How to Install Mods on a Satisfactory Server

Install Satisfactory server mods with Satisfactory Mod Manager (SMM), not by copying your computer’s Mods folder. Start with a working vanilla dedicated server, stop it, connect SMM 3.0.0 or newer through Other > Manage Servers, choose only releases that show a dedicated-server checkmark, install dependencies through the manager, synchronize applicable mod versions with every player, copy configuration files when needed, and restart. The server and clients must agree on their mod set or connections can fail. Keep a vanilla save backup because major game or Unreal Engine updates can make a modded save temporarily or permanently unplayable.

What do I need before installing Satisfactory server mods?

Prepare the server, administrator access, and a rollback plan before touching any mod files. Mod installation is a file and process change, so it should be done while the dedicated server is stopped and while you can restore the previous state.

• A working vanilla dedicated server. Confirm that at least one player can join and play without mods. The official modding documentation covers both self-hosted servers and third-party hosts.
• Stop and start control. You must be able to shut down the process cleanly before changing files and restart it afterward.
• File access. Self-hosted administrators normally have this by default. A hosted account needs modern SFTP or equivalent access with permission to read, write, delete, and modify the server files.
• Satisfactory Mod Manager 3.0.0 or newer. SMM supplies dependency handling, server-target selection, compatibility filtering, profiles, and remote-server management.
• A backup. Copy the save and the current server configuration to a separate location. Keep a known-good vanilla copy so you can test whether a failure is caused by a mod.
• A version plan. If a game update is imminent, decide whether your host can pin the game version. A game update can arrive before the mods you use have been rebuilt.

Some hosts also need to expose the executable and DLL files that SMM uses to identify and manage a server. Monitoring or administration mods may require additional ports, so check the host’s port policy before installing them.

How do I install mods on a Satisfactory dedicated server with SMM?

Use this sequence for a local or remote server. The labels below refer to SMM 3.0.0 or newer.

1. Verify the vanilla connection. Start the unmodified server, join it once, and note the game and server versions. Leave the save backed up before continuing.
2. Stop the server. Use the host control panel or your service command and wait until the process has exited. Files can be locked while the game is running, and adding or removing mods during that time can leave an incomplete installation.
3. Open server management in SMM. Launch SMM, choose Other > Manage Servers, and enter the connection details requested by the manager. A local Steam or Epic dedicated-server installation may be detected automatically. In the game-installation drop-down, select the installation that corresponds to the server you are managing.
4. Select a server-capable mod list. When a server installation is selected, turn on SMM’s Compatible filter. Open each candidate mod’s page on ficsit.app and inspect its Latest Version table. Install only a release with a checkmark in the Server column.
5. Install through SMM. Add the chosen mods to the server profile and let SMM download the server build and every declared dependency. Do not substitute a client build merely because its name matches the server release.
6. Prepare the player profiles. For each person who will connect, create or select a client profile containing the same applicable mod versions. A client-only mod is an exception only when its ficsit.app page explicitly identifies it as client-only.
7. Apply configuration. Set any mod options required for the world. SMM’s current documentation does not provide a remote configuration interface; configure the mod on a client and copy the resulting configuration files to the server when the mod’s instructions require it. Keep values that affect gameplay aligned on both sides.
8. Start and inspect. Restart the dedicated server and watch its startup output or console. Look for successful loader initialization, dependency resolution, and the absence of load exceptions before asking players to join.

Make one controlled change at a time when the server is new. That gives you a clear point to restore if a dependency, configuration value, or game update causes a failure.

How can I tell whether a Satisfactory mod supports dedicated servers?

Do not infer server support from a mod’s name, popularity, or the fact that it works in single-player. Dedicated-server support is an explicit build target.

Check the release table

On the mod’s ficsit.app page, open the Latest Version table and find the Server column. A checkmark means that release includes a dedicated-server build. If the column is absent, unchecked, or the release is marked for a different game version, leave it out of the server profile.

Use SMM’s compatibility filter

After selecting the server installation in Other > Manage Servers, enable SMM’s Compatible filter. The filter narrows the catalogue to versions that declare compatibility with the selected server target, reducing the chance of installing a client-only package.

Understand the loader target

Satisfactory Mod Loader (SML) is the loader and runtime layer. Dedicated-server builds are compiled for that target, so a package that loads through SML on a client is not automatically suitable for a headless server. Most, but not all, mods support dedicated servers; the release metadata is the deciding evidence.

Why can’t I copy my client’s Mods folder to the server?

Because a client folder can contain client-only packages, a different profile, stale files, and builds compiled for the wrong target. The Satisfactory Modding Documentation states: "Do NOT naively copy-paste your client’s mods folder to a server – this will not work!"

