How To Mod Stardew Valley

Enhance Your Stardew Valley Experience with Mods: A Comprehensive Guide

While Stardew Valley's recent updates have garnered significant attention, the modding community has long offered players a wealth of customization options. From expanded NPC storylines to new cosmetic items, modding unlocks a world of creative possibilities. This guide details how to mod Stardew Valley on Windows.

Modding Stardew Valley on Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step One: Secure Your Save Data

This is highly recommended, especially for players with established farms. Backing up your save ensures your progress is protected. If you're starting a new game, this step is optional.

To back up your save:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type %appdata% and press Enter.
3. Navigate to the Stardew Valley folder, then the Saves folder.
4. Copy the contents to a secure location on your computer.

Step Two: Install SMAPI

SMAPI is a crucial mod loader that seamlessly integrates mods into your game. Download SMAPI directly from their official website.

Remember: SMAPI is a loader, not a mod itself. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a convenient location (like your desktop or downloads folder), but not into the Stardew Valley Mods folder. Run SMAPI and select "Install on Windows," following the on-screen instructions.

Step Three: Game Client Configuration (Optional)

If you play Stardew Valley through Steam, GOG Galaxy, or the Xbox app, you might need additional steps to maintain playtime tracking and achievements. Refer to the SMAPI documentation for platform-specific instructions.

Step Four: Installing Mods

Now for the exciting part!

Nexus Mods is a popular source for Stardew Valley mods. Download mods (usually as ZIP files), extract them, and place the extracted folders into the Stardew Valley Mods folder. The location of this folder varies depending on your game client:

• Steam: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley
• GOG Galaxy: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Stardew Valley
• Xbox App: C:\XboxGames\Stardew Valley

With thousands of mods available on Nexus Mods and elsewhere, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Stardew Valley is available now.