Add Workshop mods to Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid reads mods from two lists in your world's settings file: the Workshop items the server downloads, and the mod IDs it loads, in order. The Workshop tab edits both and warns you when a Steam update will lock players out.

Before you start

1. Start the server once. The game writes its settings file on the first boot, and Save list stays greyed out until then. Project Zomboid: getting started (connect, admin, Workshop mods) covers the first boot.
2. Take a backup of a world people have played. How to create and restore backups shows how.

Find the Workshop ID and mod ID

One Workshop item can hold several mod IDs, such as a main mod plus optional versions. The tab reads them off the page for you.

Pick mods for Build 41 or Build 42

The Game build card in Server Settings shows Build 42 (current) or Build 41 (legacy), so pick mods that support that build. Some pages list a separate ID per build (such as Mod ID (42):) and the tab ticks them all: untick the other build's. Each world keeps its own mod list, so after switching builds, start the server once and add that build's mods.

Add one mod

1. Copy the mod's Steam Workshop link, or just its number.
2. Open your server's Workshop tab, under Content.
3. Paste into Workshop link, item id or collection and press Look up.
4. Each mod ID the page lists shows as a ticked button. Untick any you don't want.
5. Press Add to server. Repeat for each mod.
6. Press Save list in the Unsaved changes bar at the bottom. Workshop list saved confirms it.
7. Press Restart now in the Restart to apply box at the top of the tab.

If Couldn't look that up says Steam does not know that item, or is not answering right now., check that the link opens the right item on the Steam Workshop, or try again later.

Add a Workshop collection

1. Paste the collection's link and press Look up. Its mod IDs show ticked.
2. Untick the mod IDs you don't want.
3. Press Add all. New mod IDs join the bottom of the load order.
4. Press Save list, then Restart now.

To pick up items added to the collection later, look it up again, untick any mod IDs you disabled (or they switch back on) and press Add all. Items removed on Steam stay until you remove them here.

Set the load order

The Load order card loads enabled mod IDs from the top down, so a mod goes below any mod it depends on. Its Workshop page usually names them.

• The arrows move a mod, and the X on its row disables it.
• The X on a row under Workshop items removes that item and its mod IDs, unless another item bundles them.
• Not from an item above marks an ID no listed item provides. Disable it unless you added it by hand. If Steam is not answering - titles may be missing or Steam did not answer for this item. shows, reload the tab later instead.

Add a mod whose page lists no mod ID

The lookup shows This page names no mod ids. The Load order card has no box for typing an ID, so add the item anyway and edit the settings file:

1. Press Save list and restart so the item downloads.
2. In the File Manager, open steamapps/workshop/content/108600/<Workshop ID>/mods/. Each folder is one mod, and its mod.info file (in a version folder such as 42 for Build 42 mods) names the ID on the id= line.
3. Stop the server and open .cache/Server/<world name>.ini. The Game build card shows the world name.
4. Add the ID to the Mods= line where it should load, with a ; between IDs.
5. Save and start the server. The ID shows under Load order as Not from an item above.

Check the mods loaded

1. Wait for *** SERVER STARTED **** in the Console. New items download during boot, so this start is slower.
2. In the Workshop tab, each item now shows Downloaded instead of Downloads on next start.
3. To trace one mod, open Logs (under More), pick the (latest) session and the Server debug log, and type its mod ID into Search this log. A long log only shows its last part, so Download it to search the whole file.

When a mod updates on Steam

Players on a newer version of a mod can't join until the server restarts. While the server runs and its panel is open, the panel checks every 10 to 20 minutes, which prints checkModsNeedUpdate in the Console (Use your server console and send commands). An update shows as Workshop mods need an update at the top of the panel, with a Restart to update button. Check now in the Workshop tab checks straight away.

If players can't join or the server won't boot

• A player can't join because a Workshop mod doesn't match the server's version - press Restart to update, then have them retry after SERVER STARTED.
• A player's build doesn't match the server's - they right-click Project Zomboid in Steam, open Properties > Betas and pick the server's build, which the Game build card shows.
• The server stops booting after you added mods - disable the new ones, restart, then add them back one at a time. If the world is damaged, restore your backup.