A manager installation creates the server-specific layout and resolves dependencies rather than assuming that every file in a desktop profile belongs on a headless process. Copying the folder can therefore produce missing-module errors, load-order problems, or a server that starts but rejects players. Build the server profile in SMM (or with ficsit-cli), then create a separate client profile containing the versions players need.

The same warning applies in reverse: copying a server directory over a client installation can remove client-only conveniences and overwrite settings. Treat server and client profiles as related manifests, not as interchangeable folders.

Do all players need the same mods and versions as the server?

Players need the same applicable mods and versions that the server loads. A mismatch is a common reason a player cannot connect, even when the server itself starts normally.

Package type	Server	Joining client	What to do
Dedicated-server mod	Required in the server profile	Normally required at the same version	Install the matching release in every player profile.
Gameplay or content mod	Required	Required	Match the version and dependencies exactly.
Client-only mod	Not installed	Allowed only when the mod page explicitly says client-only	Keep it out of the server profile and verify that it does not alter replicated gameplay.
Dependency	Installed automatically or explicitly as required	Installed at the same compatible version	Let SMM resolve it rather than selecting an unrelated release.

When a mod page does not clearly identify a package as client-only, assume it must be present on both sides. Share a profile export or a written version list with players so everyone updates from the same baseline instead of choosing “latest” independently.

How do I configure a mod on a remote server?

Configuration is a two-stage process: generate valid settings on a client, then place the required files on the server while it is stopped. The current documentation does not describe a remote configuration interface in SMM.

1. Install the server-capable mod in a client profile that uses the same version as the server.
2. Launch the game locally, open the mod’s documented settings screen, and save the desired values.
3. Exit the game completely so the configuration files are flushed to disk.
4. Locate the files identified by that mod’s instructions. Do not copy the entire client profile or FactoryGame/Mods directory.
5. Stop the dedicated server, upload or copy only the required configuration files to the server’s corresponding location, and preserve a backup of the original files.
6. Restart the server and read the console for parsing or permission errors. If a setting affects gameplay state, have clients use the same value or profile.

Configuration formats differ by mod, and a file generated for one release may be rejected by another. Recreate settings after a major mod update when the release notes indicate a schema change.

Should I use SMM or ficsit-cli to manage the server?

Both tools manage server files and profiles; the practical choice is whether you prefer a graphical workflow with guardrails or terminal control for repeatable administration.

Criterion	Satisfactory Mod Manager	ficsit-cli
Interface	Graphical interface with server selection and profiles	Terminal commands and direct filesystem operations
Compatibility checks	Server-target selection and a Compatible filter	Administrator must select the correct server builds and dependencies
Dependencies	Downloads declared dependencies as part of installation	Useful when you want explicit, scriptable control over each staged change
Best fit	First-time setup, mixed technical teams, and visual review	Headless administration, automation, and administrators comfortable with a shell
Important action	Confirm the selected installation before applying	Apply staged changes before exiting, or the pending installation will not be committed

Choose one tool as the source of truth for a given server profile. Switching tools is possible, but record the mod versions and inspect the resulting files so one tool does not silently replace another tool’s profile.

How do I install server mods with ficsit-cli?

ficsit-cli is the terminal alternative when an administrator wants direct control over server files and profiles. The exact command syntax depends on the installed release, so follow the command help for that version rather than copying commands from an older guide.

1. Stop the server and make a backup of the save, configuration, and current mod profile.
2. Point ficsit-cli at the dedicated-server installation and select or create the intended profile.
3. Choose releases that declare dedicated-server support and add their dependencies to the same profile.
4. Review the staged file list. Check that the target path is the server, not a desktop game installation.
5. Apply the staged changes before closing the tool. Exiting with unapplied changes leaves the server unchanged.
6. Start the server, capture the startup output, and test with one client before distributing the profile to the rest of the players.

For scripted deployments, keep the profile definition and the game version together in your administration notes. A script that always requests the newest package can pull a release that has not yet been rebuilt for the server’s game version.

What must a third-party Satisfactory host provide?

Convenience is not enough; the host must expose the controls that mod installation requires. Ask for these capabilities before moving a save to a hosted machine.

• Modern SFTP or equivalent file access with read, write, delete, and modify permissions for the server account.
• Permission to stop and start the process without waiting for a provider’s support team.
• Access to the executable and DLL files that SMM needs to identify and manage the installation.
• Version pinning or rollback options so a game update does not force an unready mod set onto the server.
• Log and console visibility for startup errors, dependency failures, and connection diagnostics.
• Optional port allocation if a monitoring or administration mod needs an additional port.

Hosting approach	Strength	Risk or limitation	Check before modding
Self-hosted	Full filesystem, process, and log access	You maintain updates, backups, security, and network configuration	Confirm the service account can stop the process and that the firewall exposes the required game ports.
Third-party host	Provider handles hardware and often basic uptime operations	File access, executable visibility, and version control may be restricted	Confirm SFTP permissions, stop/start controls, logs, version pinning, and any extra-port policy.

