How to Install Mods on a The Forest Server

To mod ordinary The Forest gameplay, install ModAPI on every Windows PC that will use the mod, not on the Steam game folder. Download the The Forest package, extract ModAPI to a separate folder, point it at your installation, place .mod files in mods/TheForest, enable the mods, and launch through ModAPI. A dedicated server is different: choose ModAPI’s separate The Forest Dedicated Server entry and use its [DS] administration tools. Back up saves and server.cfg, verify a clean game first, and confirm that each mod supports multiplayer or dedicated servers before anyone joins.

What does “install mods on a The Forest server” actually mean?

There are two different jobs that are often confused. A client mod changes the game running on a player’s Windows computer. A dedicated-server mod changes or administers the separate server application. The installation location, compatibility rules, and people who need the mod are different for each job.

• Client gameplay mods: installed locally with ModAPI on each participating Windows PC. The server does not automatically distribute them.
• Dedicated-server administration mods: installed against ModAPI’s separate The Forest Dedicated Server entry. These are marked [DS] and are intended for server controls, logs, restarts, lists, maps, or webhooks.
• Server configuration: changes such as difficulty or building rules can often be made in server.cfg without adding a gameplay mod.

The Forest has no Steam Workshop support, and its mods are third-party rather than officially supported or endorsed by Endnight Games. Treat every download as an external change to your game or server, and keep a rollback copy before experimenting.

What should I back up before installing anything?

Back up the dedicated-server world and configuration before changing either the server or a client that hosts important saves. Copy the server save files and server.cfg to a different disk or cloud location, then make a dated copy you can identify later. An external hard drive or SSD is optional backup storage, not a requirement for ModAPI.

• Copy every dedicated-server save directory you use.
• Copy server.cfg and any launch notes or scripts you rely on.
• Keep the backup outside the live server directory so an update or reinstall cannot overwrite it.
• Record which mods and versions were enabled before making the first change.

For a client-only installation, a save backup is still sensible if a mod changes inventory, world objects, or other persistent data. Never test an unfamiliar mod on the only copy of a long-running world.

How do I restore a clean The Forest installation first?

Start from a known, unmodified game. In Steam, open Library, right-click The Forest, choose Properties, open Installed Files, and select Verify integrity of game files. Steam checks the installation and replaces files that do not match its current version.

This check is also the documented first rollback step when local mod changes cause crashes or other instability. Let Steam finish before launching through ModAPI. If the server uses a separate dedicated-server installation, verify or repair that installation independently rather than assuming the client check repaired the server.

How do I install ordinary gameplay mods with ModAPI?

Use this workflow for mods that alter the game on a player’s PC. The current ModAPI listing identifies version 2.0.9623, dated September 19, 2026; version numbers and download contents can change, so check the project page immediately before installing.

1. Download the The Forest package. Select the package for The Forest, not tooling intended for Sons of the Forest or another game.
2. Extract it outside the Steam game folder. Choose a separate folder such as a tools directory on another part of the drive. The ModAPI download instructions specifically say not to extract the package inside the Steam game folder.
3. Run ModAPI.exe. If Windows asks for permission, confirm that you are opening the copy you just extracted. Do not move individual ModAPI files into The Forest’s installation directory.
4. Select the correct game path. In ModAPI, browse to the folder containing your The Forest installation. If the path is wrong, the game may launch without mods or ModAPI may report that it cannot find the executable.
5. Enable only the mods you intend to test. Read each mod’s multiplayer and dedicated-server notes. Start with one known-compatible mod instead of enabling a large collection at once.
6. Launch from ModAPI. The first modded launch should use ModAPI’s launch control. Starting the game directly from Steam can bypass the loader and make a working installation appear broken.
7. Repeat the client installation for each player who needs the mod. ModAPI does not turn a client download into a server-side installation or automatically copy files to friends.

After the game reaches its main menu, test the mod in a disposable save or a copy of the server world. Exit and inspect behavior before adding another mod. This makes it possible to identify the change responsible for a crash, missing item, or desynchronization.

Where do I put a downloaded .mod file?

