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How to Add Mods From Mod.io to a Space Engineers Server

Use a Mod.io Resource ID—not a Steam Workshop ID—in the world save’s Sandbox_config.sbc, set PublishedServiceName to mod.io, restart the server, and verify downloads in the startup console.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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To add a Mod.io mod, use the mod’s Resource ID in the world save’s Sandbox_config.sbc, set PublishedServiceName to mod.io, then restart the server so it can download the files. Xbox-only and mixed PC/Xbox servers must use Mod.io-hosted mods; Host Havoc’s June 9, 2026 guidance also requires crossplay to be enabled for this workflow.

The reliable sequence is: stop the server, obtain the Resource ID from the mod page, add one ModItem block per mod (or select the mods in the dedicated-server manager), save the configuration, restart, and verify download messages in the startup console.

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Choose the correct platform mode first

Mod source is determined by the players your server must support. Keen Software House states that a server intended specifically for Xbox players, or for a mixture of PC and Xbox players, should use only mods hosted through Mod.io. A Steam Workshop identifier is not interchangeable with a Mod.io identifier.

For the cross-platform path documented by Host Havoc on June 9, 2026, enable crossplay before troubleshooting mod downloads. A server that is configured for the wrong platform mode can reject an otherwise valid Mod.io entry, so confirm this setting before changing XML.

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Use this decision rule

Server audience Mod source for this guide Important condition
Xbox-only Mod.io Use the Mod.io service name and Resource ID.
Mixed PC and Xbox Mod.io Crossplay must be enabled in the cited provider workflow.
PC-only Steam Workshop-capable or Mod.io, depending on your design This article covers the Mod.io configuration format; do not paste a Steam ID into it.

What you need before editing

  • Ownership of Space Engineers on Steam if you are installing the official dedicated-server tools. Keen makes the dedicated server available free to owners through Steam Library and the Tools section.
  • Access to the server’s world-save files and permission to stop and restart the process.
  • The exact Mod.io page for every mod you intend to add.
  • The Resource ID shown on each Mod.io page. This is the numeric value that belongs after the service prefix.
  • A backup of the save or at least a copy of Sandbox_config.sbc before making manual changes.
  • A way to read startup output: the dedicated-server console for self-hosting or the web console supplied by a managed host.

Do not edit a live save while the server is running. Stop the server first, because a running process can overwrite your change when it shuts down or save an incomplete configuration.

Find a mod’s Mod.io Resource ID

Open the mod’s page on spaceengineers.mod.io and copy its Resource ID. Keen’s required notation is Service:Mod ID; for Mod.io the service portion is written as mod.io. The resulting identifier is represented by entries such as mod.io:1234567890 in the documentation.

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Verify the identifier before using it

  1. Confirm that you are on the actual mod page, not a collection, discussion, author profile, or a Steam Workshop page.
  2. Copy the Resource ID exactly as displayed. Do not add spaces, punctuation, or a Steam Workshop file ID.
  3. Record the mod’s displayed name separately. You will use a friendly name in the XML, but the numeric Resource ID is what the server uses to retrieve content.
  4. Check whether the page is public and available to the account or region operating the server. An unavailable or private item can produce an unknown-mod or download error even when the number is typed correctly.
  5. Read the page’s dependency, conflict, ordering, and save requirements before starting the server.

The friendly name is descriptive; it does not authenticate the mod. If a mod author changes its title, the Resource ID remains the value you must verify in the configuration.

Install or open the dedicated-server manager

The official dedicated-server manager exposes the controls needed for this job: server configuration, active-mod selection, edit-config, save and start, restart, and console views. To install it through Steam, open the Library, switch to the Tools category, and install the Space Engineers dedicated-server tool. It is available at no additional charge to Space Engineers owners.

Initial manager checks

  1. Launch the dedicated-server manager and select the server instance that contains the target world.
  2. Confirm that the instance is configured for the intended platform mode. If Xbox players are involved, verify the crossplay option required by your host’s setup.
  3. Identify the active world/save. Mods are attached to the world’s configuration, not merely to the executable or a global server list.
  4. Stop the instance before opening the configuration editor or modifying files.
  5. Make a backup of the current save configuration so you can restore it if the server fails to start.

If you use a managed host instead of the official manager, the labels differ, but the underlying operation is the same: stop the server, edit the world configuration, save, and restart while watching the provider’s console.

