How to Install Skyrim Mods

Mods are modifications made to the game's source code to cater to various player needs. To install Skyrim mods, you need to create an account on the Nexus Skyrim website. After installing a few mod utilities, you can begin downloading and installing mods with just a few clicks.

Visit nexusmods.com using your web browser. This is the leading website and mod repository for Skyrim mods, where you'll find nearly every mod available for the game.

Enter your email address in the provided field. Complete the CAPTCHA verification and click on VERIFY EMAIL (Verify email).

Check the verification email in your inbox. Copy the verification code provided in the email.

Fill out the account creation form. You need to enter a username and password, then click on Create My Account (Create Account).

Select a membership plan. You don't have to pay to download mods. You can choose a paid plan, or click on the link "I'll stick with the basic membership" (I'll stick with the basic membership) at the bottom of the screen.

Open Windows Explorer. You need to install Skyrim in a different folder than the default Steam folder. This is because some mods have issues when accessing game files in the default installation location, which is the Program Files folder on your computer.

• You can click on the Folder button in the taskbar, or press ⊞ Win+E to open Windows Explorer.

Open the hard drive. Double-click the main hard drive to view its contents. This is usually the C: drive.

Right-click and select New → Folder. A new folder will be created in the hard drive.

Name the folder Steam 2. You can choose any name, but this example will make it easier to identify the folder.

Create another folder named Skyrim Mods. This folder should be located on the same drive as the previous one, the Steam 2 folder.

Launch Steam. Now that everything is set up, you can add the folder to your Steam library to begin installing the game there.

Click on the Steam menu and select Settings (Settings).

Click on the Downloads tab and choose Steam Library Folders (Steam Library Folders).

Click on Add Library Folder (Add Library Folder).

Browse for the folder you just created. This folder is now ready for you to install Steam games, including Skyrim.

Right-click on the Skyrim Steam folder and select Install (Install). If the game is already installed, you will need to uninstall it first.

• Note: You must install the standard version of Skyrim or the Legendary Edition. Most mods do not work with Skyrim Special Edition (Remastered).

Select the new folder from the Install under (Install under). Wait for the game to finish installing.

Go to the Mod Manager website. Visit nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/1334/? to download the tool that lets you easily manage your Skyrim mods.

Click on the Download (Manual) (Manual Download).

Click on the link to the Mod Organizer v1_3_11 installer.

Launch the installer.

Set up the appropriate folder during installation. When prompted to choose a Mod Manager installation location, select C:\Steam 2\steamapps\common\Skyrim or any other folder you've created earlier.

Launch Mod Organizer from the Skyrim directory.

Allow Mod Organizer to manage NXM files when prompted. This will make the process of directly installing mods from the Nexus website much smoother.

Visit the Skyrim Script Extender website. Go to skse.silverlock.org to download the SKSE tweak, a crucial tool to extend Skyrim's scripting capabilities and is essential for most mods.

Click on the installer.

Double-click the installer.

Select the appropriate directory for SKSE. During the installation process, if prompted to choose a folder for SKSE, set it to C:\Steam 2\steamapps\common\Skyrim.

Launch Mod Organizer from the Skyrim folder.

Click on the dropdown menu next to the "RUN" option.

Click on SKSE. This will allow you to modify the Mod Manager settings for SKSE.

Click the "Edit" button.

Choose the location for SKSE. Navigate to the skse_loader.exe file within the Skyrim folder.

Visit the Nexus Skyrim website. Go to nexusmods.com/skyrim/ to begin browsing mod files.

You need to ensure you're logged in. We must log in to our account to download mods larger than 2 MB (which are the majority).

Find the mod you want to install. Browse the Nexus Skyrim mod database to find a mod that catches your interest. There are countless mods in this database, but generally, the installation process will be quite similar, thanks to Mod Organizer.

• Be sure to check the mod’s instructions and description in case it relies on another mod you haven’t installed yet, or requires a special installation procedure.

Click on the Files tab. The mod installation files will appear.

Click on Download with Manager. If the Download with Manager button is available, the file will be directly loaded into Mod Organizer.

• If an installer is required, you’ll need to point it to the Skyrim directory.

Stick with one mod for a while. When you're just starting to explore mods, it’s best to install them one by one and use them for a while so you can easily identify the cause of any crashes if the game keeps freezing.

Launch the Mod Loader and select SKSE to start Skyrim. From now on, you must launch Skyrim through the Mod Manager in this way.

• Some mods rely on other features. If you've followed the steps above and the mod still isn't working, you may be missing some required components.
• Sometimes the game might crash. In this case, use the Mod Manager to remove the recently installed mod and try troubleshooting.

• Some mods may not be compatible with others. If you install a mod and notice performance issues or game problems, it’s likely that two or more mods are conflicting with each other.