If a provider cannot let you stop the server or modify the required files, SMM cannot reliably manage that installation. In that case, use the host’s supported upload workflow only if it documents dedicated-server mod support; otherwise move the server to an environment you can administer.

Why can’t players join after I add a mod?

Separate a server-start problem from a client-handshake problem. The fastest diagnosis is to restore a known vanilla connection, then add the mod set back in small groups while reading both logs.

The server will not start

• Stop the process and remove the most recently added mod from the server profile.
• Check the startup output for a missing dependency, an invalid server build, or a file-permission error.
• Confirm that the selected SMM installation is the dedicated server and that the mod’s release has a checkmark in the Server column.
• Restore the backup if the loader or configuration files were damaged, then test the vanilla server.

The server starts, but one or more players are rejected

• Compare the player’s profile with the server’s applicable mod versions, including dependencies.
• Remove client-only packages that are not explicitly supported for the server connection, or remove a server package from the client only if its page identifies it as server-only.
• Have the affected player restart SMM and the game after changing profiles so an old process is not holding files in memory.
• Test with one affected player on a minimal profile. If that works, add the remaining mods in small groups until the incompatible package is identified.

The server loads, but a feature is missing or behaves incorrectly

• Compare configuration files and values, not just package names.
• Check whether the mod requires an additional port or a server-side setting copied from a client.
• Verify that every player joined after the server restarted with the final configuration.

Keep the client and server logs from the same failed attempt. Timestamps and the first loader exception are more useful than a long list of later connection errors.

How should I handle Satisfactory game and mod updates?

Plan updates as a coordinated change, not as an automatic button press. The official wiki notes that major game updates and Unreal Engine changes have historically caused incompatibilities. A save can become temporarily or permanently unplayable until its mods are updated.

1. Before the game update reaches the server, copy the save, configuration, and mod profile to offline storage.
2. Record the current game version and every installed mod version.
3. Use host version pinning when available, or temporarily keep the server offline while checking whether the loader and each mod support the new release.
4. Test the updated game and mod set on a separate copy of the server and save.
5. Only after a successful test, update the production server and distribute the matching client profile.
6. If a required mod is not ready, roll back to the backed-up game and mod set rather than opening the only copy of the save with an incompatible loader.

Do not assume that a minor-looking game patch is harmless: changes to the game executable or Unreal Engine can invalidate a previously working binary. Keep at least one untouched backup until the updated server has been played and saved successfully.

Is manual installation supported?

Manual copying is possible only when you can identify the correct server builds, dependencies, profile paths, and configuration files yourself, but it is not the supported workflow recommended by the project’s Discord guidance. The manager tools exist to target the server installation and resolve dependencies consistently.

If you must work manually because a host does not support SMM, use the mod’s documented server package and preserve the exact version information. Stop the process, back up the existing files, install dependencies first, verify permissions, and inspect the startup log before allowing players to connect. Never treat a client FactoryGame/Mods directory as a server package.

What is a repeatable maintenance workflow?

Once the first installation works, use the same short runbook for every change.

1. Announce a maintenance window and stop the server cleanly.
2. Back up the save, configuration, profile, and current logs.
3. Write down the game version and the mod versions you intend to change.
4. Apply the change in SMM or ficsit-cli, confirming the dedicated-server target and dependencies.
5. Copy only the required configuration files and verify their permissions.
6. Start the server and read the complete startup output.
7. Join with one client using the matching profile.
8. Invite the remaining players only after the test client can load the save and exercise the changed feature.
9. Keep the previous profile available until the new save has been opened, played, and backed up successfully.

This process makes rollback practical and gives you a precise change record when a later game update or mod release introduces a new incompatibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Satisfactory server run mods if it is hosted by someone else?

Yes, provided the host gives you the filesystem and process controls needed by the mod manager. Confirm SFTP or equivalent write access, stop/start control, executable visibility, logs, and any extra ports before committing a save to that host.

Where are Satisfactory server mod files normally stored?

The typical mod directory is FactoryGame/Mods, but the correct path depends on the installation and profile selected by your manager. Let SMM or ficsit-cli create and maintain the layout instead of guessing a path or merging folders.

Can I keep a client-only quality-of-life mod while joining a modded server?

Sometimes. Keep it only when the mod’s own release page explicitly identifies it as client-only and confirms that it does not change replicated gameplay. If the documentation is unclear, remove it while diagnosing the connection.

What should I do if a mod update breaks my existing save?

Stop using the affected save copy, restore the pre-update backup, and pin the game and mod versions if your host allows it. Test the updated loader and mod release on a duplicate server before opening the production save again.