ModAPI’s FAQ gives the direct rule: put the downloaded file in mods/TheForest inside the ModAPI path. In practice, the complete location is the mods folder under the directory where you extracted ModAPI, followed by the TheForest subfolder.

1. Open the folder where you extracted ModAPI.
2. Open mods, then open TheForest. Create the subfolders if the package does not already contain them.
3. Copy the entire .mod file into that folder without renaming its extension.
4. Restart ModAPI, select the mod in its list, and launch the game through ModAPI.

Do not put the .mod file in The Forest’s Steam installation directory, in a random download folder, or in the dedicated-server directory unless the mod’s documentation specifically identifies it as a server tool. A client mod and a [DS] mod are not interchangeable merely because both use ModAPI.

How do I install mods on the dedicated server itself?

First install the dedicated-server application through Steam’s Tools section or with SteamCMD. The server can be launched directly or with the -batchmode parameter, then configured with launch parameters or Server.cfg. Exact command-line options and port requirements can change with server builds, so use the current dedicated-server documentation for the operational details.

For ModAPI, open the game selector and choose the separate The Forest Dedicated Server entry. Do not select the regular The Forest client entry and assume its gameplay mods will run on the server.

What belongs in the dedicated-server catalog?

The dedicated-server catalog includes server-oriented tools labelled [DS], including:

• Command Console
• Players List
• Ban List
• WhiteList
• Log Viewer
• Live Web Map
• Auto Restart/Shutdown
• Discord Webhook Info

These tools administer or observe the server process. They are different from a client mod that adds an item, changes the interface, or alters what one player sees. Install and configure only the [DS] tools intended for the dedicated-server application, restart the server, and inspect logs and player behavior before adding another.

What is the safest server-side sequence?

1. Stop the server cleanly and copy the saves and server.cfg to your backup location.
2. Confirm that the dedicated-server files are current and that you know how to start the server again.
3. Open ModAPI’s The Forest Dedicated Server entry and enable one server tool.
4. Start the server, watch its console or log output, and connect with one test player.
5. Check the specific function you enabled, such as a player list or restart action.
6. Stop the server and add another tool only after the first has behaved normally.

If the intended change is only a rule supported by the server, prefer server.cfg. Examples documented for current configurations include veganMode, vegetarianMode, treeRegrowMode, and allowBuildingDestruction. Configuration settings are easier to audit than an untested gameplay mod, but still require a backup and a restart test.

Do all players need the same mods to join?

No single rule covers every mod. The majority of The Forest mods are installed locally, and a local map or interface helper may affect only the person who installed it. A server owner can nevertheless prohibit local mods, and a client-side effect is not proof that other players see the same result.

Change type	Where it is installed	What players should expect
Map, interface, or other local helper	Each player’s Windows PC through ModAPI	Usually visible only to the installing player; server permission still applies.
Items, enemies, building parts, or shared-world behavior	Client, server, or both according to the mod’s documentation	May require every participating player to use the same mod and version, with explicit multiplayer or dedicated-server support.
Administration tool marked [DS]	The dedicated-server ModAPI entry	Controls the server process; it is not a substitute for installing a client gameplay mod.
Supported server rule	server.cfg	Applied by the server after restart; no new gameplay package is necessarily required.

Read the mod’s own multiplayer notes before distributing it. If the author does not state that a mod supports multiplayer or dedicated servers, treat it as single-player or local-only until you have tested it safely. For a shared-world change, agree on one version and one installation procedure for every player rather than allowing each person to improvise.

Can I use client mods on a dedicated server?

A client mod can sometimes work while joining a server, but it does not become a server mod merely because the player connects to a dedicated instance. The hosting operator may ban or disable local helpers, and a mod that changes shared world state can cause mismatches if the server or other clients do not support it.

Keep the two installations separate in your notes: “client ModAPI” for player-side mods and “dedicated-server ModAPI” for [DS] administration tools. If a mod’s instructions do not clearly identify its multiplayer or server behavior, test it alone on a disposable world and ask the server owner before using it in a live session.

What should I check when a mod does not work?

