Kenshi Modding Guide: Installation, Load Order And Troubleshooting

Man, I remember my first time trying to mod Kenshi. Downloaded like fifteen mods from Steam Workshop, launched the game… and absolutely nothing worked. Sound familiar? 

Let me save you the headache I went through. After hundreds of hours tweaking my setup (and probably breaking my save twice), I’ve figured out exactly how to get Kenshi mods working properly. Whether you’re wondering can you add mods mid game or dealing with kenshi mods not showing up in launcher, this guide covers everything.

Installing Kenshi Mods: Three Main Options

Steam Workshop 

This is where most of us start, and honestly? It’s pretty straightforward when it works:

1. Browse Kenshi’s Steam Workshop page
2. Hit “Subscribe” on any mods you want (don’t go crazy yet)
3. Let Steam download them while you grab coffee ☕
4. Fire up Kenshi launcher and head to the Mods tab
5. Enable your mods and launch

Pro tip: Sometimes Steam gets moody about downloads. If your subscribed mods aren’t appearing, try switching your download region in Steam settings. Works like 80% of the time.

How to Manually Install Kenshi Mods 

Here’s where things get interesting. If you bought Kenshi on Epic or want to install kenshi mods without steam, manual installation is your friend:

Kenshi/mods/ModName/ModName.mod

That’s the folder structure you need. Not ModName/ModName/ModName.mod (been there, done that). The .mod file sits directly in a folder with the same name.

Step-by-step breakdown:

1. Download your mod archive from Nexus or wherever
2. Extract it completely (watch for nested folders – they’re sneaky)
3. Look for the inner folder containing the actual mod files
4. Copy that folder to your Kenshi\mods\ directory
5. Enable it in the game launcher

Vortex Mod Manager

If you’re managing tons of mods, Vortex is a lifesaver:

• Install Vortex Mod Manager from Nexus Mods
• Add Kenshi to your managed games
• Find mods on Kenshi page on Nexus
• Use “Mod Manager Download” buttons on Nexus
• Let Vortex handle the file structure (it’s actually pretty good at this)

Just make sure your staging folder is on the same drive as Kenshi. Trust me on this one.

Can You Add Mods Mid Game in Kenshi? 

Short answer: Yes, but…

Long answer: You can add most mods to existing saves, but it’s risky business. When you install mods mid-playthrough, you’re essentially telling the game “hey, remember all that data you saved? Well, some of it’s different now.”

The Safe Way to Add Mods Mid-Game

Use Kenshi’s Import Game feature. It’s basically a soft reset that:

• Keeps your characters and their stats
• Preserves your bases and building ownership
• Maintains faction relations and research
• Resets the world to incorporate new mod data

Most mods don’t require importing unless they add or remove persistent world elements (new settlements, town layout changes, that sort of thing).

My workflow: Backup save → Install mod → Import Game → Cross fingers → Test thoroughly

Kenshi Mods Not Showing Up in Launcher

This one drove me nuts for weeks. Here’s what usually fixes it:

File Structure Issues

Most common culprit. Your mod folder might look like this (wrong):

Kenshi\mods\CoolMod\CoolMod\CoolMod.mod

When it should be this (right):

Kenshi\mods\CoolMod\CoolMod.mod

Steam Download Problems

Sometimes Steam just… doesn’t. Change your download region, restart Steam, sacrifice a keyboard to the modding gods. Usually works.

Manual vs Workshop Conflicts

If you’ve got both Steam Workshop and manually installed mods, they sometimes have display conflicts. The mods might work fine but not show up in the launcher properly.

Kenshi Mods Load Order

Here’s where modding gets spicy. Kenshi mods load order works bottom-up – mods at the bottom override ones at the top. Think of it like layers of paint.

My Recommended Load Order Structure:

1. UI/Graphics/Performance (top)
2. Animations
3. New Races and Character Edits
4. Game Starts and Minor Characters
5. Faction Edits
6. Buildings and World Changes
7. Armor and Weapons
8. Major Overhauls
9. Patches and Fixes
10. Economy Mods (bottom)

Important: World-changing mods and overhauls should load early since they affect the most systems. Patches load last so they can actually patch things.

Manual mods.cfg Editing 

Sometimes the launcher just doesn’t cut it. If you want precise control over your load order, you can manually edit the mods.cfg file located in Kenshi/data/.

