updated on the server machine.
• Each mod has its own top-level @ModName folder beside serverDZ.cfg and mpmissions/.
• Each folder contains the expected addons/ content.
• All public .bikey files are in the shared top-level keys/ directory.
• verifySignatures = 2; remains enabled unless there is a documented reason otherwise.
• -mod= contains exact client-visible folder names in dependency order.
• -serverMod= contains only server-side packages.
• The active mission contains required types.xml and related XML edits.
• A custom map has both its map mod and matching mission template.
• The boot log shows the requested mods, and a matching test client can connect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install a DayZ mod without restarting the server?

No. The dedicated-server process reads launch parameters, PBOs, and signature keys during startup. Schedule a restart after changing any of those files, then verify the new boot log before allowing players back in.

Do server-only mods need to be installed on players’ PCs?

They should be placed in -serverMod=, which keeps them server-side and does not broadcast them as client requirements. Players still need every package listed in -mod= that supplies visible content.

What happens if I change a map mission template on an established server?

Changing templates can create a new storage slot or world state, making existing progress appear missing. Back up mission storage first and treat the change as a world migration, not as a routine mod toggle.

Why does a mod work on Windows but fail after moving to Linux?

Linux file paths are case-sensitive. Check that the directories are named lowercase addons and keys, that files inside addons use the expected case, and that the launch list matches every directory character for character.