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Users: Modding Cyberpunk 2077

Modding your game, for users
This page contains instructions on installing mods. If you want to create mods instead, check here.

How to install mods

TL;DR:
The first thing you will be told on Discord is to read this guide, so you might as well do that before wasting everyone's time.
When installing a mod, make sure to install all of its dependencies. You will find a list on the Nexus description tab under "Requirements". If you do not do this, your mod will not work.
You need to enable REDmod. Without it, most of your mods will not work.
You mod Cyberpunk 2077 by adding files to your game directory. There is no need to overwrite base game files, since the game natively supports modding.
The game directory is the toplevel folder of your game install.
Unless you changed the default settings, it will be installed to:
STEAM C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\
GOG C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Cyberpunk 2077\
You can install mods by hand or by using Vortex.
Regardless of your past experiences, the Nexus mod manager works reliably and well for modding Cyberpunk, as long as you do not install more than ~250 REDmods.

Dependencies / Requiremends

Although Cyberpunk natively supports modding, this out-of-the-box support is extremely limited. To allow modders greater freedom, a number of frameworks have been created to allow e.g. adding items, influencing the weather, or add flying cars.
Since this kind of mod interacts with the game's code on such a fundamental level, they are prone to breaking whenever CDPR changes their API. This is the reason why game updates break mods — we recommend to turn off auto-update and manually upgrading once the frameworks you need have been brought up-to-date.
Unless they are marked as optional, you have to install the dependencies, and their dependencies as well.
If you don't, then your mod will not work.

Overview of mod folders

TL;DR: you can ignore this.
This list is supposed to give you an overview of which files go where. It is not a bucket list of things you have to install.
Folder path in your game dir
Description of folder
/archive/pc/mod
holds .archive files from non-REDmods
/bin/x64/plugins
Cyber Engine Tweaks (github) (Nexus)
/mods
Directory for REDmods
/r6
redscript folder
/red4ext
Red4ext, ArchiveXL, TweakXL
- archive
- pc
- mod << .archive files from non-REDmods go here
- bin
- x64
- plugins << Cyber Engine Tweaks goes here
- mods << REDmods go here
- r6 << redscript folder
- tools

Installing and activating REDmod

If REDmod is not installed and activated, your mods will not load.
REDmods are installed in Cyberpunk 2077\mods, where every mod has a subfolder with an info.json.

Installing Mods

You can install mods via Vortex or manually. There are upsides and downsides to each of

Vortex

By default, Vortex will convert everything you download to a REDmod, as this is how it maintains load order. If you do not want this, see here.

0. Download and login

  1. 1.
    Download the mod manager from Nexus, then log in to your Nexus account.
  2. 2.
    Set a Mod Staging folder (if it doesn't ask you, open Settings/Mods). This is where Vortex stores its files. It needs to be on the same drive as your game, but not the game directory itself.
  3. 3.
    Add Cyberpunk 2077 — the executable is in the game directory under /bin/x64/Cyberpunk2077.exe

1. Install a mod

On the mod's page, click the "Vortex" button under "Download":
If there isn't one, browse to the "Files" tab and look for the "Mod Manager Download" button.
If neither of these options are available, the mod author has chosen not to support Vortex. That does not mean that you have to install from hand: you can try to download the archive, then drag and drop it on the running Vortex client.
If that doesn't work, you have to install it by hand.

2. Enabling

By default, mods you install via Vortex will be disabled. To add them to Cyberpunk, you need to enable them.

3. Deploying

Vortex keeps its files in the Staging folder that you configure in the settings.
If you launch Cyberpunk via Vortex, the mod manager will deploy automatically. Otherwise, you have to click this button:
Vortex will give you an error message if any of your mods couldn't be deployed successfully.

4. (optional) Deactivate REDmod conversion

You should only do this if you run into problems with your mods. By default, this setting works fine.

5. Troubleshooting

For problems that are related directly to Vortex, you can use Nexus support or join our Discord and find (volunteer) help in the #vortex-support channel.
Before your mods deploy, there is no need to consult the general troubleshooting.

Manual install

"Manual install" is a rather glorified term for "extracting the downloaded archive into your game directory". However, you have to make sure that the right files end up in the right folders.
You can inspect the file structure by simply opening the downloaded file, or by using this feature on Nexus (unless a mod author has disabled it):
The file structure is different for REDmods and non-REDmods. Mod authors usually tell you which file is which, though.

REDmod:

Extract the entire folder into /mods/. You should have /mods/ModName afterwards.

Non-REDmod

In your archive, find the folders corresponding to this overview and extract them directly to your game directory. Their content will be added to the already existing files, overwriting anything that needs to be replaced.

Anything else

Some mods are just a loose collection of files and it's up to you and the mod's install instructions to put them in the right place.
As a rule of thumb: usually, but not always…
  • .archive files go into /archive/pc/mod/
  • .xl files go into /archive/pc/mod/
  • .reds files go into /r6/scripts/
  • .lua files go into a subfolder of /bin/x64/plugins/cyber_engine_tweaks/

Troubleshooting

If you have problems with Vortex, check the corresponding section of the guide.
For everything else, this wiki has a dedicated troubleshooting page that has solutions to many common problems. If that doesn't cut it, you're welcome to find us on Discord in the #mod-troubleshooting channel (but your first answer will be a link to that guide).