How to Install Stardew Valley Mods: Easy Guide for Modding PC & Mac

Let’s get one thing straight: Stardew Valley is an excellent game. I have sunk hundreds of hours into this title since it was released in 2016, and the vast majority of that time was spent without installing a single mod. (And nearly ten years later, developer Eric Barone is still surprising fans with major content updates for the game.) 

In other words, there is no shortage of gameplay to enjoy in the “vanilla” (aka unmodded) version of Stardew Valley.

But.

For those players looking to spice up their gameplay or just add a few quality-of-life improvements, Stardew Valley mods are a literal game-changer. 

Modding Stardew Valley is surprisingly beginner-friendly, and once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. Here’s everything you need to know to easily install mods for Stardew Valley on PC and Mac.

Getting Started with Stardew Valley Mods

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, make sure you have everything ready:

• A copy of Stardew Valley 
• SMAPI (sit tight—you’ll find instructions below!)
• About 20-30 minutes for the initial setup

That’s it! No programming knowledge or advanced technical skills needed. If you can download files and copy-paste folders, you can absolutely install a few (or a few hundred) Stardew Valley mods.

What is SMAPI and Why Do You Need It?

SMAPI stands for Stardew Modding API — it’s basically the magical bridge that lets mod files communicate with your Stardew Valley game. 

SMAPI is completely safe to install and has been endorsed by ConcernedApe, who actively works with the SMAPI developers to confirm compatibility with new updates. It’s been used by millions of players and is specifically designed to keep your game stable while loading mods.

SMAPI works on Windows, Mac, and Linux, so no matter what system you’re playing on — Steam Deck included — you’re covered.

How to Install SMAPI (Step-by-Step)

Alright, let’s get SMAPI installed! This is the foundation of everything else, so we’ll take it nice and slow.

No matter which OS you’re running, the first thing you’ll need to do is download the latest official version of SMAPI. To do that, just visit smapi.io and click the big green button.

Installing SMAPI on PC

1. Find the ZIP file in your Downloads folder and right-click it. Choose “Extract All” and pick somewhere easy to find, like your Desktop.
2. Open the extracted folder on your Desktop and look for a file called “install on Windows.bat”. Double-click it to run it, then follow the on-screen instructions.
3. SMAPI will install itself, and you’ll see a bunch of text scroll by. Press any key to close the window.

That’s it! SMAPI is installed on your PC.

Installing SMAPI on Mac

1. Open the downloaded ZIP file (it should extract automatically on Mac).
2. Find the file inside called “install on macOS.command” and double-click it.
3. You might need to enter your Mac password here—this is just giving SMAPI permission to install. Go ahead and type it in.

Follow the prompts window that appears. Press 1 to select your Stardew Valley installation, then let SMAPI do its thing.

When you see “SMAPI is installed,” you’re all set!

Did It Work? Let’s Check!

The easiest way to verify that SMAPI is installed correctly is to launch it. Look for a new application in your Stardew Valley folder called “StardewModdingAPI” and double-click it. Your game should launch, along with a separate console window. If the console window displays green text that says something like “SMAPI 4.3.2 with Stardew Valley 1.6.15,” congratulations—you did it!

Make sure to keep this console window open while you’re playing. 

Where to Find the Best Stardew Valley Mods

It’s finally time to go mod shopping! Not sure how to get started? Here are some of my favorite places to find mods for Stardew Valley.

1. Nexus Mods 

I personally get all of my Stardew Valley mods from Nexus Mods. It’s well-organized, trustworthy, and filled with thousands of excellent mods to play with. 

Head to nexusmods.com/stardewvalley to start “shopping.” You can explore trending mods, curated mod collections, and even filter by hyper-specific tags like “Real World Issues” or “NSFW”.  There are also dozens of curated mod collections that make it easy to get what you need in a few simple clicks.

Each mod listing includes:

• User ratings and reviews
• A detailed description from the creator
• Screenshots and videos
• Update history
• Compatibility information

2. ModDrop

ModDrop is another great place to find mods for Stardew Valley, especially if you’re just in the mood to browse. It also has curated ModPacks, which are similar to the collections on NexusMods and let you easily discover and download mods that work well together or match a specific theme.

3. Official Stardew Valley Forums

The Stardew Valley forums are where many creators first share their work before uploading their mods to bigger sites like NexusMods or ModDrop. Exploring the forums is great if you’re looking for a bit of old-school internet community, and you may even get to interact directly with your favorite mod creators. 

What Makes a Good Mod?