Most failures come from a wrong path, the wrong ModAPI entry, an unsupported mod, or launching the game outside ModAPI. Check the following in order:

• The game path: Reopen ModAPI’s path selector and point it at the actual The Forest installation, not a shortcut, backup, or a Sons of the Forest directory.
• The file location: Confirm that the file ends in .mod and is directly inside mods/TheForest under the ModAPI directory.
• The launch method: Start the modded client from ModAPI rather than the normal Steam Play button.
• The selected product: Use the regular The Forest entry for client mods and the separate The Forest Dedicated Server entry for [DS] tools.
• Version and multiplayer support: Check the mod’s notes and remove any mod that does not support your game version, multiplayer mode, or dedicated-server application.
• One change at a time: Disable all but one new mod, test, then re-enable others individually. This is faster than diagnosing a collection of simultaneous changes.

If Steam reports damaged or altered files, run Verify integrity of game files again. A verification restores the clean Steam baseline; it does not preserve a broken mod installation as a working configuration.

How do I remove a mod or roll back a broken server?

Client rollback

1. Disable the mod in ModAPI and remove its .mod file from mods/TheForest if you no longer want it loaded.
2. Close ModAPI and Steam, then run Steam’s Verify integrity of game files check.
3. Launch the unmodded game from Steam to confirm that the base installation is stable.
4. Restore a backed-up save if the mod changed persistent world data or made the current save unreliable.

Dedicated-server rollback

1. Stop the server and record the last mod or configuration change.
2. Disable the new [DS] tool or revert the changed server.cfg option.
3. Restore the backed-up save and configuration if the world or settings were damaged.
4. Restart with no additional changes and inspect the console and logs.
5. Reintroduce changes one at a time only after the clean rollback is stable.

Keep the original backup untouched. A rollback copy that has been repeatedly overwritten is not a reliable recovery plan.

Are The Forest mods allowed by VAC and server rules?

VAC status is time-sensitive. ModAPI’s FAQ states that The Forest developers made VAC available but had not put it into effect at the time of that FAQ. Separate hosting guidance warns that a server owner can activate VAC and that players must follow that server’s rules. Therefore, do not promise that mods are permitted everywhere or assume that a server’s current policy matches an older FAQ.

Ask the administrator before joining with a mod, especially one that changes gameplay or gives an advantage. Never install or activate a mod in another administrator’s session without permission. If the server forbids client modifications, use a clean Steam launch and keep a separate modded setup for approved testing.

What is the practical installation checklist?

• Back up saves and server.cfg to separate storage.
• Verify the clean The Forest installation in Steam.
• Download the correct ModAPI package for The Forest.
• Extract ModAPI outside the Steam game folder.
• Use the regular The Forest entry for client mods.
• Put each client .mod file in mods/TheForest under the ModAPI path.
• Launch the client through ModAPI.
• Use the separate The Forest Dedicated Server entry for [DS] administration tools.
• Confirm multiplayer or dedicated-server support before enabling a world-state mod.
• Test one change at a time and keep the backup until the server has run normally.

That separation—client mods for players, [DS] tools for the dedicated application, and server.cfg for supported rules—prevents most installation mistakes and gives you a clear rollback path.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install ModAPI inside The Forest’s Steam folder if it is more convenient?

No. The ModAPI download instructions explicitly direct users to extract it outside the Steam game folder. Keeping the loader in a separate directory also makes it easier to replace or remove without mixing loader files with Steam-managed files.

Why does a mod appear enabled but have no effect in game?

Check that the file is directly under the ModAPI path’s mods/TheForest folder, then launch from ModAPI rather than Steam. Also confirm that you selected the regular The Forest client entry and that the mod supports the current game version.

Should I install a server administration tool on every player’s computer?

No. A tool marked [DS] is intended for the dedicated-server application. Players only need a separate client mod when that mod’s instructions require it and the server owner permits it.

What should I do before trying a second gameplay mod?

Close the game, preserve the current save backup, and test the first mod on its own. Add the next mod only after you have confirmed that the original world loads and multiplayer behavior is normal, so you can identify which change causes a failure.