How To Mod Stardew Valley

While the recent *Stardew Valley* update has garnered significant attention, players have long leveraged the power of mods to enhance their experience. From expanding NPC storylines to adding unique cosmetic items, modding offers a fantastic way to unleash your creativity and personalize your farming adventure. Here's how to get started with modding *Stardew Valley*.

How to Mod Stardew Valley on Windows

Step One: Back Up Your Save File (Recommended)

Protecting your hard work is crucial. While not necessary for new games, backing up your save file is highly recommended if you've invested significant time building your farm and relationships. Losing hours of progress would be devastating!

Backing up is easy:

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 and paste the contents to a safe location on your computer.

Step Two: Install SMAPI

SMAPI is the essential mod loader that seamlessly integrates mods into your game. Download it directly from their website. Remember, SMAPI itself isn't a mod; it's the tool that enables modding. Therefore, don't extract it into your mods folder.

After downloading, extract the SMAPI ZIP file (your desktop or downloads folder works well). Run SMAPI and select "Install on Windows," following the on-screen instructions.

Step Three: Configure Your Game Client (If Necessary)

If you play Stardew Valley through Steam, GOG Galaxy, or the Xbox app, you might need extra steps to maintain playtime tracking and achievements. Further configuration details can be found here.

Step Four: Installing Mods

Now for the fun part!

Nexus Mods is a popular source for Stardew Valley mods, offering a vast selection. Mods are typically downloaded as ZIP files, requiring extraction. Once extracted, simply move the files into the Mods folder (automatically created after SMAPI installation). The Mods folder location 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

And that's how to mod Stardew Valley! With thousands of mods available, there's something for everyone.

Stardew Valley is available now.