When you’re browsing, look for:

• Recent updates (ideally within the last few months)
• High endorsement counts or downloads
• Clear, detailed descriptions 
• An active comments section
• Compatibility notes (especially for the current game version)

If a mod is missing any of these things, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a bad mod! There are always new hidden gems to discover. 

Modding Red Flags to Avoid

Be cautious of the following:

• Anything asking for payment (Stardew Valley mods should always be free!)
• Mods without any descriptions or screenshots
• Extremely outdated mods (2+ years old without updates)
• Mods on file-sharing sites that just feel sketchy

Method 1: Installing Mods Manually

The most common and straightforward method for installing mods is to add them manually to your game files. This method is perfect if you’re only installing a few mods—or if you’re a bit of a control freak and want to decide exactly where everything goes. It’s also great to try if you want to know a bit more about how mods actually work. 

Finding Your Mods Folder

Before you can start installing mods, you’ll need to find where the Stardew Valley mods folder lives on your computer.

• On Windows, navigate to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley\Mods
• On Mac, the path should be: ~\Library\Application Support\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley\Contents\MacOS\Mods (In Finder, you can click Go > Go to Folder and then paste the path.)

Installing Your First Mod

These instructions assume you’ve already downloaded the mod you want to install. If not, jump back to this section after you’ve downloaded a few you’re interested in.

Step 1: Extract the Files

• Find the downloaded ZIP file for your chosen mod.
• Right-click it and choose “Extract All” (PC) or double-click to unzip (Mac).
• Place the extracted folder in an easily accessible location, like your Desktop.

Step 2: Check What You Got

• Open the extracted folder—it should include the name of the mod.
• Check inside this folder for a file called manifest.json—this is super important!

Step 3: Move It to Your Mods Folder

• Copy the entire mod folder (the one containing manifest.json).
• Paste it into the Mods folder on your computer.
• The file structure should look something like: Mods/ModName/manifest.json

Step 4: Launch and Test

• Open Stardew Valley through SMAPI (don’t just launch the regular game, unless you’ve already configured Steam or another game client to launch SMAPI by default).
• Keep an eye on the SMAPI console window. It should say something like “Loaded 1 mod.”
• In Stardew Valley, load up your save file or start a new game and see if the mod is working!

Common Modding Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

I’ve made every single one of these mistakes, so learn from my chaos…

1. Don’t install the ZIP file directly! You need to extract it first. Mods need to be in regular folders, not compressed files.
2. Watch out for nested folders. Sometimes, when you extract a mod, you may end up with a folder inside a folder. Make sure the manifest.json is only ONE folder deep inside your Mods folder. It should be Mods/ModName/manifest.json, NOT Mods/ModName/ModName/manifest.json
3. Check for the manifest.json. This little file is essential. If it’s not there, the mod won’t load. Period.
4. Make sure you’re in the right Mods folder. If you have multiple copies of Stardew Valley (like on both Steam and GOG), you may need to double-check to make sure you’re putting mods in the right folder.

Method 2: Installing Mods Using a Mod Manager

Once you start collecting more than a handful of mods, manual installation can get tedious. That’s where mod managers like Vortex or The Nexus Mods App can help. Think of these tools like personal mod butlers—they can handle the installation for you, so you can focus on your game. 

Mod managers are great because they can:

• Install mods with one click
• Update your mods automatically
• Let you enable/disable mods without deleting them
• Identify and manage conflicts between mods

I personally use Stardrop, so these instructions will be tailored to that platform—but don’t worry! Most mod managers will walk you step-by-step through the setup process when you launch them for the first time.

Installing Mods with Stardrop

Step 1: Download the Stardrop Mod Manager

• Download Stardrop Mod Manager on Nexus Mods. 
• Extract the downloaded file and follow the program’s instructions to install Stardrop.
• If you get stuck, you can refer to the official Stardrop manual for step-by-step instructions for your operating system.

Step 2: Connect to Your Nexus Account 

• From the Stardrop menu, navigate to Nexus Mods > API Connection.

• Click the “Go to Nexus Mods” button that appears in the pop-up window.
• If you haven’t already, log into your free Nexus account.
• Scroll down to find “Stardrop” in the list of applications and click “Request API Key”. The key will be automatically copied to your clipboard.

• Return to Stardrop and paste the API key into the blank field.

Step 3: Install Mods

• From Nexus mods, locate a mod you want to download and click the orange download button option that says “Mod Manager.” 
• Your browser might tell you that Nexus Mods is trying to open Stardrop—that’s what we want! Click the confirmation prompt to enable the download.

• Follow the prompts within Stardrop to download and enable your first mod!

