Adding Mods to Factorio Dedicated Servers

Factorio's incredible modding community is what keeps the factory growing. Whether you're looking for Quality of Life improvements or massive overhauls like Space Age or Krastorio, adding them to your server is a straightforward process. This guide covers how to install them on both your server and your local game client.

Method 1: Manual Installation via File Manager

This is the most reliable method for ensuring your server has exactly the mods you want.

1. Download your chosen mods from the official Factorio Mod Portal. These will be in .zip format.
2. Log in to your Supercraft Panel and navigate to the File Manager.
3. Go to the /mods/ directory. If this folder doesn't exist, create it.
4. Upload the mod .zip files directly into this folder. Do not extract them!
5. Restart your server. Factorio will automatically detect and load the mods on startup.

Method 2: Syncing Mods with Clients

One of the best features of Factorio is the ability for players to automatically download the correct mods when joining a server.

• Enable Auto-Sync: By default, if a player tries to join your server and has a different mod set, Factorio will prompt them to "Sync mods with server and restart."
• Version Matching: Ensure your server is running the same base version of Factorio as your clients to prevent compatibility errors.

Local Client Installation (Optional)

If you prefer to install the mods on your local machine manually before joining:

1. Press ⊞ Win + R on your keyboard.
2. In the Run box, type %appdata%\Factorio\mods and press Enter.
3. Place your mod .zip files into the folder that opens.
4. Launch Factorio; the mods will be active on the main menu.

Checking Mod Logs

If your server fails to start after adding mods, check the factorio-current.log file in the /logs/ folder. Most often, the issue is a missing dependency (one mod requiring another to function). The log will tell you exactly which mod is causing the conflict.