Open it with Notepad++ (or regular Notepad if you’re feeling masochistic) and you’ll see your mod list. You can:

• Rearrange the order by cutting and pasting lines
• Add or remove mods without launching the game
• Fix load order issues the launcher can’t handle

Just remember to backup this file before you start messing around. I’ve accidentally corrupted my entire mod list more times than I care to admit.

Troubleshooting: When Everything Goes Wrong

Kenshi Mods Not Loading At All

Before you panic and uninstall everything:

1. Verify game files through Steam
2. Check your kenshi mod list order – conflicting mods can break each other
3. Try loading mods one at a time to identify the troublemaker

Game Crashes with Mods

Been there. Here’s what usually helps:

• Install the Kenshi CTD Fix Patch (seriously, just do this)
• Don’t run the game at increased speed constantly – it’s crash city
• Use RE_Kenshi mod for automatic crash saves (learned this the hard way)
• Avoid running too many world-changing mods simultaneously

Performance Issues

Modded Kenshi can be a resource hog, but there are specific fixes for different setups:

Texture Optimization:

• Compressed Textures Project mod reduces loading times by up to 50% and cuts memory usage significantly
• The compression doesn’t really hurt visual quality (I honestly can’t tell the difference)
• Especially helpful if you’re running multiple graphics mods

Check out my performance mod list for Kenshi to make sure your modded game runs smooth.

GPU-Specific Optimizations:

• Nvidia users: Look for SCAR’s Nvidia optimization guide – it tweaks shadow rendering and particle effects
• AMD users: Just use performance mods from my list.
• Both can give you 10-15 FPS improvements in busy areas or even more if you are lucky!

Advanced Crash Prevention: Beyond the basic CTD fix, here’s what actually works:

• Never alt-tab during loading screens (this kills saves somehow)
• Disable Windows Game Mode if you’re getting random freezes
• Set Kenshi to run as administrator (weird permission issues can cause crashes)
• Lower your squad size limit if you’re running recruitment mods – 30+ characters breaks things fast

Pro Tips from Someone Who’s Broken Everything Twice

1. Always backup your mods.cfg file (located in Kenshi/data/) before major changes
2. Use the FCS (Forgotten Construction Set) to check mod dependencies and conflicts
3. Start small – don’t install 50 mods at once like I did
4. Read mod descriptions – some explicitly require new games
5. Test in a new save first before committing your 100-hour character

The Bottom Line

Modding Kenshi it’s not exactly plug-and-play. The key is understanding that kenshi mods dont appear or work properly when the file structure is wrong, the load order is messed up, or Steam decides to have a bad day.

Take it slow, backup everything, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The modding community for Kenshi is incredible, and once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you ever played vanilla.

Now go forth and mod responsibly. And maybe install some of the best mods for every playthrough. 

Answers To The Most Common Questions

Why do my mods work in the launcher but not in-game?

This is usually a load order issue or the dreaded “half-enable” bug. Try going to your Kenshi workshop folder, cut all the mod folders out temporarily, launch the game and exit, then paste them back. Sounds weird, but it forces Steam to refresh the mod connections.

My game crashes every 5-10 minutes with mods – what’s wrong?

Disable half your mods and test. If it works, the problem mods are in the other half. Keep halving until you find the troublemaker. Usually it’s either a mod conflict or you’re running too many script-heavy mods together.

Can I use mods from different sources (Steam + Nexus + Manual)?

Yeah, but it gets messy. The game can handle it, but your load order management becomes a nightmare. Pick one source when possible, or use Vortex to manage everything.

Should I disable mods before uninstalling them?

Always. Uninstalling active mods without disabling them first can corrupt your save files. Disable in launcher → Test save loads properly → Then uninstall.

What’s the difference between “Import Game” and “Continue”?

Import Game resets the world while keeping your character progress – use this after adding/removing mods. Continue loads your exact save state – use this for normal gameplay.

Why does my FPS drop to 5 when I enter towns?

You’re probably running graphics enhancement mods without the performance optimizations. Install the texture compression pack and shadow tweaks first, then add the pretty mods.

Are there mods that are known to cause crashes?

Large overhaul mods and script-heavy mods are the biggest culprits. Avoid running multiple faction overhauls simultaneously, and be careful with mods that add tons of NPCs to the world.

My Workshop mods won’t download – what do I do?

Change your Steam download region to something close but different, restart Steam. This fixes about 80% of Workshop download issues.

Can I install mods on a pirated copy?

I’m not touching that one. Buy the game – it’s worth supporting the developers, and you’ll get proper Workshop support.