Managing Your Mod Collection in Stardrop

Stardrop Mod Manager makes it super easy to:

• Check for updates: You can check for updates to SMAPI, Stardrop, and your game mods with the click of a button.
• Enable/disable individual mods: Just click the checkbox to the left of the mod name to enable or disable a mod in your game.
• Create unique mod profiles: Want different mod setups for different farms? You can do that easily by configuring different mod profiles in the top toolbar.

Troubleshooting Stardew Valley Mods

Most Stardew Valley mods are developed by fellow fans who want to give back to the community in their free time. If something doesn’t work perfectly the first time you try to install a new mod, don’t worry—it’s almost always an easy fix! Here are the most common issues and how to solve them.

1. Help! My Mods Aren’t Loading.

• Check #1: Are you launching the game through SMAPI? That SMAPI console window needs to be there when you launch, or your mods won’t load.
• Check #2: Review your folder structure. Open one of your mod folders and make sure manifest.json is right there, not buried in another folder inside.
• Check #3: Read what the SMAPI console says when you launch the game. It will often tell you exactly what’s going wrong, like “ModName failed to load because…”
• Check #4: Make sure the mod is compatible with your game version. If you’re running Stardew Valley 1.6 but the mod was made for 1.5 and hasn’t been updated recently, it might no longer work.

2. Help! The Game Crashes When I Try to Start It.

• Check #1: Launch the game through SMAPI and watch the console window closely. It can usually point to exactly which mod is causing the problem.
• Check #2: Make sure SMAPI is updated to the latest version. Sometimes crashes happen because SMAPI needs an update after a game patch (see below).
• Check #3: Try removing mods one at a time (or disabling them in your mod manager) to identify the culprit. Start with the most recently added mod and work backwards. 

3. Help! Stardew Valley Updated and All My Mods Broke.

This is super common and actually not as scary as it sounds. Here’s what to do:

• Check #1: First, update SMAPI if you haven’t already. The SMAPI team is quick—they usually release an update within days of a game update.
• Check #2: Check for any updates to your installed mods. Most popular mods get updated pretty quickly, but you can always temporarily disable any mods that aren’t compatible yet. You can always turn them back on when they’re updated!

Still Stuck?

The Stardew Valley modding community is incredibly friendly and supportive. If you’re still running into problems with modding your game, check out these resources:

• SMAPI Log Parser: Upload your log file and it’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong.
• r/StardewValley Subreddit: The main Stardew Valley subreddit (and many of the spinoffs) are very active and extremely helpful. Make sure to try searching your question first before posting—there’s a good chance your question has already been answered!
• The Stardew Valley Wiki: The wiki has a great guide on troubleshooting mods. Most common problems can be found here.
• Check the Mod Comments on Nexus: Review the comments section of the mod giving you trouble—this is an easy way to see if others are having the same issue and if there’s a fix available.

The Dos and Don’ts of Stardew Valley Modding

I’ve added hundreds (maybe thousands…) of different mods to Stardew Valley over the years—and I’ve broken my game my fair share of times, too. Here’s what I’ve learned to help keep things running smoothly:

Do:

• Start small. Don’t add more than 3-5 mods the first time. Once you make sure they work and get the hang of modding, you can always add more. It’s so much easier to troubleshoot when you know which mod caused an issue.
• Read the mod descriptions. Seriously, mod creators put important info there! Dependencies, known conflicts, installation tips—it’s all there.
• Check compatibility. Some mods require other mods to work properly. (When downloading from Nexus, it will usually tell you exactly what you need!) Many mods have dependencies. Make sure to install them first!
• Use Content Patcher mods when possible. I find these mods tend to be more stable and often play nicer with updates than mods that change core game files.

Don’t:

• Install 50 mods at once. I know it’s tempting, but trust me. Adding dozens of mods in a single go will make it impossible to troubleshoot when something breaks.
• Ignore the SMAPI console. That little window of code is your friend. Red or yellow text means something needs your attention—don’t ignore it!
• Mix major overhaul mods. Two mods that both completely redesign the same system (like marriage or farming) will probably fight with each other. Look for compatibility notes or stick to one of these mods per playthrough.
• Remove mods mid-playthrough. Some mods add items or NPCs to your save. Removing them suddenly can corrupt things. Always check the mod page first!

Go Forth & Mod, Farmer!

Once you’re comfortable with modding Stardew Valley, the sky’s the limit! Want to add entirely new characters to the game? There’s a mod for that. Want to turn Abigail into a fish? Surprisingly, there’s a mod for that, too.

So what are you waiting for? Quit reading this article, download those mods you’ve been eyeing, and get back to your farm. Those crops won’t water themselves (unless you install a mod for that—which, let’s be honest, you probably will).

Stardew Valley Modding FAQs