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Method 1: select the mod in the manager

The manager’s active-mod controls are the safest option when they expose Mod.io entries directly. Use the mod-selection interface to add the desired item, then use the edit-config view to confirm that the resulting entry identifies the Mod.io service rather than Steam Workshop.

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  1. With the server stopped, open the instance’s Active Mods or equivalent mod-selection control.
  2. Search for the mod and add it to the active list. If the interface asks for a service, choose Mod.io.
  3. Open Edit Config and inspect the world’s Mods section.
  4. Save the server configuration through the manager.
  5. Restart the server and monitor the console for download and initialization messages.

The graphical path avoids hand-editing XML, but it does not remove the need to check the identifier, dependencies, and save compatibility. If the manager cannot locate the item or writes the wrong service, use the manual format below.

Method 2: edit Sandbox_config.sbc manually

Manual editing is the documented fallback for a provider that gives you file access or for a manager whose mod picker does not expose the required entry. Work on the configuration belonging to the world you actually run.

  1. Stop the server completely and wait until the process is no longer running.
  2. Open the world save’s Sandbox_config.sbc in a plain-text editor.
  3. Find the empty element <Mods />.
  4. Replace that empty element with a Mods block containing one ModItem for each mod.
  5. Save the file as plain text, preserving the .sbc extension and XML structure.
  6. Start the server and inspect the startup output before allowing players to join.

A single-mod example, using the values shown in Keen’s and Host Havoc’s documentation, looks like this:

<Mods>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="Assault Weapons Pack">
    <Name>451208.sbm</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>451208</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
</Mods>

The number 451208 and the name in this example are illustrative values from the documented format. Replace them with the corresponding values for your mod. The service value must be spelled exactly mod.io, including the lowercase letters and period.

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What each XML field does

Element or attribute Value to enter Common mistake
FriendlyName A readable label for the mod Assuming the label is the download key.
Name The mod file name associated with the entry, such as 451208.sbm in the example Leaving the example value in place.
PublishedFileId The Mod.io Resource ID Pasting a Steam Workshop ID or a full URL.
PublishedServiceName mod.io Misspelling the service prefix or changing its capitalization.

Add several Mod.io mods

Keep the outer Mods element and repeat the complete ModItem block for every additional mod. Do not merge two IDs into one element or delete fields from the documented structure.

<Mods>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="First Mod">
    <Name>FIRST_ID.sbm</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>FIRST_ID</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
  <ModItem FriendlyName="Second Mod">
    <Name>SECOND_ID.sbm</Name>
    <PublishedFileId>SECOND_ID</PublishedFileId>
    <PublishedServiceName>mod.io</PublishedServiceName>
  </ModItem>
</Mods>

In this template, replace every uppercase token with the actual values for that mod. A token left in the file is not a valid identifier. Keep a written list of the order in which you added entries so you can correlate startup errors with a specific item.

Dependencies, conflicts, and load order

The official Space Engineers wiki says dependencies listed on Mod.io are added automatically to the world’s mod list. Automatic dependency handling does not mean every combination is safe. You still need to read each mod page for conflicts, ordering instructions, and special installation notes.

Before the first restart

  • Open each mod page and note required dependencies.
  • Check for explicit incompatibilities with another mod already in the save.
  • Follow an author’s requested load order when one is provided. If no order is documented, do not invent one; preserve the order selected in the manager or listed in your XML.
  • Determine whether the author says the mod works with an existing save or requires a new world.
  • Plan a test restart with no players connected so a failed initialization cannot interrupt an active session.

Dependencies being added automatically is a convenience, not a compatibility guarantee. A dependency can download successfully while the primary mod still conflicts with another entry or requires a fresh save.

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Existing save or fresh save?

Adding a mod to an existing world is not always sufficient. Host Havoc specifically warns that some mods require a new save before they take effect. The requirement is mod-specific, so use the mod page as the authority rather than assuming every item behaves the same way.

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Use an existing save when

  • The mod page does not require a new world.
  • The mod is compatible with the save’s current configuration and other active entries.
  • You have a backup and can roll back if the world fails to load.

Create a fresh save when

  • The mod author explicitly says a new save is required.
  • The server starts but the feature does not appear after a successful download.
  • Logs show initialization or world-definition problems that persist after the ID and service fields are corrected.

Do not delete the original save while testing. Make a separate test world, apply the same mod list, and compare startup behavior before changing a production world.

