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How to Install Mods on a 7 Days to Die Server

Server-side modlets, overhaul mods like Darkness Falls, and when EasyAntiCheat has to be off — installing 7 Days to Die mods on your server.

How to Install Mods on a 7 Days to Die Server

7 Days to Die loads mods by itself — there is no mod loader to install. You put mods into the server's Mods folder, restart, and the server picks them up. What matters is which kind of mod you have: it decides whether players have to install it too, and whether EasyAntiCheat has to be turned off.

Make a backup first (Backups tab). Big overhaul mods change world generation and usually need a new world.

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Two kinds of mods

  • Server-side modlets change only XML files: loot, recipes, zombie stats, stack sizes, traders. The server sends these changes to players when they join, so players connect with the normal game and EasyAntiCheat can stay on.
  • Mods with new content or code add models, textures, UI or .dll files — new weapons, blocks, vehicles, or overhauls like Darkness Falls and Undead Legacy. Every player must install the same mod, and mods with .dll files need EasyAntiCheat turned off on the server and for players.

The mod's page almost always says which kind it is ("server-side only", "EAC must be disabled").

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1. Upload the mod

1. Download the mod — usually a .zip from Nexus Mods, 7daystodiemods.com or the author's page. 2. Unzip it on your computer. Inside there is a folder with a ModInfo.xml file — that folder is the mod. 3. Open your server in the panel (My game servers → Server Panel), go to the Files tab and open the Mods folder in the server's main folder. If it isn't there, create it (Create Directory → Mods). 4. Click Upload and upload the mod's .zip into Mods, then open the file's menu and choose Unarchive — the file manager doesn't accept whole folders, so the archive is the way to go. After unpacking, the path must be Mods/ModName/ModInfo.xml; then delete the .zip.

The most common mistake is one folder too many: Mods/ModName/ModName/ModInfo.xml. The server ignores a mod in that position.

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2. Turn off EasyAntiCheat, if the mod needs it

Only for mods with .dll files: open serverconfig.xml in the Files tab, find EACEnabled and set it to false:

<property name="EACEnabled" value="false"/>

Click Save Content. Players then have to start the game with EasyAntiCheat off — the game's launcher has an option for it.

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3. Restart and check

Restart the server from the Console tab. While it starts, the log lists every mod it loads in lines beginning with [MODS]. If your mod isn't among them, check the folder structure from step 1.

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Overhaul mods: Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy and others

  • Match the game version. Overhauls are released for a particular game version and lag behind updates. On the Startup tab set Auto Update to off, and put the game version the overhaul supports into Beta Branch (the overhaul's page names it).
  • Start a new world. Overhauls change world generation: set a new GameName in serverconfig.xml, or wipe the old world after a backup.
  • Players install the overhaul too, usually through the launcher its authors provide.
  • Give it more memory. Overhauls need noticeably more RAM than the vanilla game.

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Common problems

Players are kicked with an EasyAntiCheat error. EasyAntiCheat is off on the server and on for the player, or the other way round. Both must match.

The mod doesn't appear in the `[MODS]` lines. The folder structure is wrong (see the warning in step 1), or the .zip wasn't unpacked.

XML errors in the log after adding a modlet. Two modlets change the same thing, or the modlet was made for another game version. Remove modlets one by one to find the culprit.

The server breaks after a game update. The mod isn't updated for the new version yet. Pin the previous version with Beta Branch and Auto Update, or wait for the mod's update.

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Frequently asked questions

Do players need to download server-side modlets? No. XML-only modlets are sent to players automatically when they join.

Can I run several mods at once? Yes — every mod is its own folder in Mods. Overhauls usually don't mix with other big mods; their page lists what is compatible.

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Don't have a server yet? Rent a 7 Days to Die server on Lobby Maker — it is ready in about a minute, with full access to the Mods folder and serverconfig.xml.