How to Add Mods to a Space Engineers Server (2026 Guide)

To add mods to a Space Engineers dedicated server, stop the server and add a <ModItem> entry for each Workshop mod ID to the <Mods> list in your world's Saves/<World>/Sandbox_config.sbc, keeping SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg in step. Each entry needs <Name>ID.sbm</Name>, <PublishedFileId>ID</PublishedFileId> and <PublishedServiceName>Steam</PublishedServiceName>. The server downloads the mods on start, and players get them automatically when they join.

Which files hold the mod list?

Space Engineers keeps a mod list in two places, and that is where most trouble starts:

Once a world exists, it carries its own mod list. Adding a mod only to SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg does nothing for a world that is already running, which is the classic "I added the mod and nothing happened". Edit the world's Sandbox_config.sbc, and put the same entries in the server config so a fresh world would get them too.

On a self hosted Windows server both files are in the server's data folder, by default %AppData%\SpaceEngineersDedicated\ with worlds under Saves\. On a hosted server, look for the instance folder that contains Saves.

How do you find a mod's Workshop ID?

Open the mod's page on the Steam Workshop. The ID is the number at the end of the address:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1500385986

Here the ID is 1500385986. Note any Required items listed on the page. Dependencies are not added for you on a dedicated server, so each one needs its own entry. Workshop collections cannot be added as a single ID either: open the collection and add every mod in it.

How do you add the mod to Sandbox_config.sbc?

1. Stop the server.
2. Back up the world folder.
3. Open Saves/<World>/Sandbox_config.sbc in a text editor.
4. Find the <Mods> element. If the world has no mods yet it may be <Mods />. Replace it with an opening and closing tag.
5. Add one <ModItem> per mod:

<Mods>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="Build Info">
    <Name>1500385986.sbm</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>1500385986</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>Steam</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="Another Mod">
    <Name>1234567890.sbm</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>1234567890</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>Steam</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
</Mods>

6. Add the same <ModItem> entries to the <Mods> section of SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg.
7. Save both files and start the server.

FriendlyName is only a label for you. The Name must be the ID followed by .sbm, and PublishedFileId must be the same number. One typo in either and that mod is skipped.

Keep the XML valid. A missing closing tag breaks the whole file, and the server either fails to load the world or loads it with default settings. If you have never edited XML before, copy an existing block and change only the numbers.

Does Space Engineers need experimental mode for mods?

On our servers, yes: Enable Experimental Mode has to be on before the server loads any Workshop mod. It is a world setting (<ExperimentalMode>true</ExperimentalMode> in Sandbox_config.sbc) and a panel toggle on GamezServers. Mods that include scripts also need in game scripts allowed, which is the same switch players use for programmable blocks. If a mod's page says it adds scripts, check both.

How does mod load order work?

Load order only matters when two mods change the same thing, such as two mods that rebalance the same thruster or replace the same block. Most mod lists never hit this.

When it does matter, know that the order in the file is the opposite of the in game list:

• In the in game mod screen, the mod at the top has the highest priority.
• In Sandbox_config.sbc, mods load from top to bottom, so the one at the bottom wins.

Practical rule for the file: put frameworks and libraries (for example text and HUD APIs that other mods depend on) near the top, and put mods meant to override others near the bottom. Mod authors usually say on their Workshop page if their mod must load before or after something.

Can crossplay servers use Steam Workshop mods?

No. A server set up for Xbox and PC crossplay cannot use Steam Workshop mods, because Xbox players cannot download them. Crossplay servers use mods from mod.io instead, with the mod.io ID and <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>. Console players are also limited to mods without scripts. If your group is PC only, stick with the Workshop: the selection is far bigger.

How do players get the mods?

They do not need to do anything. When a player joins, Space Engineers downloads the server's mods to their game automatically. The first join after adding a big mod pack can take a while, so warn your group. Players do not need to subscribe on the Workshop, although subscribing does not hurt.

Why are my Space Engineers mods not loading?

Work through these in order:

1. Wrong world. Check the world folder you edited is the one the server loads. On our servers, that is the folder matching the World Name setting. Do not rename the world after its first start.
2. Only the server config edited. Existing worlds read Sandbox_config.sbc. Put the entries there.
3. Experimental mode off. Turn it on and restart.
4. Typo in the ID. Name must be ID.sbm, and PublishedFileId must match the Workshop page.
5. Missing dependency. Add every item from the mod's Required items list.
6. Broken XML. Open the file in an editor that highlights XML, or compare against your backup.
7. The mod is broken. After a game update, some mods fail until their author updates them. The server log names mods that failed to download or compile. Remove that entry and start again to confirm.
8. Older saves. Some older worlds also keep a mod list in Sandbox.sbc. If edits to Sandbox_config.sbc seem ignored, check that file for a <Mods> block too.

Do mods slow down a Space Engineers server?

Some do. Block packs are usually light, but mods with scripts run code on the server every tick, and weapon and AI mods can be heavy. Watch the server's simulation speed: 1.00 is full speed, and anything that drags it down for everyone is worth questioning. Space Engineers performance is mostly about grids, so a big mod list on a world full of abandoned ships hurts twice. Our Space Engineers server guide covers world settings and PCU limits that keep a modded world healthy.

What about Torch plugins?

Plugins are different from mods. Mods are Workshop content that both server and players load. Plugins run only on the server, through Torch, a community wrapper around the dedicated server. Popular ones handle grid cleanup, admin commands and scheduled restarts. Torch still loads your world's mod list the normal way. On GamezServers you can switch the server type to Space Engineers - Torch in the panel, with a backup taken before the switch.

FAQ

Where do I put mod IDs for a Space Engineers dedicated server?

In the <Mods> list of Saves/<World>/Sandbox_config.sbc for an existing world, with the same entries in SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg for new worlds.

Do players need to install Space Engineers server mods?

No. The game downloads the server's mods to each player automatically when they join.

Can I add a whole Workshop collection to a Space Engineers server?

Not by its collection ID. Add each mod in the collection as its own <ModItem> entry, including any required items.

Why does my Space Engineers server ignore my mods?

Usually the mods were added only to SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg, experimental mode is off, or there is a typo in an ID. Existing worlds read the list from Sandbox_config.sbc.

Do Space Engineers mods work with Xbox crossplay?

Steam Workshop mods do not. Crossplay servers use mod.io mods, and Xbox players can only use mods without scripts.

The easy option

Our Space Engineers servers have Enable Experimental Mode and in game scripts as panel toggles, full file access for editing Sandbox_config.sbc, and a Torch server type for plugins. Take a backup in one click before adding a big mod list, and roll back if a mod breaks the world.