Restart and verify the download

Save the configuration, then restart the server. Host Havoc documents that Mod.io content downloads during startup and that progress can be monitored in the web console. A server that reaches a ready state without downloading the item has not proved that the mod is active.

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  1. Start the server after saving the XML or manager configuration.
  2. Watch the console from the beginning of startup, not only the final ready message.
  3. Look for the Mod.io item being recognized, downloaded, and initialized.
  4. Check for warnings naming a missing dependency, conflict, malformed entry, or unavailable item.
  5. Only after the output is clean should you connect a player and test the mod’s in-game behavior.

Keep the startup output from a successful run. It gives you a baseline for future updates and makes it easier to identify whether a later failure is caused by a changed mod, a changed save, or a configuration edit.

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Troubleshoot “unknown mod” and download failures

An unknown-mod message is usually an identification or availability problem, but the same symptom can appear when the server is not configured for the required platform mode. Check one variable at a time and restart after each correction.

Symptom Likely cause Action
Mod is reported as unknown immediately Steam Workshop ID used instead of the Mod.io Resource ID Return to the Mod.io page and copy its Resource ID.
Entry is present but service is not recognized Incorrect PublishedServiceName value Set it exactly to mod.io.
Download never begins on a mixed-platform server Crossplay is disabled or the server is in the wrong platform mode Enable the crossplay setting required by your host and verify the server audience.
Correct ID still cannot be downloaded Mod is private, removed, unavailable, or otherwise inaccessible Open the mod page while signed in as the account used to manage the server and confirm that the item is available.
Server starts but feature is absent Dependency, load-order conflict, or fresh-save requirement Read the mod page, inspect automatically added dependencies, test the documented order, and try a separate new save if required.
Several mods fail after one edit Malformed XML or a damaged block Restore the backup, add one mod, restart, then add the remaining entries one at a time.

Validate the four fields first

For each failing item, compare the configuration with the mod page and the documented format: the Resource ID, the mod.io service name, the file name in Name, and the readable name. A typo in the friendly name alone is generally less important than an incorrect ID or service, but keeping all fields synchronized makes the console easier to interpret.

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Use the console as the authority

Do not declare the installation successful because the entry appears in a menu or because the server reaches its login screen. The cited documentation describes the startup download process, so the decisive check is the server’s own output showing that the item was retrieved and initialized. If the console gives no useful detail, remove the suspect entry, restart with a known-good configuration, and reintroduce the mod after confirming its availability.

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Managed hosting versus self-hosting

The same Mod.io data is used in both environments, but the editing surface and recovery options differ.

Approach Configuration path Strength Trade-off
Official dedicated-server manager Active-mod selection and Edit Config controls Less manual XML handling and an integrated restart/console workflow You are limited by what the manager exposes; inspect the generated configuration when troubleshooting.
Self-hosted file editing Stop the process and edit the world’s Sandbox_config.sbc Direct control over every ModItem and easy versioned backups A malformed XML block can prevent startup, so backups and incremental changes matter.
Managed host panel Provider’s mod editor or file manager, followed by restart Web console shows startup download progress without local server administration Exact labels and file locations vary; follow the host’s stop, save, and restart controls.

Choose the method that gives you both a reversible configuration and readable startup output. The service name and Resource ID do not change merely because the server is hosted elsewhere.

Updating or removing a Mod.io mod

To remove one mod

  1. Stop the server.
  2. Back up the current configuration.
  3. In the manager, remove the item from the active-mod list, or delete only that item’s complete ModItem block from Sandbox_config.sbc.
  4. Save and restart.
  5. Check startup output for dependency warnings or a world that still expects the removed content.

To update a mod

Leave the Resource ID and service name tied to the same Mod.io item unless the author publishes a replacement with a different ID. Restart so the server can obtain the current content, then check the console and the mod page for save migration notes. If an update changes world definitions, test a copy of the save first.

Final pre-start checklist

  • Xbox-only or mixed-platform server: Mod.io is the selected source.
  • Crossplay is enabled where the hosting workflow requires it.
  • Every entry uses a Mod.io Resource ID, not a Steam Workshop ID.
  • Every entry has PublishedServiceName set to mod.io.
  • The world’s Sandbox_config.sbc contains one complete ModItem per mod.
  • The server was stopped before editing and the original configuration was backed up.
  • Dependencies, conflicts, order, and fresh-save requirements were reviewed on the mod pages.
  • The server was restarted after saving.
  • Startup or web-console output confirms download and initialization before players connect.

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